[Happy_daisy]

Just having a small vent somewhere I'm sure I'll get sympathy
I'm in the process of establishing BFing with baby number 2. Been concentrating really hard on attachment and positioning but have still come off with a few cracks...ouch! Now having to feed through them. I know it gets better (had similar issues with DD1 and ended up BFing her till 20 months) but hard to see the light at the moment!

[Nofliesonme]

OP big hugs. It is hard as you already know but it does get better. I now have an 8 week old and just getting this far is hard work and its my 4th child. Take it 1 day at a time. Have you tried a nipple shield?? I hate them but you may like them good luck and remember in the end do what's best for you and bub. I wish mine would sleep longer than 3 hours at night. YAWN!!!

[~spirited~]

Keep it up OP, you are doing a great job! If the cracks get really bad you could express from one side at a time for 48 hours (still feeding from the other) to give them a chance to heal, I had to do this.

To be honest I am not looking forward to the early BF days, I had such a hard time of it with DS, but I made it through, and fed until 12 months, so I know I can do it again, too.

[cinnabubble]

I remember hooking a blood clot out of my second child's mouth when she was a few days old and thinking had I not known it would get better I could never have persevered. I had also forgotten how much help babies need to latch properly because I had last fed a toddler. Ouch!

Good luck. It will get better.

[LookMumNoHands]

Lots of sympathy from me to you

Probably a dumb question, but are you using a tonne of Lansinoh or similar?

Keep strong!

[Corella]

Multi-Mums are awesome too.

[Bunsen]

Hang in there, it will get better! Hydrogel breast pads were my saviour, heal up cracks much faster!

Good luck

[Happy_daisy]

Thanks everyone Your support means a lot!

I'm using the full arsenal of early BFing weapons...lansinoh, hydrogel disks, breast shells and just bought some multi-mums (never used them before, are they good?). Lots of airing time, breastmilk and sunshine too! Looking forward to getting it all sorted as soon as possible and being able to enjoy breastfeeding my baby

[lucky 2]

Hi, are you getting some advice from a LC re positioning and attachment? I hope you can access some help so you can stop feeding with pain and injury, it could be sorted quick smart with some fine tuning.
All the best.

[Ella Minnow Pea]

Super sympathy as i've been going thru the same thing. I took a day off and expressed, and got some help from a lc, and now the latch seems better and i'm not getting cracks and blisters and crying during every bf.However, now we're struggling with over-abundant, fast flow resulting in a grumpy, unhappy baby and epic feeding sessions of latching, relatching,crying, screaming, burping, relatching, and then making sure she doesn't throw it all back up again, which means sitting her up for at least half an hour. 2 weeks in, i guess it will get better?