nervous about breastfeeding

gatormom73 · April 2015

So iv been asking around to other young moms if they breastfeed their babies. .I almost always get the same response, o I tried but it hurt so bad I only lasted a week then switched to formula. Is it really that painful!? I already have a breast pump free from insurance but I also bought spare parts and everything I need to be 'successful'. Im so excited to breastfeed, but everyone is making me pretty nervous im going to fail at this. Do I need to toughen up my nipppes before baby comes? I just REALLY want to do the natural thing and all the benefits that comes with breastfeeding.

manda82585 · April 2015

You can do it! I had a really rough start with my daughter. She was tongue-tied at birth, and while they clipped her frenulum the day after she was born, it felt like she had teeth until then. I bought a nipple shield on the way home from the hospital which helped them heal up, but the first month or 2 were pretty painful for me because of the damage that was done that first day. I was determined, like you, to stick with it. Breastfeeding was/is super important to me. There are so many great benefits to it for both you and baby and reminding myself of those benefits on super ouch days helped me get through it. Chances are, you won't have an experience like I did and you will not have all the pain. Your nips can get raw at first until they get used to things. Just have lots of lanolin on-hand and if necessary, give them a rest with a nipple shield (some are against using shields, but I think that saved things for me and baby had no latching issues as a result of it). I really think that being committed to it is the most important part. It sounds like you have that commitment, so you should be able to have a very successful breastfeeding relationship. I bfed my daughter until she was 21 months.

Taciturnu · April 2015

I didn't have any pain while nursing. The worst part was engorgement, but that improves with nursing! (Gets a lot worse if you quit cold turkey.)

My doctor have me prescribed All Purpose Nipple Ointment. I highly recommend you ask about it. I'm still nursing my 18 month old, so I promise it's not always bad.

cantwaitforabebe · April 2015

Breastfeeding shouldn't hurt ! If it hurst then your baby isn't latching correctly - when baby has the right latch it will be comfortable :-) many times it hurts if the baby is just latching the nipple and doesn't take the whole areola or breast into it's mouth - work with the lactation consult at the hospital after birth and make sure you go home confident with how your baby is latching and breast feeding will be enjoyable for you and baby :-)

Taciturnu · April 2015

Also, see if you can get a consult with a lactation consultant while you're still in the hospital. Pain that lasts throughout a feeding is usually a latch problem. (Or breast infection, but that's another day. )

mnj05 · April 2015

It can hurt without a latch issue though but the pain should lessen after a few days.

Sanine · April 2015

I personally do not think the nipples need toughening, but it does hurt at first. It continues to hurt if the latch is bad. Take a breastfeeding class if your hospital offers one, go to lactation consultants if you have issues. If the baby has a tongue tie or lip tie it can also cause a painful latch.

For me, I found laying on my side to nurse to be the least painful. The initial latch always had a small pain then subsided after a few seconds. I ended up using formula and breastfeeding for 2 years.

kladd7182 · April 2015

Engorgement is painful, but you would have it worse if you don't breastfeed and wait to "dry up". As PP said, it hurts if baby isn't latching properly. At our hospital a lactation consultant drops in right away to make sure you're doing it properly. Don't stress out about it, you should be fine as long as you're educated.

jesicabrennan · April 2015

Hurts for just a few days and then if baby is latching correctly there's no more pain. Don't let others scare you out of breastfeeding, I loved nursing and did it for 2.5 years with my first.

Marinewife81 · April 2015

I never had any pain, either... Unless I got engorged, which didn't happen often.

Lulamae123 · April 2015

I breastfeed for 3 weeks and it hurt like hell. There were NO latch problems im just sensitive. I did not know that nipple shields existed. That's how I am hoping to survive this time around. After 3 weeks with I started to pump. Actually I find more people are pumping from the start. It's more work but at least you don't have to sterilize water. Breastfeeding can be a natural and great thing or it can be a pain in the ass. Depends on the person. My first was formula fed. I couldn't do it. With a pump you should be fine if you run into nipple trouble.

sarahsairsair · April 2015

Personally I found it hurt for the first week- and the engorgement sucks- but you'll get that regardless.
My plan this time is to tough out the first week or so, it will all get easier from there
And I don't think there's anything you can do to prepare or toughen up the nipples - ouch I'm trying to imagine what that would even entail

efunk21 · April 2015

I won't lie, hurt quite a bit for the first 4-5 days (though honestly everything seemed to hurt). Making sure to air dry my nipples post feed helped a lot, but they'll just toughen up.

Just remember all the amazing things about breastfeeding: antibodies being passed to baby, skin to skin time, super convenient and doesn't cost a penny.

smccall3838 · July 2015

manda82585 said:
You can do it! I had a really rough start with my daughter. She was tongue-tied at birth, and while they clipped her frenulum the day after she was born, it felt like she had teeth until then. I bought a nipple shield on the way home from the hospital which helped them heal up, but the first month or 2 were pretty painful for me because of the damage that was done that first day. I was determined, like you, to stick with it. Breastfeeding was/is super important to me. There are so many great benefits to it for both you and baby and reminding myself of those benefits on super ouch days helped me get through it. Chances are, you won't have an experience like I did and you will not have all the pain. Your nips can get raw at first until they get used to things. Just have lots of lanolin on-hand and if necessary, give them a rest with a nipple shield (some are against using shields, but I think that saved things for me and baby had no latching issues as a result of it). I really think that being committed to it is the most important part. It sounds like you have that commitment, so you should be able to have a very successful breastfeeding relationship. I bfed my daughter until she was 21 months.

