Suggestions for night nursing/ with vaginal tear?

[Lupena]

My little fella is about 2 and a half days old, and likes to sleep on mama only. This time around I had a little ( perineal, i'm pretty sure ) tear, only two stitches. The problem is, it's sore when I sit, crazy-sore when I 'squoosh' which I cannot seem to avoid, as he sleeps on me at night, chest to chest. I sleep in the corner of the bed, propped up on cushions, nursing DS to sleep on nursing pillow. This seems like a terrible idea, but he's too little for side-lying. My bum gets numb all the way to the lower back, the pillow presses on my uterus, and I am convinced that I am tearing my stitches when I squoosh down when I can't bear it any longer.

Any ideas from mamas who've co-slept, or had babies that slept on them the first while and had a tear? I am having real trouble sleeping. Plus I'm worried that this sleeping position is not the best one, as his face could get wedged between me and the nursing pillow if the angle is wrong.. I've even tried going to bed with him in the sling, tummy to tummy, he liked it, but I didn't think that was safe, either??

[womenswisdom]

Yeah, what you're doing doesn't really sound safe. I'm pretty sure I started sidelying nursing immediatey, though I'm sure it depends on what kind of nursing experience you have and your particular body/baby. Maybe just try the sidelying and see how it goes?

[karika]

pillows and slings do not sound safe to me either. i am not sure I understand enough to help. Can you lie down? If you can, feed the baby while lying down, either by side lying (I started it immediately too, and it was the only way my baby wanted to eat for the first 3 months), or having baby on your chest, using your arm to keep him up there. Try to be awake for feeds if you can in these early days, having your partner wake up too to watch for safety if you can, then go back to sleep flat on your back, no pillows or blankets and baby lying chest to chest with you.

[Lineymom]

I side-lyed immediately. I had big babies, though. You can cradle the baby in your arm (to put him/her higher) and still lay on your side and nurse, though your arm may go to sleep. When I had my first we had a waterbed (I know bad bad for cosleeping). It was all new to me and I had an episiotomy and more tears. I nursed best by actually sitting up in bed with a doughnut pillow under me or I soon figured out to lay him on a pillow beside me while side-lying and nursing. The pillow brought him to my level in the waterbed. I know pillows and waterbeds shame shame. Maybe I have given you some ideas though.

[Lupena]

He wakes up when I put him down to side-lie nurse. He'll only sleep on me. I'm starting to think I ripped out the stitches, my whole backside is still numb, but the stitch area hurts wayyyyyy more than yesterday. Now when I sit, I feel like I'm going to be sick.

He won't nurse lying down beside me, and chest to chest lying down for nursing totally flummoxes me.

Maybe I'll try putting him on the pillow while I side nurse, thanks for the suggestion

[Baby_Cakes]

Aww. for you, sore mama.
I had 4 stitches after DD was born, and for night nursing I just had to sit up all the way. I sat up, nursed her, waited for her to be asleep, and then lay back down and put her in the middle of the bed. If she wouldn't settle, I let her lay on my chest.
We started side-lying nursing a little later, around 4-6 weeks or so, b/c of bad form it was hurting my back too much. Finally I figured out how to wedge a pillow under my back and lean into that pillow instead of into DD and it felt much more comfortable. If I had realized that from the get-go I would have done that instead.

[Lupena]

thanks babycakes... you reminded me, it's really a matter of finding your eureka moment/ position. I am frustrated that such a teeney tear would derail me so much.