Bad latch, incorrect tongue tie dianosis and now have mastitis. Really want to give up :(

[baybemama]

I nursed my 4 year old until he was almost 3.  I loved it although I remember hating it until about the 3 month mark.  I thought it would be so much better this time around but as soon as my milk came in the latch just stopped working for him.  Had my doula, doctor and a lactation consultant that I paid a lot of money for observe us.  Was told I was doing everything right and then the LC said he has posterior tongue tie.  Got him in for a clip appt with the ENT right away and when they looked they said there was nothing to clip, that he hardly has any frenulum at all.  That was Tuesday and yesterday I woke up with mastitis which I've never had before.  This is the second day of antiobiotics and I've finally gotten to the point that as long as I have a nipple shield on I can stand the pain of my little guy nursing on it to drain it.  I tried pumping but the pump just plain hurts.  All that swollen tissue just won't get softer with the pump.

I'm devastated.  I cringe when he wakes up to eat because I can't stand the thought of nursing again.  He had one bottle of formula when I went to my appointment yesterday to get checked out and I just daydream of not having to nurse anymore...but I remember how special it was with my 4 year old and I know it's better to keep going, I just mentally am having a really hard time. 

Will the antbiotics eventually make everything better?  Do some babies just not have a good latch ever?  The nipple shield seems to help a little...I noticed after a few mins of using it on my right side that I can slide it off and his latch is already better.  I don't know what I'm looking for with this post...maybe just some understanding and encouragement.  I really feel like my health is severely effected right now and that's what makes me want to give up. I just want to enjoy my baby and my family.

[Jules09]

Just wanted to say that you're doing an amazing job. Sending you strength, encouragement and hugs!

[prone_to_wander]

I had a really rough beginning with my DS and it seemed like it took forever to get over the hump. I ended up with a month long battle with thrush (that we didn't know was thrush). I used a nipple shield to allow the girls to heal a bit and then weaned him off of it and now he is almost a year and we are still going strong.

But everyone kept telling me his latch was right, I just needed to power through. (before they figured out it was thrush) you can do it mama! Give it a coupla days for the antibiotics to kick in and use the breast shield to give the ladies a rest and then reassess. Light and love and hope to you!

[homemademom]

How old is your baby right now?  It's possible your baby had the posterior tongue tie but that you're dealing with a "bubble palate" which is commonly associated with tongue tie. I just wrote about this to another mom yesterday, because it's what happened to us.  Here's a link to the thread.  http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1314875/from-c-section-to-frenotomy