My baby girl is a day old and has a short frenulum. We're still at the hospital waiting for the pediatrician to see her and possibly clip it today. My question is how soon were u able to get a good and proper latch after the clipping? Anything I should ask beforehand? Any tips?
TIA!

jesicabrennan · July 2015

It's not painful. It hurts a little for 2 or 3 days but then if you're doing it right it doesn't hurt. I nursed for 2.5 years, loved nursing, don't let naysayers deter you!

audi681 · July 2015

I'm doing it right, and for me it hurt a little. The first few days are rough, but then you and baby learn together while your nipples toughen up. When your milk comes in it gets better, and by the following week the initial latch might make you shudder, but then it feels fine.

Use lanolin ointment post feed. I alternated hot/cold compress to ease the irritation. Lansinoh soothies are great before your milk starts to spontaneously come out. When it does, they are worthless! It's not something you can't handle, just something you have to get used to and desensitize to.

dancegurl1118 · July 2015

Lurking from June, currently in the thick of this with a 6wk old. Breastfeeding is HARD. besides giving birth I can say it's the hardest thing I've done so far in life.

It's normal for your nipples to be sore (this can be the "hurt") after and In between feedings, but if it hurts for more than 10 seconds while LO is latched they are not on correctly. We really struggled and I had extreme pain and scabbing after only a few feedings with a bad latch. I was so tired after delivery that I just thought "at least she's on" instead of really working for a good latch.

There were so many times I wanted to give up. So many. It's really hard if you don't have resources and support around you, research that now so you're not struggling. But now that we're 6 weeks in I really find we are finding our groove. If I wasn't going back to work and needing to pump and freeze it would be easy peasy from here on out.

If you're committed, you CAN make it work (barring health reasons why breastfeeding doesn't work). Use the bump as a good resource, there will be lots of people struggling with you.

tasharchibald · July 2015

Instead of using lanolin cream use coconut oil. It is amazing and helped my nipples feel tons better after I had been using lanolin for days with no relief!

smccall3838 · July 2015

Thank God I have coconut oil in the cabinet!

ashleytiff · July 2015

My son is 8 days old and it hurt the first few days cause my boobs needed to get used to it but now it only hurts for a few seconds when he latches on. Lactation consultant said that's normal.

He has been on me alllll day today so it's been a little rough but now he is napping and I'm gonna shower and hopefully it wakes my boobs up to produce more.

mrsrep123 · July 2015

Thanks for all of your input. This is a great thread!

Youngwithra · July 2015

FTM , my baby is 2 weeks old and I've breastfeed him since day 1. At first it was very painful till a lactation consultant helped me. I have noticed now that it's a bit painful only when he latched on, which i don't mind being painful because it's a sign to me he latch on. Besides that only thing I dislike is my breast hurt and get hard if I don't pump.

LECDale · July 2015

smccall3838 said:

manda82585 said:
You can do it! I had a really rough start with my daughter. She was tongue-tied at birth, and while they clipped her frenulum the day after she was born, it felt like she had teeth until then. I bought a nipple shield on the way home from the hospital which helped them heal up, but the first month or 2 were pretty painful for me because of the damage that was done that first day. I was determined, like you, to stick with it. Breastfeeding was/is super important to me. There are so many great benefits to it for both you and baby and reminding myself of those benefits on super ouch days helped me get through it. Chances are, you won't have an experience like I did and you will not have all the pain. Your nips can get raw at first until they get used to things. Just have lots of lanolin on-hand and if necessary, give them a rest with a nipple shield (some are against using shields, but I think that saved things for me and baby had no latching issues as a result of it). I really think that being committed to it is the most important part. It sounds like you have that commitment, so you should be able to have a very successful breastfeeding relationship. I bfed my daughter until she was 21 months.

manda82585 said:
You can do it! I had a really rough start with my daughter. She was tongue-tied at birth, and while they clipped her frenulum the day after she was born, it felt like she had teeth until then. I bought a nipple shield on the way home from the hospital which helped them heal up, but the first month or 2 were pretty painful for me because of the damage that was done that first day. I was determined, like you, to stick with it. Breastfeeding was/is super important to me. There are so many great benefits to it for both you and baby and reminding myself of those benefits on super ouch days helped me get through it. Chances are, you won't have an experience like I did and you will not have all the pain. Your nips can get raw at first until they get used to things. Just have lots of lanolin on-hand and if necessary, give them a rest with a nipple shield (some are against using shields, but I think that saved things for me and baby had no latching issues as a result of it). I really think that being committed to it is the most important part. It sounds like you have that commitment, so you should be able to have a very successful breastfeeding relationship. I bfed my daughter until she was 21 months.

My baby girl is a day old and has a short frenulum. We're still at the hospital waiting for the pediatrician to see her and possibly clip it today. My question is how soon were u able to get a good and proper latch after the clipping? Anything I should ask beforehand? Any tips?
TIA!

My son did too. I had to wait from June 1st to August 15th before I got it clipped. I waited so long for the appointment it was terrible. This time I know to get it done asap and request the appointment due to nursing issues (if I run into the same problem). I was able to nurse with comfort while I was still in the doctors office! I was amazed at how quickly he took to nursing.

China8115 · July 2015

You should not be nervous it might be a bit uncomfortable at the beginning but you form an amazing bond with your baby and the benefits has you said are endless for both you and your baby so keep that in mind try to mute out the bad comments... Best of luck...

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