[Resi]

I'm having a hard time getting Oliver to latch on the correct way. My nipples are sore! We are playing tug of war with eachother. He wants to latch onto mostly nipple only. I have been wearing a nipple shield because of the soreness. Any advice? New moms.. did you have this problem? He is getting plenty of milk just not in the best way.

Btw, It's 5 AM and I have slept for 2 broken hours tonight! I hope that gets better fast! We had to go to my doc today because I feel like I can't get all my pee out. He slept the entire time for like 5 hours! I wish he would do that at night or when we are home. He was soo good when we went out. I thought I would need to feed him at some point but didn't need to.

[soImarriedAnerd]

do you have access to a lactation consultant that can come and look at your latch? They are worth their weight in gold!

For the pee thing---(sounds like some urinary retention)------got anything peppermint smelling in your house---if you do put it in your bathroom and around you--it helps relax the urinary sphincter. Also make sure your drinking a ton of water or peppermint tea. Also cranberry juice is a great thing to add--if you can't get all the urine out it sits in there and increases your risk of a uti. Sitting in a hot bath or hot shower to relax those muscles helps also.

Urinary retention is common post c/s due to all the manipulation down in that area or the swelling post surgery. Also once you do get it your more likely to get it again with surgery--so let them know in the future you did have issues----we can't prevent it, but we can do things that will help it be less of a problem next time.

Are you still on pain killers (many have this side effect of narcotics also so you may just need a new type of pain control). Are you taking an anti-inflammatory---if not--it may be a swelling issue so some ibuprofen would be a good idea (only do this if your other pain meds DON'T have an anti-inflammatory drug in them---call a pharmacist if you not 100% sure)

But if your feeling like your can't pee it all out-you need to call your doctor about this and NOT wait till next appointment. If you start having pain and can't pee at all--GO TO THE ER---a ruptured bladder can be VERY dangerous.


Hope you get some longer naps/sleep in soon

[Emma&Jack's Momma]

I have no advice on the UTI part of it, but the sore nipples during breastfeeding, I can certainly feel your pain there! During the end of the first 1 1/2 - 2 weeks she was home, I would cry during BF because it was sooo painful. They said "if you're feeling pain, he's not latched on correctly" but I think that's a load! I think your nipples ADJUSTING to breastfeeding a child 6 - 8 times a day will certainly be painful, even if you're doing it correctly! My sisters and I both took about 2 weeks to fully get used to bf and after that, it literally didn't hurt at all - not even the slightest (well, until she started biting, but that's a whole different story! lol) I would say, just make sure he has most of your nipple in his mouth (I don't know the technical term) but not just the part that sticks out! lol the whole base of it...and bite your lip and get through it! I know it's painful but it will go away, I promise!!!

[Resi]

do you have access to a lactation consultant that can come and look at your latch? They are worth their weight in gold!

For the pee thing---(sounds like some urinary retention)------got anything peppermint smelling in your house---if you do put it in your bathroom and around you--it helps relax the urinary sphincter. Also make sure your drinking a ton of water or peppermint tea. Also cranberry juice is a great thing to add--if you can't get all the urine out it sits in there and increases your risk of a uti. Sitting in a hot bath or hot shower to relax those muscles helps also.

Urinary retention is common post c/s due to all the manipulation down in that area or the swelling post surgery. Also once you do get it your more likely to get it again with surgery--so let them know in the future you did have issues----we can't prevent it, but we can do things that will help it be less of a problem next time.

Are you still on pain killers (many have this side effect of narcotics also so you may just need a new type of pain control). Are you taking an anti-inflammatory---if not--it may be a swelling issue so some ibuprofen would be a good idea (only do this if your other pain meds DON'T have an anti-inflammatory drug in them---call a pharmacist if you not 100% sure)

But if your feeling like your can't pee it all out-you need to call your doctor about this and NOT wait till next appointment. If you start having pain and can't pee at all--GO TO THE ER---a ruptured bladder can be VERY dangerous.


Hope you get some longer naps/sleep in soon [/b]

When I went to the doc yesterday they had me give a urine sample to be tested for a uti. I was given a antibiotic to take. I will not know if I have a uti until a couple more days. They put a cath. in me at the office and said I was not holding any urine in there. The NP said that if it is not a uti then it's just my c/s recovery. I know that my bladder was brushed during surgery and I had a cath in right after for about 15 hours. I started taking the antibiotic last night but feel awful about it. I hate that I'm taking all these meds while breastfeeding. I also have been taking naproxen when needed (about every 8 hrs) and vicodin when needed (every 4-6 hours but I have been cutting back on that). I was told that it's fine to take all of the meds while breastfeeding but I have been feeling bad about taking them. I don't like taking any risks with Oliver.

[soImarriedAnerd]

www.safefetus.com is a website you can use to check any meds to see if they are safe for pregnancy and/or breastfeeding. Also www.kellymom.com is an amazingly helpful site for breastfeeding question also and i believe also has a med safe list.
I agree with the latch pain issue---I know for the first few weeks even with a great latch-some women just have sore nipples. Keep up the lanolin cream!

