🚨 Advance warning 🚨 This forum will be closing on 1st May – please see our pinned thread for more information.
When does it stop hurting??
Hi, my history is I had my son 2 and half years ago and only breast fed for 7 days. I was in so much pain both of us cried through every feed. I just gave up and felt so guilty. I didn't ask for help which I realised afterwards I should have done but mw was actually making situation and my mental state about bf'ing worse with her 'ideas'. It turned out I had mastitis and it wasn't treated until I had a massive abcess in my boob which had to be treated at local hospital.
Fast forward to now and I had a baby girl 3 weeks ago. I told my mw about my problems feeding before and she was great and gave me extra visits to support my feeding. I am really proud of myself that I'm still exclusivly bf'ing 3 weeks on and it is going great! I have been to a bf'ing group also for support. My guilt for not getting this help to feed my ds has really returned.
Anyway my question is ... My right boob (the boob I had abcess in before) hurts more than left boob when she feeds. The nipple on that side is flatter but I massage it out before she latches on which helps a bit. 2 people have watched me feed and they say latch is ok etc. I think my nipples are just hardening up but is uncomfort normal at 3 weeks? She can go 7 hours at night so I'm full to bursting and that's when it hurts most.
Also the let down reflex has got stronger and that is quite uncomftable. I only have to think about feeding her and this weighty feeling with pins and needles type feeling - is this normal?
I feel like I should know all this but I don't - all the leaflets tell you that you get in hospital is how to latch your baby on?! And they say it shouldn't hurt!!? Um yeah .. Ok lol!
Fast forward to now and I had a baby girl 3 weeks ago. I told my mw about my problems feeding before and she was great and gave me extra visits to support my feeding. I am really proud of myself that I'm still exclusivly bf'ing 3 weeks on and it is going great! I have been to a bf'ing group also for support. My guilt for not getting this help to feed my ds has really returned.
Anyway my question is ... My right boob (the boob I had abcess in before) hurts more than left boob when she feeds. The nipple on that side is flatter but I massage it out before she latches on which helps a bit. 2 people have watched me feed and they say latch is ok etc. I think my nipples are just hardening up but is uncomfort normal at 3 weeks? She can go 7 hours at night so I'm full to bursting and that's when it hurts most.
Also the let down reflex has got stronger and that is quite uncomftable. I only have to think about feeding her and this weighty feeling with pins and needles type feeling - is this normal?
I feel like I should know all this but I don't - all the leaflets tell you that you get in hospital is how to latch your baby on?! And they say it shouldn't hurt!!? Um yeah .. Ok lol!
0
Replies
OK here goes again.
Good for you attempting BF again after negative experience last time - takes guts!
Congrats on having a baby who sleeps through- mine still doesn't at 20 weeks. Enjoy that sleep!
I found the soreness didn't go thoroughly until about 6 weeks.
I still get the strong let down feeling but it's not so bad as it only lasts a few seconds.
They say it doesn't hurt I reckn to avoid putting people off, but it's so ungelpful as you just end up really unprepared. I know lots of BFing Mums now and most had pain in the beginning.
Good luck with it all and don't worry it does get better and easier!
Rx
As for the let down, i was getting major let down pain, and also its agony when i get engorged, Its one of those things that will get better, I sometimes feed in the morning and express the other side to relieve the pain, but i seem to have a lot of milk and just get very sore, especially in one side
Stick with it, you are just about there!!
Gemm x
This is a topic and I can kind of relate to. I had my first ds almost 14 yrs ago. Breast fed him till he was nrly 5 months, but was advised to stop by my Dr as I had mastitus constantly. Once I had finished the abtibiotics it would flare up again, was bloomin' awful, my Dr ended up telling me that if I didn't stop I would end up going down the path you did, abcess and an op.
11 weeks ago I had ds2, and I decided to bf again, was so scared, but I really wanted to give it a go again, and up untill about 2/3 weeks ago, my right boob( the one I had my probs with), seemed to be constantly hurting. Like it had been grazed and bruised badly, with some sharp stabbing pains. My left did a bit, but nothing like my right. Got worried a few times that mastitus was on its way bk, but hasn't yet, ( touch wood).
Anywho, about 2/3 weeks ago, felt like something snapped in my breast, my boob flooded and the pain eased, I am guessing a blockage and it cleared.
Now it's pretty much the same as the other. Can't say this is what happens, cos everyones different, but hope this helps.
xx
I do wish that the info you get while pregnant was truthful and says what pain/discomfort to expect. I think a lot of people give up when it hurts thinking they are doing stuff wrong because all the info you get says it doesn't hurt.
I do understand that a bad latch/poor postioning hurts more but it is obvious that it is going to hurt a bit if your nipples are being constantly sucked etc but we need to know what is 'normal'.
I am hoping breast feeding will get better and better and I can keep going for months now.
Thank you to the person that said about taking it a day at a time. I am trying to do that.
i also know from formula feeding before that ff is not an easy option - it is such a faff .... especailly trying to do bottles to take out and about with a 2 year old toddler needing attention/getting ready etc. getting my boob out whenever, wherever is much easier!!
I might try expressing soon ... but I will start a new thread on that.
Thank you all! I am sure I will be a regular on here now