Painful latch and oversupply

allie8454

Hello, this is my first time posting although I have been following the boards for weeks.

I am looking for help with a painful initial latch with forceful letdown and oversupply issues. I have a five week old and when he initially latches on, especially on the right, it is extremely painful for the first minute or so. My lactation consultant thinks it is because he is clamping down to slow the flow of milk but I am getting to the point where I dread nursing because it is so painful and I am seriously considering switching to pumping. He seems to be latching on well and the rest of the nursing session is mildly uncomfortable but not nearly as bad, I have also been doing four hour block feedings and using reclined positions to slow the flow for over a week with minimal improvement. My breasts and areole feel tender, sore and bruised all the time and I occasionally get sharp shooting pains on both sides when not nursing and my nipples are very sensitive to the touch but not cracked or bleeding.

I am getting really frustrated and don't know what else to do. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

babym6705

If your nipples are really red, you might have thrush. I had it and it was excruciating.

Bethany_Lynne

I don't have any advice for the painful latch, but for the oversupply you could try pumping before feedings. I had to pump for 10-15 before morning feedings or my DD would just spit everything up from over feeding.

MrsStanger

By now if you don't have an answer I hope you called your lactation consultant or Pedi for help! HOWEVER the first 6 weeks are the worst for pain. You need to find something to distract you through that initial pain. it will get better if it isn't an infection! If you choose to pump through the engorgement you are telling your body that you need the supply and not to "downsize" for baby. If you do pump just time yourself and make sure you don't over pump to bring on more of a supply. Now is the time to build up your stock for the freezer! I really hope that by now your soreness has subsided!

Bigboneded

I would guess pump before latch to slow the flow? And I would break a painful latch now that I learned it shouldnt be.... I also pumped to recover when the girls were too hard on me a couple times (I suffered through whole sessions of bad latch tandem feeding.)
I second Mrs.Stanger- I hope its sorted out and not still painful!

allie8454

Pain has improved over the last week or so and I'm no longer getting really engorged. I found reclined feeding to be especially helpful and switching up positions so he want sucking the same area all the time. Now that I'm not super full all the time he is latching on better and since I am now pumping in the mornings I am starting to build up a nice little freezer stash for when I go back to work in a month!

crsanchez87

@allie8454 How long do you pump before your feelings?