Well I hope you just have some irritation from having a cath in for so long (15hrs is awhile post c/s ) and that its nothing else. I can't believe they put in another cath instead of just doing a bladder scan on you!--thats just mean-since if it is cath irritation they just made it more irritated! Did they at least tell you about pyridium ? its a SAFE over the counter drug that numbs the urethra (turns your urine bright orange-normal) but you may just need a once a day dose to get over the irritation....i travel with the stuff its THAT good.

[BambolinaItaliana]

for the latch i always had to tease Sophie to get her to open up wide, then i would make sure she got the entire nipple in. if she didn't get it i put my finger between her mouth and breast to break the seal (first time i tried to take it away from her i started to cry cause i just pulled and didn't break the seal!!! and only THEn did someone tell me what i had to do first!!) and keep on doing it till she got it right. it took us a couple of days but don't worry you will get it!!!

[ScottishBrit]

Oh Im probably the last one that should be giving you advice since Im still going threw the same thing. Ive had to use a sheild from day one. Lately she's been pulling off and rufuseing It so I started taking It off and she's been nurseing without It. BUT, It hurts like He#@!!!!!! I was thinking My Nipples just needed to toughen up cause Ive always used the sheild. Well, Now Im thinking she's latching wrong. My Nipples are soooo painful and get so sore that m clawing of my boob to take away the pain that she's causeing. There shaped like lipstick and kinda hard.....I called my local Hospital and found a support group on mondays so Im going this week. I hope they can figure out my problem. I'd say call an LC and see If you can either get them to come to you ( Kinda expensive ) or see If they have classes you can go to. Im sorry Oliver's not a sleeper. But believe me I know what your going threw. Cambria STILL hates to sleep!!!!!!! She never naps during the day and wakes to eat at least twice a night. I feel your pain!

Ams, I think you're perhaps one of the best people who can comment, seeing as you are BFing! Don't doubt yourself for sharing your experiences

[lauren in hi]

I don't have anything new to offer, but I think Kimberly had some good advice for the BF'ing part of it.

Sorry you are having some physical problems as well as having to adjust to life w/ a newborn. I am not fond of catheters, so that is the one thing that makes me nervous about having a c/s & tubal lig. But they definitely are a common cause of UTIs...don't feel bad about taking the meds. if you need them, esp. the antibiotic because you don't want the UTI coming back (if that's what you have).

[Resi]

Oh Im probably the last one that should be giving you advice since Im still going threw the same thing. Ive had to use a sheild from day one. Lately she's been pulling off and rufuseing It so I started taking It off and she's been nurseing without It. BUT, It hurts like He#@!!!!!! I was thinking My Nipples just needed to toughen up cause Ive always used the sheild. Well, Now Im thinking she's latching wrong. My Nipples are soooo painful and get so sore that m clawing of my boob to take away the pain that she's causeing. There shaped like lipstick and kinda hard.....I called my local Hospital and found a support group on mondays so Im going this week. I hope they can figure out my problem. I'd say call an LC and see If you can either get them to come to you ( Kinda expensive ) or see If they have classes you can go to. Im sorry Oliver's not a sleeper. But believe me I know what your going threw. Cambria STILL hates to sleep!!!!!!! She never naps during the day and wakes to eat at least twice a night. I feel your pain! [/b]

I wanted to hear from you because I want to know I'm not alone with the latch issue! I saw two LC while in the hospital. Each one stopped by several times. I'm still having trouble figureing it out. The pain isn't awful yet but I'm scared it's going to get bad. So far he eats very well though. There is a BF support group at my hospital that meets on Thursdays. I plan on going once I'm feeling up to it.

for the latch i always had to tease Sophie to get her to open up wide, then i would make sure she got the entire nipple in. if she didn't get it i put my finger between her mouth and breast to break the seal (first time i tried to take it away from her i started to cry cause i just pulled and didn't break the seal!!! and only THEn did someone tell me what i had to do first!!) and keep on doing it till she got it right. it took us a couple of days but don't worry you will get it!!![/b]

I have been trying to re-attach him with each feeding. I do break the seal by putting my finger in his mouth first. Other wise I would be in a lot more pain! I'm just going to keep on trying. He never opens wide enough and when he does he wiggles my nipple back to the way he likes it.

[lauren in hi]

Hope it gets easier. At least Oliver is willing to BF; Abby refused till she was 3 weeks old!

[Mjp121212]

1.) About the pee: I was 4wks pp and I a kidney stone due to dehydration. They cathed me and could only get LESS than 25cc's! I took 2 bags of fluid before I had any output at all! DRINK lots! and Cranberry juice rocks for your bladder, kidneys. I won't bore you with why but it has to do with bacteria, celia, and inability to attach.

2.) Have you tried various positions? Football hold, cross over, laying down? i ditto the LC. Many will come to you. Try to forgo the shield, they can hurt more than help sometimes. Are you positioning your boob right from the start. You gotta holdit and squash it like a hamburger then shove lol. BEst way of describing....lol. You flatten it down a bit and then kinda push the nipple and aerola in there so baby gets the aerola and not nipple only. But if you don't squash down first, then baby can't get his mouth on it!

3.) And it will still hurt for a while anyway. It'll take a few weeks to get it going, for him to learn, for you to learn, and for you to not be so tender. Then after 2 years and 9m it will be second nature lol!

And congrats, I couldn't get the other post to load