The pump I have at the moment is manual, and it didn't hurt I just controlled the pump to something I could tolerate and left it at that... got 30 mls off in the 10 minutes... just to relieve the pressure. I've been looking at hiring a manual pump for a month to see if that helps... but not sure how much I'll use it so would it be worth it... everything seems unknown.

If I could give up on one side (the nasty left side) I'd be happy, that is where most the pain is coming from, the unbearable pain, it's constant. The right side is sore on attachment, maybe a few times during the feed but disappears shortly after he's finished feeding. I've found if I let him attach as best I can, give him 30 - 60 second on then remove him and attach him again it's alot better but that first minute is totally toe curling. I put in some breast shell (the ones that collect the milk but also allow air around the nipple - means nothing can touch it) today to see if those would help.

It also takes 5 times as much to get him to attach on the left side, when I finally got him on he relieved it so well... it's just the frustrating in the whole setting up and I turned into a horrid mother when my 3 year old and 6 year old were trying to talk to me while trying to attach him... and then followed by so much pain... the breast shell collected 40 mls (plus everything I dripped over the floor when I bent over to put Oliver down) on my right side.

I love the feeling knowing that I am providing for him like nature made it... just hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel on when things will be easier, like the video clips when all you have to do is direct the baby to the breast and he finds the nipple and attaches on his own