Nipples are too sore :(

[Frangipani Lou]

Tasha, you are doing a fantastic job! I remember needing to breathe deeply LOTS when DD started to feed because it was so painful, even without nipple issues. Sleep can help your milk production as long as your not missing many feeds. Sure helps the sanity!
A LC would be a great support right now. I'll PM you the details of a well known very experienced LC that lots of mums have used, including us. I've even cried(heaps) on the phone to her.

Eta- I had to burp DD at least 4 times per breast feed for ages. 4 times with a bottle too. She was a windy baby!

[Heaven]

And I just tried to put her down and of course, she just screams I just gave her 30 mls expressed milk plus a boob. What am I doing wrong!!?

You're not doing anything wrong at all My babies never wanted to be put down either. I couldn't unless they were in a deep deep sleep. She just wants to be held and that's ok. Plus, when you hold her she will sleep longer so your nipples will have more time to heal.

Now your milk has come in she is probably just spitting out the bottle because she is full. She will be getting lots from you. I would just keep an eye on her wet nappies and forget the expressing now.

I had a terrible beginning breastfeeding DD1. I remember feeling so anxious and crying worrying about when I would have to feed her next because it hurt so bad. It took us a while to work out attachment. I'm not sure who's helping you with attachment but try and see a LC if you can. I think the pain at just the beginning can be normal but if it keeps hurting after 10 seconds then take her off and try again. No matter how many times you have to take her off and start again it's ok. It's better that trying to just bear it and damaging you more. Are your nipples a normal shape after the feed? I could tell something was wrong if after feeding mine looked lipstick shaped or had a ridge. I ended up with bad blisters and a crack and wondered how I would ever get the hang of it but one day she just got it and it became easy. Hang in there lovely, it's hard I know but you CAN do it, you ARE doing it.

[Marley&Me]

The first health nurse that came over was a LC, but the one today wasn't. Not sure who's coming tomorrow.
How do I go about getting a LC? How does it work?

[Pholi]

Tasha, it sounds like you're working really hard at getting bf established, and that's awesome. How easy it it has nothing to do with how hard you try! Definitely try to see an LC... Whether or not the visiting midwives are LCs or not, is probably a bit random, it will depend on how your local service works, but it's most helpful to be seeing the same LC (as long as you like her) every time. Ring the clinic first thing and ask them if the health visitor who comes tomorrow could be one of the LCs, or ask for a referral to an LC, and try to see the same one each time. I think (from previous posts of yours) that you don't have a lot of spare money, but you can usually be referred by the health visitors to either a private or a publically funded LC.

[peanutter]

How do I go about getting a LC? How does it work?

Ask your maternity unit at your hospital - they should be able to help. That's how mine was organised

And I'm pretty sure the ABA runs groups too.

[wysiwyg]

It's really common for bubs to lose 10%, so just keep on keeping on and you'll probably see it turn around over the next week.

Yes it is extremely common - both mine lost around 14%. As far as I can tell 10% is just an easy number they came up with - there is no science behind why 10% is key - (if you think about it would be pretty weird for the magic number to come out scientifically at 10% - far more likely to be 11.654% or 9.234% etc - but that wouldn't be so easy to work out). As others have said every baby is different, every mother is different, every delivery is different (for example there are studies that suggest that babies delivered by c-section lose more weight as more is retained fluid due to fluids given to mother prior to c-section) - output is the key.

[Marley&Me]

Just an update..

Health nurse said I can drop the 3 hour feeds and bub has been sleeping through. I wake her after 4-4.5 hours to feed instead if she hasn't already woke. Nipples are doing better, right one is still ouchy, but using hydrogel breast discs which are working wonders! I think I had around 6 hours sleep last night all up, I feel amazing She fed at 8pm, 12am, 4am and so on and I average about 2.5 hours sleep in between.

[Marley&Me]

Just an update..

Health nurse said I can drop the 3 hour feeds and bub has been sleeping through. I wake her after 4-4.5 hours to feed instead if she hasn't already woke. Nipples are doing better, right one is still ouchy, but using hydrogel breast discs which are working wonders! I think I had around 6 hours sleep last night all up, I feel amazing She fed at 8pm, 12am, 4am and so on and I average about 2.5 hours sleep in between.

[MLR1901]

Well done! Hang in there, and keep doing what feels right to you!

[Heaven]

Awesome! You sound so much better in your last post. Amazing what a bit of sleep can do, and hopefully the blues are passing too. Well done!! xx

[Jellyfish]

You're doing well! Glad you got a bit more sleep