DD2 is 7.5months. Â My period returned 4 weeks ago (i'm expecting my next one in a few days based on when i ovulated). Â Now i have to say that this is a major breakthrough for me because my period came back at 6weeks PP with DD1 despite EBF on demand/no other nipples/etc. (my mum had 3 babies in 3 years, twice getting pregnant while EBF within 8weeks of the birth so to an extent i knew i'd deal with this) AND my period tried to come back (basically all the normal signals - low cervix, backache, acne, sore nipples, dip in supply) at 12weeks PP but i began pumping for a friend shortly thereafter and this extra stimulation/milk (really i think it was the quantity of milk - i only pumped for 30mins but got 5-7oz/day) halted it. Â I know this because my period came back 29 days after i hung up the pump (the other baby was 1 and the mum was happy to move him to cows milk).
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Anyway, in the days before my period my nipples hurt. Â it's not totally unbearable, but it's definitely dominating every feed. Â My DD is on solids and the last week it's like a switch flipped and she's gone from tasting to eating things, in pretty big portions (for a baby). Â We're not BLW or spoon-weaning but both, if it's holdable she feeds herself, if it's not i do a complicated dance with 2 spoons (one i load for her, the other i use myself). Â She is eating pretty great for a 7mo, BUT she's still a little little baby and needs to nurse a ton. Â And to make matters worse my supply definitely dips a little and my let-down is a bit slower to come, and that makes her want to nurse more and suck harder. Â Add to all of THAT....her bottom teeth are coming just now, i think i feel a corner of one not quite through the gum but like, less than a mm under the surface.
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So, is there anything i can do/take to help ease the pain? Â I feel bad because normally i nurse whenever she seems interested, whenever i feel fullish, whenever it's been a couple of hours or whenever either of us feels like it. Â I offer all. the. time. Â But the days before AF it's so painful, i feel like i'm almost scheduling her to early-morning, pre-nap, post lunch, pre-nap, post nap, post dinner/bedtime. :( Â Because it hurts so much i feel like i just make excuses in my head and put her off so she's only ever nursing when i'm full enough that she won't mess about and won't take too long.Â
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I am pretty much dedicated (barring strident refusal beyond the normal strikes from DD) to 2 years of BF minimum, but i never thought i'd have to deal with this. Â The worst thing is that usually i nurse her all night (she only has 2 "feeds" but likes to suck on and off a lot more than that) and i'm really not able to sleep through the pain, so i spent a lot of last night lying wanting to claw my skin off and trying not to cry while my poor baby suckled away unawares.
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Help!
