Breastfeeding pain

When is your midwife coming ? x she will be able to see and help with the latch and health visitors as well . But yeah it takes time 🥺 cream after every feed and let your boobs breathe x

Hey, just words of encouragement 🤗🤗🙌🏼 My baby girl is 9 weeks old and first child for me. Exclusively breastfed as planned but first 3 weeks give or take I badly wanted to give up. It was painful, it hurt, I had no idea what positions to do to be comfortable and it sucked big time! I dreaded each feed. What helped was: Lansinoh lanolin nipple cream, silverettes and Lansinoh nipple balm. Been using for maybe those 2-3 weeks max. 5 weeks pp I had no pain anymore and it became sort of pleasant. 6 weeks pp I got periods again and now on 2nd one and breasts are sensitive so it hurts again but only few days. I am really happy I perservered and super proud of myself that I have been breastfeeding for 9 weeks now! If you want, you can! 🤗❤️❤️💪🏼💪🏼

@Gabi I'm so glad it worked out for you and kudos for keeping on with it! Can I ask, how was you using the cream, balm and silverettes? Like all together or seperate occasions? How long did it take for it to heal? I'm in a similar situation

There definitely could be a latch issue so get checked/supported but it definitely still hurts/causes pain initially. At the end of the day, it's a body part that never gets touched really and then all of a sudden you have another human sucking on it for hours of a day, if it was your finger that would get sore too!

I always find the first couple of weeks of breastfeeding is painful, I know they say it shouldn’t be painful if the latch is correct and there’s no tongue ties but I’m yet to meet anyone who’s said it’s been painless from day 1 😅 Always worth checking about a tongue tie as it’s so common, clicking sounds when feeding, gassing as/ discomfort after feeds, slipping on and off the breast are some of the signs. About 2 weeks in after having my second the bf wasn’t painful any more but it was longer with my first as he had an undiagnosed tongue tie x

Toe curling at the point of latching the first few days is normal, provided the pain subsides. After you finish feeding does your nipple still look the same shape as it did at the start as if so then the latch is probably ok. If you have a local infant feeding team I'd suggest getting in touch with them for support

@Kiran I used either the balm or cream, not together and after every feed and if very painful, then I put the silverettes on as well. I never had cracked or bleeding nipples, just once I had a blister which I treated by dipping the breast in a cereal bowl (🤣) filled with hot water in between feeds and it healed very quickly. Like I said above from a memory I was only using the products for 2-3 weeks as got lazy and didn't feel I needes them and from 5th week I had no pain at all. Breastfeeding usually hurts at the beginning, it is a misconception which stresses women out that a poor latch is to blame for the pain. Yes if latch is poor, then yes it will hurt but can be easily adjusted. Point nipple at the nose/place on upper lip and when baby opens mouth wide shove it (gently) in as deep as possible. The deeper the less pain as back of the mouth is softer than front. Baby shouldn't be suckling only on the nipple but good part of the areola as well and check if the baby swallows rythmically with pauses.

You should hear swallowing and no slurping sounds. It sounds like a rocket science but it isn't 😀🙌🏼🙌🏼 It really becomes easy as you go. I am no pro but know women who are, so I know it is possible to become really comfortable and a pro 😃😃🤗

I would really recommend calling the national breastfeeding helpline - I got some amazing support from a volunteer there. A few tips from me that I've been given (we're on day 9 here, so it's still early days, and I'm struggling with the latch as a FTM). As well as changing boob side, changing position can really help - I've been swapping between cross cradle and the rugby ball hold - this one has really helped, but you do need to time it right when getting a really wide open mouth from baby. If it's really toe curling after 10 seconds, it's worth relatching - so finger in the edge of the mouth until baby loses suction, then take off the nipple, then attempt relatch. Though this is easier said than done - my little girl has a really strong clamp down when I try to do it...