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babyg
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Topic: Anyone BF with sore, sore boobs? Posted: 02 January 2008 at 8:59pm |
Has anyone out there got any good tips for a mummy of a 3mth old with boobs too sore to BF?
I have experienced some pain from day1 but it is now extreme and although i have a fantastic supply and would love to BF - i no longer am, just expressing and feeding baby on bottle alternating EBM and formula. I have masses of blocked ducts, am very engorged and rock hard all the time, have severe pain under my armpits and have been told by my doctor that i have damaged one of my peck muscles  In fact, i have pain everywhere except for my nipples.
I haven't slept properly in a wk as the pain is too great to lie down, I cannot raise my arms above my head, pull myself out of the bath or hold my daughter to my chest - i am exhausted.
I have seen a doctor and lactation consultant on many occasions, have had one course of antibiotics, been treated 3 times for thrush (which i don't think i had), have tried feeding baby in different positions, take regular hot baths, use hot flannels/frozen nappies and am now taking regular doses of ibuprofen just to get through the day. I am in too much pain to try massage. Last time i saw my lactation consultant she said that this is the way it's going to be for me and that i'll either have to put up with the pain or stop BF
Is there anything else i can do? Should i keep trying, i'm on the verge of throwing in the towel on the BF front.
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Neeks
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Posted: 02 January 2008 at 9:16pm |
Ouch!!! You sound as if your in a great amount of pain hun, and I don't blame you for wanting to throw the towel in especially after what your going through at present
At the moment I am dealing with one boob that has a Milk Blister (broken) that stings like a b*tch every time Keziah latches and that's with a nipple shield, and I've had the blister for a good 3 weeks (??). I can't bare to leave that behind just yet as it's so painful at times I could just cry. I am however persevering until Keziah is 3 months old (just a few more weeks) and then I will change to formula...
Oh, I too have lots of milk coming through and have had 2 cases of Mastitis because of it because at one stage Keziah was only taking one side per feed, but now she's doing both thankfully so I haven't had anymore of those yuck episodes..
Anyways, enough about my issues.. Take care of yourself, persevere and hopefully with your continuous BFing it'll get better before long
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Rachael21
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Posted: 02 January 2008 at 9:20pm |
Oh man I haven't been in your position but boy it sounds painful.
So it sounds like maybe you have too much milk? I think it will probably get better with time but probably by much for a while. It sounds like you have given it such a good shot and if the lactation consultant says its not going to get better shes probably right so its totally up to you but if you do give it up don't beat yourself up. I think what you have sounds like the most painful thing and you have done so well to continue for this long with all that pain.
Just for comparison I don't have a milk supply like yours but keep getting blocked ducts and my most recent one was at 6 months. So for me time only made it slightly better.I was only getting them every 2-3 weeks and that was painful enough so you are doing so well.
Obviously bfing is best for baby but if you are in way too much pain to enjoy baby then thats not best for her. Maybe like Neeks you could give yourself a deadline and if things haven't started to improve then you can give it up without feeling guilty.
Good luck and
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Kels
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Posted: 02 January 2008 at 9:34pm |
Big hugs hun. You are doing such a fanastic job getting this far. Like everyone else has said give yourself a deadline and if no significant inprovement then move onto another method.
I also get the feelijg your GP isnt doing enough for you. I would go back demanding he fix you PROPERLY or ref ou to a spec asap, alternatively go to the emergency dept really early in the morning to miss the rush and be seen but one of their DR and explain what has been happening. Im 90% sure they will admit (as long as they have bed space) you due to the history of the prob and get you seen by spec.
Again hun big hugs and wishing you all the best.
Remember a Happy mum is a well mum!!
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Busy mum to Miss 15yrs, Miss 10yrs and Master 4yrs
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3boys
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Posted: 02 January 2008 at 10:02pm |
Hey babyg - have you stopped Bf because of the pain or other reasons.
It sounds as though it is an oversupply problem - I have also had the same thing and man it is tough and many people don't understand as most think they don't have enough milk.
Have you though about trying to BF again without expressing at all and just feeding baby directly from the breast. I appreciate that you are in a lot of pain, but the baby will be more efficient and clearing blocked ducts than a pump can be and you may find that BF is not a lost cause.
The LLL websites have great information on oversupply that I found really helpful, lots of tricks that I had never heard of.
I say hang in there girl and get that baby taking the milk off for you. If it doesn't work you know you have tried your hardest.
One last tip - while having BF probs some good advice I have received is to take a couple of days out and just focus on being at home and Bf without other stresses such as visitors, being out and about etc. Id your DH around to help out with the housework and take a load off for you?
Hugs to you.
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nikkitheknitter
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Posted: 02 January 2008 at 10:07pm |
Geepers creepers! Like 3boys said - you mostly hear about undersupply issues, not the other way around. Sounds ghastly!
I hope you manage to find someone who can give you great support and tips to deal with the pain (which ever way you decide to go)
xox
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BabyOnBoard
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Posted: 02 January 2008 at 10:52pm |
This happened to my friend and she expressed between feeds. She had enough stored up to feed he boy for 4 months after she finished BFding
Have you had a second opinion? I got one when I had pain and was told nothing was wrong and the second lactation consultant was great
Edited by BabyOnBoard
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babyg
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Posted: 03 January 2008 at 12:57am |
Thanks for your advice/support guys - it's all appreciated.
Good luck getting rid of your blister Neeks - doesn't sound nice (how do you get one of those?)
I had given myself a deadline as i really wanted to exclusively BF Carys to 4mths min, but i'm struggling.
