[szczepanski]

I was so excited to get done using the nipple shield. For a few days, we were doing GREAT. Things were going awesome, and then I don't know what happened but I'm now dreading each feeding - especially at night. Night is the WORST. I don't know if its because he is tired and extra hungry and I'm exhausted and it's dark and I just give up but our nursing sessions now look like this -

Latch on.
Suck suck suck.
Slides back onto JUST my nipple.
Suck suck suck. OUCH.
Insert Finger. Break seal. (Or he will unlatch himself)
Nolan screams.
Settle baby.
Reposition.
Relatch.
Suck suck suck.
Slides back onto JUST my nipple.
Suck suck suck. OUCH.
Insert Finger. Break Seal.
Nolan Screams.
<repeat several more times until I just grit my teeth, let him nurse painfully>

I can't do that anymore....we were doing so great and now it just HURTS. All.The.Time. My breasts actually THROB they hurt so much now. I honestly think my right nipple is bruised.

It shouldn't be this hard. He is gaining weight great - I have no doubt he is going to be well over 9 lbs at his pedi appointment Saturday. I can tell he is gaining because he can fit into new cloth diapers, etc...so no one seems to understand because since he is gaining, he must be getting milk correctly.

It shouldn't be this hard and it shouldn't hurt like this. And then we have a night like last night where he woke up every half hour to hour demanding to be fed, and all I could do was feed him and cry because ITS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS. I'm to the point now where I just feel like this is ALL my fault that we can't do this "right". And the LC's, when I call them, tell me it sounds like we are doing everything right, keep at it, it gets easier, we will get it. I don't need a ******* cheerleader, I need to nurse my son correctly and effectively.

So what do I do???? Do I keep unlatching and relatching in hopes that he eventually "gets it" and stops chewing up my nipple??? They are in bad, bad shape now....they are slowly getting better...but one is cracked and the other is just throbbing all the time. Do I go back to using the nipple shield??? (And don't even get me started on the guilt of working so hard to get rid of that thing because I feel like it is ALL MY FAULT that we are struggling now because I just HAD to get rid of it.)

Thanks for reading my whining/venting.

[CandaceDianne]

I have no words of advice, but I wanted to give you a big ol' hug!! :group hug:

[~*Bethy*~]

I would go back to the shield till you can get a LC (I saw Nikki giving you info on her LLL your guys area?) And just over moisten your nipples with nipple cream!! Hang in there chicka!!! but above all else - dont give into the bottle, in order to make BFing work, you gotta go through some hard patches!! This too shall pass, its just a flaming hot issue at the moment!!

My BFing guru who I asked said you might still be oversupplying for him, and with him being tongue tied hes not getting a good latch. Is this a possibility?

[.Brandi.]

I know how you feel!!! I had this problem with Preston!!! I had to use the nipple shield at night to make everything less painful for me!!! I know you want to get rid of the nipple shield! I know better than anyone! So maybe he's forgetting how to properly latch. What I had to do, was put the nipple shield on to get the latch right and to get my nipple out (I have inverted nipples). Then I had to break the seal, and quickly take the shield off and then stick my nipple back into his mouth. It becomes a magic show! Do you have any lanolin??? Put that on your nipples between feedings to help heal your nipples a bit and maybe use the shield until you get your nipples back to normal (or at least not painful!), I had to do that twice with Preston! And Way To Go Mama getting him off the shield at 4 weeks!!! I had to use the shield for a good 2 months!!! Hang in there Hun....I know it sucks and it hurts, but I promise it will get better!!!!! HUGS!

[~*sierra*~]

i'm sorry i have no advice sweetie just lots of *hugs* for you and nolan.
i know we have pro BF'ers in here who can offer u pointers.

[alicenwonderland]

Just *Hugs* I'm sorry this is so frustrating. Looks like the other ladies have good advice though!

[Frozendesire]

Well I'm not really an expert at this at all but I do find that you sometimes (Curtis needed it, but not Dustin) need to "train" or "help" your little one know how to latch properly. Nursing is a system that you both need to learn and adapt to. I had to correct Curtis' latch all the freakin time haha, he was a very lazy eater and would just "nibble" on the nipple with out taking the WHOLE thing in his mouth. I had to angle his head right, wait for a WIDE open mouth, etc etc and it still was a struggle.

And don't forget that your nipples are getting used to being sucked on! A nipple shield stops alot of that pain so that's most likely why it's just starting now.

I would say keep the shield ditched and keep at it. Keep re latching him and treat your nipples with TLC. Nipple cream, no shirt or bra and let them air out.

Those are just my thoughts and tips though

I hope some of the other nursers will chime in soon!!

