It hurts!!

Yes obviously as I said, pain is the first sign of poor attatchment.
Sorry if it seemed like I said pain should be normal, or that you should ignore it.
I just wanted to point out that pain can be normal for some.
I stopped feeding my first DD coz I was told something was wrong & everyone kept drilling it into me that the pain wasn't right. I didn't want someone else giving up before they were ready.

I'm glad things are better so much quicker & easier for you SJ & that you are working it all out.
Sounds like you will do great.
Good luck.

Thankyou so much for all your tips, advice, and support girls!!
I think my nipples are slowly healing, today feeding has been less painful. That bit at the start where she sucks it to the back of her mouth still makes me cringe but then the pain eases off and it's almost enjoyable when I get it right. Unbelievable. It's hard when she's really hungry though and crying so I'm trying to get her on as soon as she wakes up and it doesn't hurt me as much coz she's not so frantic!!

I think it is the milk comes a bit too fast sometimes too. Esp at night time when she sleeps for longer and my boobs are more full. She keeps going on then pulling off a bit, then I have to take her off again and try again. And she starts crying. Not fun, but I'm getting there.

I'm feeling so much more positive today :grouphug: thankyou everyone!! Going to the breastfeeding clinic in the morning so hopefully they can check out what I'm doing and correct anything that's wrong.

Sara,
That's great to hear your nipples feel better today :hug:

I just thought I'd mention a cream I have for my nipples.... well mainly because one was so damaged and cracked to the point it was bleeding and I desperately needed it to heal.... but my LC got me onto this cream called "Kenacomb Otic" its an ointment used for healing something to do with ears generally GP's prescribe it for but she gets her clients to put it on their nipples and it truely helped me! So if you do find your nipple is a little grazed or damaged or cracked (hopefully they don't get as bad as mine did!!!!) then remember that cream and get your GP to write a script for you.

eta - Bonjella numbs the nipple.... that's a good one!! I was desperately in need of something that would numb my nipple at one stage when it was so bad and was even considering using ICE before a feed to numb it with.... but I didn't think Ava would appreciate that one ;)

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that I had horrible nipple damage on one side (which was so badly cracked it got infected and mastitis etc) and experienced general SORE tenderness on both nipples for the first 3 weeks too, and the midwives kept saying, she's attached fine!!! I had to express of the bad one for a while and it took a couple of weeks to heal, BUT importantly once they healed they don't hurt AT ALL, not even a stinging or tingling or anything, and I have papery thin nipples - SO, if you persist it WILL get better. But if it gets to the point where you are so dreading the feeds that it inhibits your letdown or your bonding, trry nipple shields for a couple of days, or even expressing for a couple of days hwile using some serious ointment before you consider giving up.
I actually think the problem with my bub was the way she sucked, so sleepily and lazily but strongly for my poor nipples, and miraculously when she was a little older she was suddenly a pro at it - attachment never changed that much, but suddenly - no pain. Good Luck with it, it's so great that you're still breastfeeding because I know a few of my girlfriends gave up after only a few days of pain and tenderness, and it seems like the general vibe most people gave to me (except on this site) is 'oh, if it's a hassle or hurting, there's no harm in turning to formula', which can make you give up too soon IYKWIM.

With Bonjela, you'd have to make sure you cleaned your nipple well though, because I don't think it's suitable for newborns??? Ren, Barb often says that Kenacomb is good stuff :D

Sounds like things are on the improve SJ, you're doing really really well hun!!!!!!! Good luck at the clinic tomorrow, let us know how it goes :)

Thanks so much everyone. I will write down that ointment Ren.
It seems like my nipples might be healing, yay! No lipstick shapes today! So that must be helping. Maybe I've worked it out, hope so. It's not hurting the whole feed anymore, just when she latches on. And I'm not clutching my breast for dear life and sweating, lol.
One side doesn't look too good, kind of like on the side of my nipple it looks like it has a cut in it sort of???? It doesn't bleed or anything though, it looks white inside. It freaks me out like my nipples going to get pulled off, but it doesn't hurt anymore than the other side so hopefully I'm not doing any more damage. The other side still has the graze but it's healing too.

u are doing such a FANTASTIC job!!!!! just take it one feed at a time and im sure your nipples will become tougher. Mia used to pull on and off all the time. Most of the time right at the letdown so milk would go everywhere!!

ur a great mummy! hang in there!! xoxoxoxoxoox

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One side doesn't look too good, kind of like on the side of my nipple it looks like it has a cut in it sort of????

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It sounds EXACTLY like my bf experience in the first week. If you can, try and get the baby to attach away from the sore spot IYKWIM. I had a divet like that on the outside edge, so I used the football hold on that side so bub wasn't actually attaching to the sore spot.

Good luck with your appointment in the morn. You're doing a fabulous job!

I just came across this thread. Sounds like things are on the up - you're doing a fantastic job! The early days of breastfeeding can be full of ups and downs, but many mum's find things begin to really click by 6 weeks. Don't hesitate to call ABA's 1800 MUM 2 MUM any time (24 hrs) - totally free service for all Mum's! Your local group will also be a fantastic support along your journey.
All the best :)

I didn't even think about the bonjella for under 4 months!! Sorry! Yes well Ash is 6 months so I haven't had to think about it.

What anna said, LOL! I had a very similar thing too, SJ. I even phoned the ABA because I was worried about the white stuff and whether it'd be ok for Natty to swallow it. They said it was fine - she'd be fine with it.
Good on you, mate. It sounds like you and Grace are doing really well with it :)

Thankyou girls!!

Well, went to the breastfeeding clinic this morning. Had a much more helpful LC who didn't just say it looked fine and actually found what was going wrong. I wasn't holding her close enough and getting her chin into the breast enough so she still wasn't getting enough of the bottom in. Was a much better experience feeding there!! Even the pain when she first latched on wasn't as bad. I really hope I can do the same thing by myself when she wakes up again. They had a boomerang pillow there that was helpful to hold her easier with so I picked one up on the way home too so that will help my poor sore back.

:crossfingers: the next feed goes ok!!

I use my 'rainbow' pillow still :) It's a great thing lol

Glad that you have received some help IRL, SJ. That's excellent. How often do they run the clinics? Can you go for a follow-up with the same LC? GL with keeping up on that positioning you've been shown - I am sure you guys will have this down pat in no time! :) Keep up the good work, mate.

There's a breastfeeding clinic on 3 days a week so if I have more trouble I can go back!!

Well, just did the last feed and I did it!! All by myself (well, with DH holding her hands lol). So happy! It didn't hurt! Thank God.

Forgot to say before too, they weighed her and she's obviously getting enough milk, lol. She is above her birth weight and has put on 520g in 5 days!! lol. Miss Piggy!!

WOW what an awesome weight gain :D

You're doing an awesome job, well done :clap:

Wow at that weight gain hun, that is amazing. I'm so glad that you have found the problem and are finding the feeds better now. I have a feeling that the hardest part is over for you now.

Brilliant that she's put on such a lovely amount of weight! Congratulations! And well done Grace :)