Ok so DD & I have had our issues getting breastfeeding established but we've been going really well. Stopped using nipples shields about 3-4 weeks ago and no longer needing top-ups after feeds either which is great - better for my supply & much less hassle.
However, since ditching the nipple shields I have been getting progressively sorer, and sorer and sorer. And now its getting to excruciating again. Gritting my teeth through the start of feeds in particular....usually by the end of a feed its been getting better which is giving me some hope.
I just seem to be struggling to get DD to open her mouth wide enough and catch her at the right moment to get enough boob in. After most feeds my nipples look ok shape-wise, but I know we're still not getting it right becuase the pain is really starting to wear again. It almost feels like she's clamping down a bit with her gums too and really clamps down when I take her off....once she really starts comfort sucking too much I'm trying to take her off to reduce the soreness. She likes her boobies which I love, but I am not enjoying the pain right now.
I've tried using the shields again but she really dislikes them. I'm unsure whether using Lansinoh between feeds makes any difference and I'm applying some milk after each feed to help JIC it makes a difference. I guess I'm just after some reassurance and any ideas? I know that it will probably just be patience & persistance and tolerating the pain for a bit longer until things get better, but its really wearing me down now.
Everything else is pretty normal...she's demanding about every 2 hrs during the day and sleeps for a long stretch at night, normally after cluster feeding between about 6pm-10pm. So the long sleep is great, gives the nipples a short break. Plenty of wet nappies and a poo every couple of days. I've considered whether she's starting to teeth and I know its not out of the question, but she's only about 12 weeks old corrected so I think it might be a wee bit early for that.
Ok, thanks for letting me get it out. Any suggestions would be great.
How are you doing now, hun? One thing I can tell you is that things will change, she will get bigger and often attachment improves as baby grows.
It might be worth paying close attention and reattaching her until it is perfect, for your sake. Try to catch her feeding cues early too, often when a baby is really hungry it's harder to get her off to reattach and she'd be more worked up and frantic. DTMS?
oh hun, you are doing an amazing job, you have perservered through so much.
I can only say that with DD1 it took until she was almost 4 months corrected or over 5 1/2 months before she learnt to feed without causing me pain. Everything looked right, attachment, nipple shape etc, but for some reason she just was a painful feeder, then it finally clicked and it stopped hurting. I didn't do anything different and neither did she, at that stage she was around the 5kg mark weight wise.
I wish I had some more adivce to give you, but in the end I just had to grin and bare it until she got it right and TBH I thought that everyone was pulling my leg that BF'ing was supposed to be pain free...
Thanks for the support Jen & Beema. Jen, I do understand what you're saying. I try to feed her before she gets too worked up, and I do think it makes a difference. The constant put her on, take her off, try again routine is very painful and both of us get so frustrated, but I think we'll get there. Slowly.
Beema, I'm the same.....I'm still skeptical about this whole 'pain-free breastfeeding' utopia that others talk of LOL! I think out of all our feeds from the start, I can count on two hands the comfortable ones......so I'll probably throw a party when we finally get the hang of things and it gets comfy again. I have seriously considered that I'm just destined for b/f to be uncomfortable but here's hoping that it will get better.
DD is almost nudging 4kg so I think we've got a bit of a wait yet before she really grows into her little mouth, but today's feeds have been better than yesterday so I'm hopeful that we're onto a good thing. I'm not planning on stopping so just have to pull my socks up, grit my teeth a bit more and be patient.
The nipple cream that seems to work for me is in a yellow tube, AVADO organics. The writing is a burgundy colour, and I found it next to the sudocrem in the baby aisle.
I'm another with vasospasm, tried the antibiotics too but the side effects were just as bad for me... Especially the light headedness, I couldn't drive and wasn't comfortable carrying Melo.
Something that was wonderful with that was some wheatbags you can heat up, made for inside your bra... I bought them from a WAHM. Not quite small enough to wear out (a little bulky, lol) but I wore them around the house and they help tremendously (especially just before and after a feed... Just had a mess occassionally before feeds when my let down happened before he attached, lol)
Attachment seems to be getting worse, not better
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oh hun, you are doing an amazing job, you have perservered through so much.
Hope you're feeding comfortably soon.
it keeps getting better for you every day. I'm still amazed at how far you have come, so be proud!
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