Hi folks, not sure if anybody has any advice or positive stories of breastfeeding pain improving after the 7 week point.
My baby had tongue tie which was corrected at 8 days, the nipple pain improved at that point but not totally, I saw a BF consultant at the time who observed my latch and said it looked ok and gave some tips for deep latch technique. The pain never really went and I have to admit I didn't take him off the breast when it was a painful latch as it was so rare that we got a pain free one. To date over 7 weeks, I can probably count about 10 pain free latches so it is possible, we just don't seem to get it often enough.
Over the past 2 weeks I have been really trying to get a good latch each time but it just isn't working as I am in alot of pain. He cluster feeds all evening so whilst there is recovery time between feeds during the day, by the evening it is incredibly painful to feed. I have seen another bf counsellor on zoom who recommended using shields which we have tried but sometimes it is still as painful with the shield or I feel like he isn't getting milk through it so I don't use them all the time.
I think the issue isn't so much my nipple on the hard palate but that he is chomping hard while breastfeeding rather than suckling. Trying to get the perfect latch with his tongue down and out and his mouth wide is just impossible especially with how often he feeds.
Does anyone have anything else I should be doing or can try?
Has anyone had similar experience of this and it improved over time?
Every day think about quitting and am very close to throwing in the towel and moving to formula. He is just such a content baby though and loves his feeds so that keeps me persisting.