Breastfeeding is HARD

Could be the milk let-down pain, now that your milk has presumably come in? I remember this being a lot more painful for me than others with my first.

I had this exact same thing, hang in there, it does get easier. I’m on day 18. My baby is still cluster feeding from 5-10pm but the pain has gone nearly and it’s more just a bit draining (literally). Since day 3 I’ve been using these techniques… - silver cups between feeds (this has really helped them heal as I was bleeding) - collection cup whilst feeding to collect from the other side - expressing enough through the day for one bottle so hubby can take some pressure off me for the last feed so baby is full and sleeps a long stretch. This is my second baby and breastfeeding became my favourite thing with number one. You will find your swing xxxx

@Cesca I do expect my milk has come in/is coming in now. That’s really interesting to hear you found this painful then as well, thank you

@Georgie YES to silver cups! Such a life saver. I haven’t bought a pump as wasn’t sure how we’d get on. Do you have any pump suggestions? I really hope we get to a stage where we both enjoy it but I have moments of despair, feeling like I should have it all figured out by day 3 😭 need to give myself a break

Since day one I found it painful with both my kids, I had a lactation consultant with my first that really helped wirh latching but had rhe issue again with this baby. You can find breastfeeding support group in your local area. In the meantime you can use Multi-Mam nipple compress, they work amazing, a midwife recommended them to me. https://amzn.eu/d/aeE4ahb

And yes give yourself a break, it's really hard especially when they cluster feed. With my first I managed to go through it and then breasts was so easy after the initial weeks. But with my second I decided to stop slowly as I have too much going on and she settled way better after a bottle, I combined feed since birth

Hello! I had my son last Sunday and he has a tongue tie which we’re keeping a close eye on as this can cause pain when breastfeeding. Has this been checked with your baby @Ali ? Also yea to silver cups. I ordered some from Amazon, started using them yesterday and already notice a difference. @Georgie I’s also like to introduce one bottle a day. Did you find it easy to introduce and do you use a pump to express? Any recommendations for pumps? Breastfeeding is definitely a lot lot harder than I imagined. We need to congratulate ourselves for doing it with our brand new babies 🥰

I found my nipples quite raw initially but after milk came in they were better. I did use nipple cream.

@Ali @Vicky I use the Medela Swing electric pump, I’ve always got on with it but haven’t ever tried anything else. It’s not a ‘portable’ one like some on the market but I don’t mind it having to be plugged in. I pump after a night feed and once I wake up and sometimes it im home in v the day I’ll do it a third time. Then I just add any milk from the collection cups. I’m not getting a huge amount as he feeds so often but it’s enough xx

Yes it gets better! Whilst it is the most natural it doesn’t make it easy. Your nipples are probably feeling the burden of being used everyday now and it’s just adjustment. I used to hate those initial latches and brace myself for the pain at the start but it does all ease off within a couple days so try and stick it out if you can xx

It definitely gets better! To be blunt, at first your nipples just need to toughen up, they aren’t used to a baby feeding on them all the time so can be really sore the first few weeks. Definitely recommend nipple cream. Some will insist it shouldn’t be sore with the right latch but I really think it is whilst your nipples get used to it! If you push through those first few weeks it gets so much easier in my opinion! I love the convenience of it, no bottles, sterilising etc and baby will start to have bigger less frequent feeds x

Yes it’s so hard! I’m going to start using nipple shields today for some feeds to give my nipples a break (I used them with my first and it was a game changer!) Were you taking painkillers before and have now stopped? It does get easier and amazing. I fed my first for 15 months. Just keep going and don’t put too much pressure on yourself and find ways to help (take painkillers, topping up with expressed milk or formula, nipple shields, dummy is fine as long as you’re not masking hunger cues) Good luck, you can do it x

Thank you everyone. I called the National Breastfeeding Helpline this morning and they were amazing, suggested some different positions to try and completely understood how I was feeling. I’ve done 2 feeds now in the “natural” hold / laid back position and it felt much better. THANK GOD. What a rollercoaster this journey is. So grateful you girls replied to my cry for help this morning 🩵

Lansinoh nipple cream between feeds is a lifesaver. Would recommend getting help/adjustment from the midwives too as this was great for us in terms of positioning. Keep at it, you're doing great! We're on day 11 now and the pain/cracking has gone. I got a single momcozy M9 in the boots baby event and it's easy to use and clean, wireless too so can wear it out and about! Gives dad the opportunity to help with feeds too! X

Glad to hear you're feeling better. I agree that it's so hard for something that should just be natural! I used the silver nipple cups in the first week and they were fab. If my girl is cluster feeding a lot I still sometimes use them.