[LisanAndy]

I have no real advice. I only nursed my 2nd baby and she got it right away. I hope it improves for you soon ((HUGE HUGS))

Sorry you are dealing with this. Jack and I had a hard time nursing at first. I don't think I mentioned it much here though. You are right, it isn't supposed to be like this, but it is for a lot of women and it sucks. I too am no expert, but what we did was just keep on re-latching over and over and over. Jack would pop off, scream & cry for a while anytime we nursed. It was brutal for my self-esteem as a mother. We also had other issues though like over supply and overactive let down. That was why he would drop to the nipple - to try and control the letdown. Cold this be why Nolan is doing it too? I just kept repositioning and trying again and again while trying not to lose my freakin mind. I would do my best to hold is head close to the breast while also keeping the breast shoved in his face (not over his nose though, you get it) during nursing. I also let him pop off the boob over and over and over to take mini breathers to deal with the crazy letdown, rather then having him drop to the nipple. It got really messy, but over time he was able to get it. He learned to handle the letdown and to have a proper latch. I won't tell you how long it took me b/c that may depress you. I really like nursing now though!

It will get easier one way or the other, I promise

[Resi]

Oliver did that same thing (wanting to suck on the nipple only) when he was first born. I used the nipple shield to help with the pain and weaned him off of it when he got better at latching on. I would just keep trying to unlatch and relatch him. It took a while but he became great after the first couple weeks. I do remember it was very sore and painful at time the first few weeks. I don't have any advice but to keep trying to teach him to get more boob in his mouth.

[Mars]

I don't think I can offer anything else that was not said already. Take the advice given. Amara latched on fine but I still experienced pain initially. It got better after a few weeks. (((HUGS)))

[sara~b]

(((HUGS))) Keep a journal on what seems to work and what doesn't and how it's going so you can help all of us mommies to be once you're a pro! I know you will get through this!

[faith*hope*love]

[Mod-LadyCoconut]

I was going to ask the same thing as Michelle -- if you have an oversupply and are having a big let down... does it seem like he's kind of choking and you're spraying everywhere when he pops off? If so then there's stuff you can do to make less milk so that's not so much of a problem.

Another thing I read in one of my BFing books was for babies who don't want to open up enough to get a good latch... every time they go to the breast, you need to open your mouth super wide too. They'll start mimicking you and it will help them take the whole nipple. I don't know how 'quick' of a fix that would be, but it couldn't hurt to try it.

Also... some of the people in my PR were having problems with the baby popping on and off, and they had been washing their nipples with soap in the shower... and baby didn't like it. It also isn't good for your nipples. You probably already know that, but just in case... make sure you don't get any soap on your nipples, they have oils in them that protect them and keep everything clean and stuff.

Sorry you're struggling right now. It'll get better.

[.Brandi.]

If you have an over supply, the nipple guard will help with that! If you have a breast pump, maybe try pumping a little to lower your amount and he's not overwhelmed! Let us know how it goes okay! HUGS

[szczepanski]

Thanks so much for all the hugs and advice guys......yesterday was a REALLY rough day, so reading all this REALLY helped.

I did have a big oversupply issue, but I slowly got it to let up some - plus he is eating SO often right now (probably in the middle of another growth spurt, which makes things feel even worse!) they aren't able to get really full. He hasn't choked or anything in a while and he may gulp during the initial letdown, but not during any of the subsequent let downs.

I've been really diligent about using the lanolin and using the breast shells and I think because of that, my nipples are healing GREAT. In fact this morning they don't even look cracked anymore, on either side, which is huge because they were cracked pretty bad. Which leads me to think that maybe our latch isn't as bad as I thought it was, since they were able to heal so quick? I know he does slip back on my nipple still, so we battle with that but eventually we will get it.

Last night was another omg night....we put him in a new diaper and of course it leaked because I didn't put it on tight enough so that woke him up, then he woke up an hour later just wanting to be held, then just wanted to eat....but he latched on great each time and got a good way through the feed before he started to get sleepy and slip off. So that was at least better than the night before.

Again....thank you so much for all of your advice...especially from the mommas who went through something similar. People make it seem like breastfeeding is so natural and easy when it really isn't for everyone. And when you have problems like I do, it is almost embarrassing to have to admit that you are having an issue.

[.Brandi.]

I'm glad last night went better!!! It is hard to admit that breastfeeding is hard when it's supposed to be so natural. I understand that feeling! When Preston was born, I would cry because I couldn't get him latched properly. I would just sob like a baby....right along with him actually! But it got better! Hugs! Keeps us posted on how it goes!

[CandaceDianne]

Glad last night went better!! Im sure BFing just takes a TON of patience!! Sounds like you are doing everything you should be doing.

[~*sierra*~]

after hearing from ppl on here and seeing my SIL try to nurse first hand, i basically think that all books that say it should be easy are a crock! we are just not used to having our nipples sucked on that much so to me it does make sense that it will probably hurt, my own mother says 'it hurts but u just hang in there', that was her advice to my SIL. not helpful at the time, with cracked/blistered/bleeding nipples but it just goes to show u another person from another generation knows that it just IS hard too.

you're doing great hun, and i'm so glad nolan is improving with the nursing too *more hugs*!

[niknok]

My motto about breastfeeding is this: "It's the most unnatural 'natural' thing you'll ever do."

Nature may have intended for us to feed our babies this way, but it sure doesn't mean it's easy! I would die without my lactation consultant! And I just did this 15 months ago!!!

You are doing a great job Momma- hope those tatas heal quickly!