Hi mamas--
First, a note. I realize that I am very lucky to be able to breastfeed at all, and that there are mamas out there who don't have the pleasure for whatever reason. Therefore I apologise in advance for this pity-party!
I'm feeling that my body is broken these days
. DS, now 12 weeks old, is EBF. The breastfeeding relationship has been really rocky from the start. By day 3 he had lost a pound due to inability to latch (I was extemely engorged). We used nipple shields per an LC, and managed to wean off them by the third week (yea!). Immediately thereafter, the nipple soreness began due to his shallow latch (not sure why, either due to recessed lower jaw, learned bad habits with the shield, maybe even posterior position at birth, who knows). I've seen 3 LCs with no improvement on the nipple pain. DS also fusses at the breast half of the time, and block feeding didn't help. So, I have eliminated dairy and am waiting to see if that is the cause, but so far no improvement (but it's only been a week, so we'll see -- this is KILLING me, BTW, as I'm a lacto vegetarian). And, I leak, all the time, everywhere. I go through stacks of pads every day. I'm constantly sticky, wet, and smell of milk. Oh, and have an OAL which means often painful letdowns.
And NOW, as of the last couple of weeks DS will no longer nurse while I am sitting up
:-- he wiggles both arms, comes on and off the breast, fusses. If I lie down, he'll nurse. Then, usually while side-lying I have to hold his top hand, otherwise he flails his arm, scratches at his face, etc. and distracts himself. I would LOVE to be able to NIP (no qualms about it whatsoeverand had no issues with it before now) but now I can't, which means that it is very difficult to go anywhere. Although I THINK I'm okay about NIP, I'm starting to wonder if I don't have some unconscious issue which delays my letdown or something which might frustrate DS . . . .
These days it seems that my body just isn't working right. (Side note: my planned homebirth ended in transfer due to cervical swelling and posterior position, AND, additionally, now 12 weeks PP I can't DTD due to pain -- two factors certainly contributing to this feeling).
Anyone else feel this way? Will it ever get better?
First, a note. I realize that I am very lucky to be able to breastfeed at all, and that there are mamas out there who don't have the pleasure for whatever reason. Therefore I apologise in advance for this pity-party!
I'm feeling that my body is broken these days
. DS, now 12 weeks old, is EBF. The breastfeeding relationship has been really rocky from the start. By day 3 he had lost a pound due to inability to latch (I was extemely engorged). We used nipple shields per an LC, and managed to wean off them by the third week (yea!). Immediately thereafter, the nipple soreness began due to his shallow latch (not sure why, either due to recessed lower jaw, learned bad habits with the shield, maybe even posterior position at birth, who knows). I've seen 3 LCs with no improvement on the nipple pain. DS also fusses at the breast half of the time, and block feeding didn't help. So, I have eliminated dairy and am waiting to see if that is the cause, but so far no improvement (but it's only been a week, so we'll see -- this is KILLING me, BTW, as I'm a lacto vegetarian). And, I leak, all the time, everywhere. I go through stacks of pads every day. I'm constantly sticky, wet, and smell of milk. Oh, and have an OAL which means often painful letdowns.And NOW, as of the last couple of weeks DS will no longer nurse while I am sitting up
:-- he wiggles both arms, comes on and off the breast, fusses. If I lie down, he'll nurse. Then, usually while side-lying I have to hold his top hand, otherwise he flails his arm, scratches at his face, etc. and distracts himself. I would LOVE to be able to NIP (no qualms about it whatsoeverand had no issues with it before now) but now I can't, which means that it is very difficult to go anywhere. Although I THINK I'm okay about NIP, I'm starting to wonder if I don't have some unconscious issue which delays my letdown or something which might frustrate DS . . . .These days it seems that my body just isn't working right. (Side note: my planned homebirth ended in transfer due to cervical swelling and posterior position, AND, additionally, now 12 weeks PP I can't DTD due to pain -- two factors certainly contributing to this feeling).
Anyone else feel this way? Will it ever get better?
.