3boys - only stopped exclusively BF due to the pain, i would cry through most feeds and i'm sure that Carys was picking up on my distress  So we are giving her half formula, half EBM because i am trying to express my supply down and am not expressing enough to support her feeds exclusively. I was feeding her without expressing but it never did anything for my blocked ducts, i haven't had a day's break from blocked ducts since i started BF her at 2wks old (i expressed before that as she was in Neonatal unit). What is the LLL website? You're right, lucky DH is home at the moment and is doing a lot of the housework and babycare for me.
Babyonboard - yes, after seeing a lactation consultant (who i have to say was pretty good and we tried [unsuccessfully] lots of things to make it better) i got a second opinion from my midwife and my doctor (who has always been fantastic). The midwife was a cow and told me that BF pain is normal and to get over it. My doc was empathetic but i felt that she was more prepared to dose me up with painkillers than look at actually fixing the problem longterm. I think as kiwi mums, we can be too independent and often don't ask enough for help - but i kinda feel like i've sought enough professional help and should have got it sorted between three experts!
Must go, can hear baby starting to winge for her next feed.
Night
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3boys
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Posted: 03 January 2008 at 9:29pm |
The website is http://www.llli.org/
I also had to express for my first son as he was in NICU for two weeks as well and I am sure that this set me up for a lifetime of oversupply with each of my other babies.
Exclusively pumping before BF can cause some problems, but its great that you got that first milk into your baby. If you need any help or extra advice feel free to pm me.
Did you use hospital pumps as they can be much stronger manual ones?
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babyg
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Posted: 04 January 2008 at 12:50pm |
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Neeks
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Posted: 04 January 2008 at 3:25pm |
babyg - Blebs (or nipple blisters) are from improper latching. I had BIG problems for a while but I have seen a lactation consultant now and all is going good although the Bleb just will not heal up  I'm using pure lanolin on it after every feed now and it seems to be helping somewhat due to the fact every time Keziah feeds it opens up due to it being wet (as wounds do) and then I put my breast pad over it and it gets stuck on it so it opens up again, so it's a vicious cycle.. but with the lanolin it prevents the pad from sticking therefore giving it more time to dry out and heal properly
BTW, I'm glad to hear things are working out for you and that you're breast feeding again
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babyg
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Posted: 04 January 2008 at 10:58pm |
Ouch Neeks, that's horrible. I am very lucky i've not had any nipple problems - i can imagine the breastpad scenario, yikes! Do you use wool pads or disposable. I've heard the lanolin wool ones are fantastic on sore nipples.
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Neeks
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Posted: 06 January 2008 at 4:17pm |
I was using disposables up until a few weeks ago but I changed to cotton ones and I actually regret it now cause I'm changing them all the time due to getting stuck
I've never heard of the lanolin/wool breast pads, who makes them?
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babyg
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Posted: 06 January 2008 at 4:49pm |
I'm not sure Neeks, but the lactation consultant at our hospital offered to get some for me some time ago - i never did bother cos my nipples are fine but she said that mothers rave about them and she recommends them for nipple issues. I think they were quite dear - about $20- (dunno how many you got for that either). I think you should definietly ask about them in your circles - do you have a lactation consultant? Maybe you could ring the MW you had to ask her, i'm sure she wouldn't mind and probably knows more than me.
*edited* oops, sorry - i see above you have a lactation consultant (i'm waking up still). She would definitely be the person to ask!
Edited by babyg
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cuppatea
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Posted: 06 January 2008 at 5:39pm |
Neeks could you try not feeding from that side for 24 hours that's what my m/w got me to do when i got a blister on mine, I have a fissure(sp?) on one of my nipples so once it was healed she got me to latch him with a different hold so it wouldn't get irritated. I just spent 24 hours swapping between boob and ebm to give it a chance before putting him back on.
Glad you have sorted things out babyq, I had over supply issues as well and spent months in constant pain. Pretty much everything you described in your first post with 5 bouts of mastitis thrown in. Hope it carries on trouble free for you now.
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Rachael21
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Posted: 06 January 2008 at 9:09pm |
Yay babyg thats great news.
Neeks I had similar problems with Jack, I had the hugest blister on my nipple and it took so long to heal up. I spent a lot of time topless and dosed up with panadol. It wasn't until Jacks mouth got bigger that mine finally healed up. Try nipple sheilds if its really painful for you.
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babyg
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Posted: 06 January 2008 at 11:22pm |
Neeks, i see you're not a great candidate for leaving that side for a couple of feeds and only feeding off the other (having had mastitis a couple of times in the past). That would've been my suggestion, but reading what RachandJack just said about nippleshields could be a goer as a woman who was in NNU with me had sore nipples and shields worked wonders for her - have you tried them?
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Neeks
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Posted: 07 January 2008 at 1:54pm |
Yes, I've been using a nipple shield since my midwife suggested I did for the bleb, it works wonders.. Nipple shields are my bestest friend
Also, I have been feeding using the football hold due to be a c-section patient that they tore to shreds. She seems to have issues latching the other way (across the lap) so I have kinda stuck with what both she and I know and are comfortable with and I think that was irritating it  Even my lactation consultant was getting flustered when we were trying to get Miss K to latch so I will just keep trying
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3boys
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Posted: 07 January 2008 at 2:23pm |
Hi Neeks - you can get wool pads from the baby factory and also some of the MCN mum's on here sell them from their websites I think. I think the wool are the best, very absorbent and no sticking issues.
I think ecobubs sell them
www.ecobubs.co.nz
I am not sure if Foxybots have them?
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DJ
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Posted: 07 January 2008 at 4:34pm |
I've got some microfleece pads with PUL backing from Mums and Bubs which are really good - don't stick to nipples, really absorbant, and thin so can't see them thru your top.
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