Need tips from moms who have breastfed before.
EIsieMae
member
So breastfeeding was a major fail for me with DD. I lasted about 6 days before I quit. The first few weeks being home were horrible for me due to lack of sleep and severe hormonal swings (sorry to scare any FTMs). I wasn't in a good place emotionally, and the severe pain of a bad latch was almost making me feel resentful of my DD when she needed to nurse (It's incredibly hard for me to admit this, even 2 years later). But after a wonderful prescription for Zoloft and switching DD to formula, things got much better.
I always had that residual guilt from giving up so soon though, and I'd really like to try breastfeeding with this LO. I know that there is going to be some pain during the first month of breastfeeding. But if you ladies have any tips on how to ease the discomfort during this time, it would be appreciated 
Re: Need tips from moms who have breastfed before.
First of all, I'm so sorry you had such a difficult breastfeeding experience with your DD!
As far as the pain goes, mine wasn't unbearable but it was rough for the first 2 weeks or so. My boobs were sore and my nipples would crack and sometimes bleed. That said, lanolin was a godsend. I put it on my nipples every time I nursed and before bed and after showers. It helped immensely. I used Lansinoh lanolin, but I'm sure most brands would be fine.
The other piece of advice I have is to feed often and not wait until your boobs are totally full and rock hard before nursing. The pain was much worse when I was too full.
Also, make sure your LO is latching properly. Have a nurse or better yet, lactation consultant at your hospital or birth center check the latch before you go home. Once home, if you have any latch or other issues, call a lactation consultant ASAP. A bad latch can make the pain so much worse.
I hope you have a much better experience this time around and that you are able to breastfeed for as long as you and LO want!
Most hospitals now employ lactation consultants and are there for you! Don't leave the hospital if you are still having latching issues. A good lactation consultant will spend however much time you and lo need to get things right. I gave up due to pain caused by poor latching with DS1. No shame, but there is help. My physical issues were the same with #2 and #3 (flat nipples) and since I had the support of the LC I was able to have some success with #2 (6 month exclusive BF) and I managed to hang in there and BF #3 for a full year!
Good Luck!!
My best advice is to find a good lactation consultant and see them regularly. In the first week I saw 3 LCs and saw a LC once a week for 6 weeks after that. Latch is such a big part of the discomfort and it is a really really hard thing to learn for both of you. LCs can help with this and the more you can see them, the more it will help you. Also, if you have any friends who have BF before, have them help you at home. In the first 2 weeks, if you can have someone to help you a few times a week, or even every day, this will greatly improve your chances.
Other than that, you can find support here on the BF board and loads of info on kellymom.com. I've heard many women find success and relief with nipple shields. I never used them so I can't comment to that. Lanolin cream is a must and don't forget breastmilk is a miracle healer. Put that on everything!
Good luck!
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You may be talking about latch pain, which I think often is a sign that the latch is not good - so meeting with a LC if that's the case is a good idea, as early as possible (like, in the hospital).
For nip pain, agree about lanolin. I also left a little milk on my nips and let it air dry for a couple minutes before I covered up again with pads & a bra. There's something soothing in the milk that helps prevent cracking.
I would suggest reading something that is encouraging about breastfeeding before having the baby. It's hard to have things not go as planned and might make you feel more confident this time around. I would also suggest going to a La Leche League meeting while pregnant because that can be a great environment to prep for breastfeeding.
While you're in the hospital (and once you leave) really pursue help if things aren't going right. A certain level of discomfort is normal as your nipples get used to nursing but continual pain is usually a sign that something isn't right. If I'm correct (because of the new breastfeeding insurance laws) most insurance companies are required to pay for a certain amount of lactation consultant visits. I would definitely suggest seeking out a lactation consultant right away in the hospital if things aren't going well. I relied on my nurses for the first couple days and I don't think they were very knowledgeable about breastfeeding, which was tough.
I think in my case it was important to set small goals too. I had constant, unexplained pain with nursing (which is really rare and I sought out a ton of help to no avail) so I would set my goal for the next month and when the next month came I would decide if I was going to keep going and then would set a goal of the next month. Next thing I knew my daughter was 13 months and I finally felt ok with weaning.
Good luck!
I tried everything...nipple shields helped a little and so did the soothie gel pads, which can be kind of expensive if I remember correctly, but totally worth it. BFing certainly isn't easy. Emotionally I went through the same thing you did. Because of DS's "ferocious suck" and a clogged duct I switched to exclusively pumping when DS was only about 1-2 wks and pumping was life changing for me. I gave it up entirely after 3 months because for me it was a quality of life issue. I felt so guilty but at the same time I was a much happier mom, wife and person as soon as I gave it up so don't be so hard on yourself if it doesn't work out the way you envision.
I a "dumb FTM question"
I am using 100% pure lanolin in order to prep wool diaper covers. I assume it's the same thing... since it is 100% pure lanolin. It's pretty sticky, almost waxy.
So here's my question - does the baby latch on with lanolin residue on the nipple? Or do you wipe it off if you've recently applied it?
It's totally fine to nurse with Lanolin on your nipples.
Also in response to the OP, I would be wary of using nipple shields unless you've tried every other option. All of the many lactation consultants that I saw when I was having issues said to stay away from them because if the baby learns to latch with a nipple shield it can be really hard to ever get them off of it.
I actually think that expressing a little breastmilk onto the nipples and allowing that to air dry works MUCH better than lanolin (and yes it's the same stuff you use on wool diapers). Your boobs are exposed, which is of course awfully weird but it works much much better.
As for success, I agree that the lactation consultants and other support systems are a huge factor. You need to make sure your support system (YH, family, etc) knows that they need to encourage you during this time.
You can do it!
I had to use a nipple shield due to flat nipples as well. Were you ever eventually able to breastfeed without the shield?
My daughter had a terrible latch. We found out, at 5 weeks, that she had tongue-tie. We had the tongue-tie rectified, but her latch never got a lot better. That, combined with vasoconstriction, has resulted in my nipples still being purple lol But there were several things that helped me last a full year:
Find good help! The most important thing is to find a good lactation consultant. In addition to latch help, she will keep your mind at ease in regards to making sure that baby is drinking enough. I found mine by going to a local llli meeting and asking for recommendations. Not only did my LC help with my daughter's breastfeeding, she potentially saved my life by getting me help when I started to sink into bad PPD.
I don't like lanolin because it is so thick and sticky. It really hurts trying to smear it on when your nipples are cracked and tender. I recommend Motherlove nipple cream. It seems a bit pricey for the size but a little goes a long way. It also helps to put some on before you pump, if you have really sensitive nipples.
My favorite ointment for when my nipples were really messed up was All Purpose Nipple Ointment. It has an antibiotic, antimycotic (think yeast), and anti-inflammatory in it. You need a prescription and it needs to be mixed by a compounding pharmacy, but it is really great when you feel like your nipples can't take anymore latching pain.
And finally, air out your nipples as much as possible. Moisture build-up is the worst thing possible for cracked nipples.
OK. One more thing, if you've been nursing for a while but all of a sudden get the chills, a fever, and overall feeling of getting hit by a Mack truck. See your doc, ASAP. You probably have mastitis. Luckily, once you start antibiotics, you start feel better really quickly.
I know that this all sounds like a real pain in the asss (and it is at times), but it's worth the trouble if you really want to stick with BF.
I think that breastmilk alone probably would have been better, especially with airing out as opposed to the dampness of a breastpad.
All of this! The first month is horrible but it will get better as after that.
Lanolin and soft cushiony breast pads were a huge help for me.