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Excruciating pain... not coping and hoping for advice :(
Hi all
Hoping someone might be able to offer some advice. My son is just shy of 6 weeks old and I am really struggling with breastfeeding at the moment.
It is incredibly painful while feeding - particularly the first minute or so (letdown) but it aches all the way through the feed (20-25 mins first side, 10-15 mins second side) and then my breasts are really achy between feeds as well. It isn't nipple pain (had that at the start but got through it), it is more internal and I think it is just that my son has a really strong suck - the pain is like a really strong pulling sensation which sometimes feels like he is pulling something through from my back!! Sometimes it is so bad between feeds that I can't sleep, which doesn't help at all.
I have been seeing my HV at a breastfeeding clinic and she and my MW both say that we have a perfect latch, it is just that the baby is sucking really hard. Basically they just made sympathetic noises and gave me the impression I would just have to put up with it. I have also tried ringing various helplines (NCT etc) but nobody seems to be able to offer any advice.
I am using cold gel pads between feeds and taking paracetamol but I'm not sure how much longer I am going to be able to deal with it - I am sometimes in tears at feeds now and have started absolutely dreading them. I have reluctantly started giving formula for the middle of the night feed to give my breasts a break so that I can face the next day - was hoping that we would be able to drop that feed in due course and be exclusively BFing again.
Having come this far I really don't want to give up on BFing now. I am really hoping that someone else out there might have had similar issues and can either give me some tips or at least tell me that the pain went away in time???
C
Hoping someone might be able to offer some advice. My son is just shy of 6 weeks old and I am really struggling with breastfeeding at the moment.
It is incredibly painful while feeding - particularly the first minute or so (letdown) but it aches all the way through the feed (20-25 mins first side, 10-15 mins second side) and then my breasts are really achy between feeds as well. It isn't nipple pain (had that at the start but got through it), it is more internal and I think it is just that my son has a really strong suck - the pain is like a really strong pulling sensation which sometimes feels like he is pulling something through from my back!! Sometimes it is so bad between feeds that I can't sleep, which doesn't help at all.
I have been seeing my HV at a breastfeeding clinic and she and my MW both say that we have a perfect latch, it is just that the baby is sucking really hard. Basically they just made sympathetic noises and gave me the impression I would just have to put up with it. I have also tried ringing various helplines (NCT etc) but nobody seems to be able to offer any advice.
I am using cold gel pads between feeds and taking paracetamol but I'm not sure how much longer I am going to be able to deal with it - I am sometimes in tears at feeds now and have started absolutely dreading them. I have reluctantly started giving formula for the middle of the night feed to give my breasts a break so that I can face the next day - was hoping that we would be able to drop that feed in due course and be exclusively BFing again.
Having come this far I really don't want to give up on BFing now. I am really hoping that someone else out there might have had similar issues and can either give me some tips or at least tell me that the pain went away in time???
C
0
Replies
My pain was more in the breast and would generally hit at the beginning of a feed and about 10 mins after a feed. No one could really explain it, other than to blame it on letdown or strong sucking by baby.
I would have to hold my breast applying some pressure to cope and then the pain was still horrible.
I am pleased to say that this "phase" has now passed. Seemed to last from about 5/6 weeks until 10/11 weeks. Can't say exactly as it's one of those things with bf, the different pains, etc just roll from one to the next.
Nipple pain- poor attachment pain- letdown pain- engorgement pain- etc.
Stick with it, I am sure like me it will pass and one day you will realise you haven't had the pain for a while, by then you'll be worrying about something else! I am!
MJx
Your symptoms sound exactly like thrush to me. I had it and it was sooo painful - and just like you describe. The pain was worse when out in the cold aswell. Has your HV checked your babys mouth for thrush?
Its easy to treat with just canesten cream and drops for baby but mine did take a few weeks to go. Maybe see your gp? It was the gp that diagnosed me and my baby and HV had missed it.
C