[Kontessa]

From the first time I nursed my little one, soon after she was born it hurt. This is not my first nursing baby but each one I have had issues nursing, and it has been a long hard battle. They tend to fail to thrive at 3-4 months and then I have to do everything I can to get supply up. I managed only 8 months with my son and a year with my toddler and needed to supplement in that time as well.<br><br>
So I think the latch might be off but midwife came to see today and said it is good. She did mention maybe thrush that is just starting.<br><br>
I get pain that shoots from nipple then down my spine causing my back to spasm. It hurts so much I sob now. My nipples are also now cracked, bleed, and scab. This last part says latch issues right?<br><br>
I know nothing about breast shields but would something help at this point? I am scared and worried and the pain brings me back to the months of tears I have had with my other babies.<br><br>
I will fight for this little one to nurse as I did her siblings but I am not sure how much of a battle I can put up with as my DH goes back to work in little over a week and I have 3 other children to care for and homeschool and DH leaves in July for over a month, a time when failing to thrive is a huge worry and I badly need his support.<br><br>
I badly do not want to resent the baby. Every time she makes even a noise I about tear up knowing I will need to feed her. I have to send my other children out of my room so they do not see me cry when feeding her. I feel very pathetic.<br><br>
(LLL meeting this coming weekend!)

 

[buckeye_bebe]

Please consider seeing a lactation consultant. I was broke, but it was the best 80 bucks I'd spent on myself and the babe. Don't know where you are, but I recommend Lori Isenstadt. I've heard the nipple shields are useful for certain issues, but can be hard to wean off of, which is why I say please see a consultant. I have had breastfeeding issues up the wazoo with both kids, but each time seeing an IBCLC and going to some LLL meetings REALLY helped because they give you 1 on 1 attention for as long as you need.<br><br>
Good on you for breastfeeding, and good on you for seeking to remedy your challenges. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[ewe+lamb]

Delighted that you are going to a LLL meeting, it sounds like there could be tongue issues there and posterior tts are more difficult to spot than the more common tt at the front of the tongue and not as easy to resolve, the breast isn't being stimulated enough and at the beginning of breastfeeding most of us have plenty of milk with the let down etc and then if the breast isn't stimulated the amount of milk decreases and then a failure to thrive hits in, I'd second the IBCLC, you can also do CST and oesteopathy which may help I'd really try to get this sorted asap, don't wait it out in pain try and get this sorted out asap so that you can have a happier and less painful nursing relationship.

 

[rlmueller]

Of yogurt first. Get those good bacteria a growin'.<br><br>
Little ittle bit of neosporin if you see the pin prick type scab on nipple.<br><br>
Read Mother's Food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will find good nutrition information i.e. adding good fat to your diet to help production and fat content in milk.

 

[dawaller]

Aw, honey, I'm so sorry.<br><br>
Would your daughter's pediatrician happen to have a LC on staff? Mine did, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. Also, your midwife may have connections to a LC and I would get her back over to your house ASAP because she should be able to spot something amiss.

 

[Kontessa]

Yes to little scabs on the nipple. I would wash neosporin off before baby next nursed right?<br><br>
We got a size medium nipple shield today but I don't think I got it working properly. There is a learning curve I think. Is the nipple supposed to be fully in it, filling it or can there be space at the top. It still hurt when I did get her latch for a few seconds. Baby did not seem to like it and got upset so I just took it off and sobbed through the pain rather then have her crying. I remember my other babies screaming at the breast and I will do about anything to avoid that again.

 

[ewe+lamb]

When is the pain - more during or after the nursing session - I presume during?

 

[Kontessa]

Hurts most at the start when baby latches.

 

[ewe+lamb]

Hi I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that this is not thrush - reasoning behind this is that it's hurt since day 1, pain is more so at the beginning of a feed and the failure to thrive with your other kids at 3/4 months.<br><br>
I strongly advise you to see a good IBCLC who can look thoroughly at your baby's mouth and know what to look for in a posterior tongue tie.<br><br>
Can you look in your baby's mouth and see if the palate is high, bubble, square or you can examine with your pinky finger - although a good LC can also do this and knows what to look for, however, this is how you do a mouth exam, with short nails and very clean hands take your pinky finger and insert palm side up into baby's mouth starting at the outside of the gums run your finger between the lips and gums both up and down to cut out frenulum problems, then to the inner part of baby's mouth run your finger along the inside of gums and then slowly on the roof of the mouth, then check under the tongue, if still in doubt you can also check inside the mouth when baby is crying to see if the back of the tongue is raised.<br><br>
The alarm bells were going off when you mentioned that your other children had failure to thrive at 3/4 months, this is due to the breast being incorrectly or insufficiently stimulated and therefore the amount of breastmilk produced is reduced, incurring weight loss when the supply of breastmilk is regulated at around 3 months - hence a drop in weight.<br><br>
Let me know how you get on and if you need anything else please do not hesitate to post again.

 

[DoulaVallere]

My first thought was a tongue tie as well. Both of my boys were tt so I can commiserate with you...I remember the days and days of bleeding, cracked nipples and having to grit my teeth to keep from screaming when they latched on. Oh my! Definately try to get up with an IBCLC or ask if one of your LLL Leaders has experience with tongue ties, and 3rd or 4th degree ones in case it's not one of the obvious 1st degree up front ones.