Am struggling

Am struggling
Hi, Its been ages since I posted. What did I do with my time before bean arrived? Hope everyone is well. Can anyone help? I had DD 4 weeks ago. I was really enjoying breastfeeding until a got a huge crack in my nipple (midwife checked latch) and had to start using shields. That helped for a bit but was still sore and still is. So as I was advised not to express yet, I started giving 2 bottles of formula during the day to give my nipples a rest. Now, 4 weeks in I'm not as sore but still using shields but for past couple of days since I started bottles, DD does not seem satisfied after feeding from me. Also she cries a lot after bottle as I guess it's over so fast and she's used to going back for more. My question is am I making it harder for her and me by giving her a bottle to give me a rest? I'm not proud of the fact that this is where we're at and I feel very selfish as I only did this to give myself a break. I wonder if my milk is drying up and also if she's working harder to get the milk from me and so is getting lazy and wont try and get as much when she does feed. Sorry for long rant - wanted so much not to go down the bottle route for a while and would consider going back to exclusively bf if it wasn't so sore. Any ideas or thoughts? xx DD xxx

Hi DD Sorry to hear you're having such problems, BF is tiring enough at the start without being in such pain. I had a friend who experienced the same as you and started to use shields for a little while, a week or so, then once she was in less pain, things got back to normal with feeding but she had to build it all up again which is tons of effort. Also, she had only been feeding from one side and expressing from the other (which was cracked) so it ended up bit uneven (milk production not her chest!) I am certainly no expert but maybe 2 bottles of formula is a lot if you are trying to establish exclusive bf'ing at the start and maybe Aoife could be going through a growth spurt as well which is making her more hungry. Could you not chat to your health visitor (or equivalent in Dublin) about this and see whether they would advise mixed feeding? There is certainly nothing selfish in doing what you've been doing, you're still bf'ing despite the pain which is NOT an act of selfishness! When I was thinking of introducing mixed feeding (which was several times until I would listen to people that it's ok to do and to not feel guilty about it) I decided to set a time period of how long I would feed, say for 2 weeks I would do 2x bottle formula a day plus unlimited bf's, and see how this goes. I worked on the theory that I would only know how something is working if I gave it a try over a longer period of time, then make a decision. Sorry I'm not sure if this is any help at all but everybody says that a happy mum is a happy baby and to do what is right for you and I firmly believe in that now, I wish I had when Matthew was little. Hope it all works out for you both, Jo

Hi DD, sorry to hear you are having trouble with this. I had the exact same problem at about 4 weeks after having Henry. Although my MW told me not to express 3 of my friends who had BF their children said to trya and express from the cracked nipple and feed properly off the other. I did this and have to say it worked a treat. I used Lansinoh on the cracked nipple for about 2 weeks and it heald so well. I also managed to keep my milk supply quite well built up by the expressing. I used a Medela electric pump and have to say it was a godsend. You can get the Lansinoh gel on prescription from you HV. I would ring them and ask for this ASAP (or you can buy it from Mothercare or Boots but it is a MUST!) HTH. x

Hi DD, sorry to hear you are having trouble with this. I had the exact same problem at about 4 weeks after having Henry. Although my MW told me not to express 3 of my friends who had BF their children said to trya and express from the cracked nipple and feed properly off the other. I did this and have to say it worked a treat. I used Lansinoh on the cracked nipple for about 2 weeks and it healed so well. I also managed to keep my milk supply quite well built up by the expressing. I used a Medela electric pump and have to say it was a godsend. You can get the Lansinoh gel on prescription from you HV. I would ring them and ask for this ASAP (or you can buy it from Mothercare or Boots but it is a MUST!) HTH. x

Hi there, Really hope I can give advice to help. I have been where you are and I would not call you selfish, the pain is excruciating some say worse than labour. Ok, I expressed the day I got out of hospital, the midwives said wait til 6 weeks when your milk will be established. I decided that the bf was ending that day unless I had a break! So I expressed every feed for a few days, then breastfed until she was sicking up blood, so I went back to expressing and back an forth. I used nipple shields for 4 weeks, but she was hungry with them, so when she started sucking me through the holes in the sheild I had to stop. That day (3 months old at least) I tried her on the breast and it worked, those months of using a sheild had healed me and toughened me up. I would advise that you express, if you can, and feed that, your breasts may be down a couple of feeds if you are giving formula but you can build the supply back up quickly. Also use nipple shields too, because your nipples WILL toughen up enough for normal feeding and when that happens its wonderful. Oh I feel for you, it is a rollercoaster when you struggling. fii x

Hi DD Just to let you know you are definately not alone. I had my DS 5 weeks ago and both of my nipples got big cracks, the worst one still hasn't healed but is getting better. I can't believe how long it takes to heal, breastfeeding is the hardest thing I have ever done thats for sure. I found if really painful to BF on the cracked nipple but the pain would subside as the feed continued. Using Lansinoh has really helped, 'moist wound healing' its called when you keep putting the gel on and dont let the crack dry out. Since using this it has been less painful. I didn't know you could get it on prescription, great advice Whitey! I dont know if i've been much help, but just to know you are not alone in this helps. I hope it all works out for you. You are certainly not being selfish, but I suspect from what I have read that the bottles are affecting your milk supply so you might have to consider a way to increase it, however I cant be much help with this. Have you tried calling La Leche or NCT? Good luck - let me know if you find the miracle cure for cracked nipples.

hey DD, I know the pain too! Luckily mine didnt get so bad that I needed to use the shields, but that was only because I was slapping on the lanolin cream, which worked a treat! I still remember the toe curling pain and once Jess had latched on it wasnt so bad, but the latching was the worst part! Had one worst than the other too! The others have given great advice, and you are doing such a great job! I also worried at one time that my milk supply was not enough, but apparently it can take a few days of LO suckling away to increase your supply, but it will happen! Good luck and keep us posted

Thank you for your replies. I have made the decision to switch completely to formula feeding and fed Aoife for the last time yesterday from myself. TBH finding it tougher than I thought and Aoife is struggling with the change even though I did try and wean her and not go cold turkey. I admire anyone who struggles on and continues to breast feed for any length of time. Anyway, just wanted to update you and thank you for your support. :loveit: DD x

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