What a tough time you've been having Well done on persisting so far.

Exclusive expressing is something that can be done, but is probably not your best option longer term. It is very difficult to maintain supply while expressing exclusively and it's a lot of work for you. I can certainly understand that exclusively expressing from one side is bringing you a lot of relief at the moment and sometimes you have to do what works for you at the time. However it is most likely that the damage is being caused by poor attachment and this is something that can nearly always be fixed with the right help. Once your lo is able to attach properly and the existing damage has healed then your options open back up and you will most likely find that returning your baby to the breast on both sides will be easier and more enjoyable. Would you consider seeing a Lactation Consultant? Many mums find them very helpful and well worth while if you are able to fix the problems and feed without pain. A call to the ABA might also help - 1800 mum 2 mum (1800 686 2 686, drop the last 6 for VOIP). In the meantime, have you tried Baby Led Attachment? The ABA website - www.breastfeeding.asn.au - has some information on this and also some video clips that demonstrate it. It can work really well for some babies that are not attaching well otherwise.

All the best hun. You are certainly not doing anything wrong and you are a very dedicated mum to be feeding through pain and taking the time to express