Struggling to breastfeed!

[whattookyousolong]

I literally gave birth two days ago and I'm finding breastfeeding such a struggle :( I feel absolutely useless.

I managed to BF my now three year old and although it was hard I managed but this time the pain is so unbearable. I've got cream, I'm in touch with the lactation consultants and midwives and they all just say persevere!

But it literally hurts so much. A struggle to not scream out in pain whenever I get baby latched on :(

Hand hold please

Is your milk in yet?

You've got this!

This is the hardest time but you will get there. Have you checked for tongue tie?
My DS struggled with latching properly to begin with and I found a tip to help pull his bottom lip out, so when he's latching with your finger position his lips so they're in the right place.
Also try nipple shields if you haven't already. Again they helped him to get a better latch (even though I don't think it's technically recommended) and saved my nipples for a few feeds!

Literally today is the hardest day!!! Stick it out a couple more days to see at least. Get your favourite snacks in and resign yourself to the sofa. You got this. You're doing a great job!!

Aw I am not long out the other side of this. Those first 3 weeks were horrific and pain much worse than the birth itself. It'll get easier and a month from now it'll be so so much easier and hopefully pain free.

Multi-Mam compresses and lasinoh cream will help massively.

Another hand hold here for you - I found days 2 and 4 to be the absolute worst (on day 2, I sobbed down the phone to my mum; on day 4, I convinced myself that my husband was going to leave me as I was already such a terrible mum). These really are the worst, worst days emotionally (and physically, given their mouths are so tiny!) - hang in there - it will get better

okay - I hd the same problem - second time round was much more painful.

Have you had baby checked for tounge tie by an expert - if you are in London I can PM you a number of the woman I used. Don't trust a midwife unless they are really aware of tongue tie and supportive of women with babies in this situation.

My daughter had TT and a crick in her neck from the birth - it made feeding on one side particularly excrutiating for me.

I went to several BF drop in groups - my husband drove me and sat outside! I got mixed advice but just enough support to keep going.

Be very careful to keep feeding or you will end up with mastitis.

DOn't rely on NHS help for tongue tie -they put women on a six week programme before cutting it!! if they had any idea of the pain they would realise how insane that is. I could barely make it through a day let alone six weeks.

All I can say is get real life pro help - in the end I stopped feeding completely on the most painful side and just fed my baby from one side. I was slightly lopsided but the pain stopped after a couple of weeks and I fed completely normally for another year.

sympathies. its insane how painful it is.

ps. on the 'just persevere' side - its agony but iin some respects it is true - the babies mouth is so small and your nipples are not used to it. Both times I found end of week 2 the pain vanished. But do get checked for TT in baby.