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Extremely close to giving up, can I get through this pain???
I have been BFing for 4 weeks now and it's never been plain sailing, blocked milk ducts, attachment problems, fast let down etc but this takes the biscuit!!! I'm in total agony with my right breast, I mean like up there with my strongest contractions type of pain, the type that made me want to go to the hospital last night and beg for morphine (I didnt). I just don't know if I can carry on, surely I should be over the hurdles by 4 weeks!!!! I'm still putting her on my right breast but it is as hard after a feed as before and if I express I'm only getting 30mls! The breast is beyond full though!!! I'm off to the docs today but can I get through this??? I can't help think if I get it sorted something else will come along to scupper all my plans!!!! Help!!!!! xxxxx
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keep at it, you've done sooooooo well for 4 weeks
xxxxxx
You can do it and it is worth persevering.
I had a tough first few weeks with my first baby, but it does get easier and it's so worth it in the end - like the others said, you've done the hard work now, it will get better.
Thanks again!!! I needed a pep talk xxx
((((HUGS)))))
Thanks again for those who have commented, just when I'm about to reach for the formula it's good to know people have overcome these things and I can too!!! xxxx
Out of interest - what position did the counsellor suggest.....i've had a day from hell with my little man who just wanted to be attached all day....perhaps he isn't draining the breast properly which is resulting in him staying hungry
xx
Savoy cabbage leaves inside a vest top helped me as well as massage (there's a good section on massage in this booklet 'Off to a good start' http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/120.aspx).
Stick at it, your doing really well! It will get easier, it's just unfortunate that you have mastitis, but hopefully your on the mend!
Keep your chin (and boobs!!) up!
xxx
Had quite a bad night as she wanted to be attached all night and was screaming at the breast and I could tell she was sucking but not getting anything so I think my milk supply has run really low because I'm so exhausted! She was screaming this morning so I've had to top her up with formula which will hopefully give my boobs chance to fill back up! I wont stop Bfing and she has stimulated my breasts all morning as she was attached pretty much from 5am until 11am. I'm actually just happy I could do something for her rather than feeling like a failure!
Thanks Allzo, I will have a look at that, I will give anything a shot! xxxx
For a different position my son only liked the sitting up position when he was little, you sit them on your leg (either they straddle your leg or side sit) and their body faces you and their head is straight on.. you dont suffocate them honestly. Luckily by the time he got too big he had slowly been put into the laying down one, well at first diagonally but now he will even lie down in bed and drink which is great for quick naps or just for you to rest (he is 7 months now). I think i found the first 8 weeks difficult but i was also having pain from my emergency c-section so everything was difficult to do.
Some boobs wont express for anything else other than the baby (mine do this), others will only do it for hand expressing and others really dont care.
I found using calendula cream helped if i had sore nipple/boob (though only had this when using wrong breast pad, but MIL swore by it for everything pain related), as i couldn't use anything with lanolin in case my son got eczema round his face.
So...I'm still going!!! If you have to top up hun then you have to do it, have you thought about Fenugreek? A lot of people swear by it! I really want to be a breastfeeder and god knows you are like me...we have tried!!! We can but explore all the avenues but at the end of the day weve got to do whatever is best for them, if they are hungry and we cant give them enough then they need formula!! I've got to get my head around the guilt of formula feeds, it's not like lacing their milk with poison, it's feeding them!
Do you want to carry on? I still really do, when my milk dried up part of me thought oh well thats it now, I have a valid excuse to quit but when I got my milk back I was actually soooooo happy because I didnt want it to be the end of the road!! Anyways I'm rambling but have a good think about what you want to do and don't feel any guilt in your decision! xxxxxxxxx
It does get easier, I can 100% promise you that! I've not had your struggles but we've had issues with low supply and a couple of blocked ducts. I found it a bit easier after about a month and then these last couple of weeks it's really started to click into place, so I'm sure it will soon for you also.
Well done hon, you're a wonderful mum to your beautiful little lady!!
xxx
think thats why you felt like a decision had been made for you when your milk dissappeared !!
surely all this isnt good for us or our LO 's xxx
MummyLintern- it is so hard to know what to do, I just know expressing plus sorting out formula feeds is just gonna kill me!!! Have you spoken to your HV about what you should do? Or homestart?
Cabbage leafs are the only thing I havent tried!!! I will try that tomorrow!
Thanks for all your kind replies xxxx
It doesn't have to be the end of the road but it will be a tough week, I guess if you can get through it you will feel such a sense of achievement when you are better and feeding becomes easy down the line... but only you know what's right for you.
Is there anyway you could kind of compromise and express a few times but not necessarily every feed to keep your supply up and then when you are better slowly build up from there over a few days/weeks. It's definitely possible and would probably be easier on you, and would certainly give you the choice to continue and build up as much as you want to.
I really hope you feel better soon my lovely xxx
Thanks again for the support!!! xxx