[Electric_Blue]

My son is only 4 days old. Tonight was our first night at home. I've had so many trouble breastfeeding. Sometimes I can latch him on and everything is fine and dandy. And othertimes (well most of the time now) I have so much trouble. My nipples are grazed and sore.

To get around this my husband bought a breastpump. My milk still hasn't quite come through so expressing is a bit of a long and boring process. I get about 20-25mls out and bottle feed it to him.

I woke up at 4.30am knowing he would want to feed shortly. So I got the pump ready and expressed 25mls which I later fed him. I changed him and expressed probably another 10mls but it doesn't seem to be enough...he's looking for more. My husband managed to finally help me latch him on properly and he breastfed for a little while. It was so hard...hurts like all hell because my nipples are grazed.

I would have thought for a 4 day old that what I was expressing was enough. Especially since they're only meant to have stomachs the size of a large marble at this stage.

Also when can I expect my milk to come through??

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks.

[BadKitteh]

You are doing well, don't forget that. It is so very hard in the early days & it will get better, I promise.

I think you should call the ABA on 1800 MUM 2 MUM, they're trained counsellors & will give you some ideas if things to try.

Good luck & enjoy your new little baby

[spottydog]

Oh electric blue,

I just came in to look for some old threads of post a new one on a very similar if not identical topic.

I dont want to gatecrash but ill just add my little story too if you dont mind OP.

DS is nearly 48hrs old, we came home 4 hrs after the birth and i thought he was feeding right until home visit yesterday and my nipples are sore and grazed too from poor attatchement. Apparently im feeding bub right, but the latch isint right. I had to express colostrum and syringe feed overnight, aswell as trying to put bub on breast but it was too sore. He is content atm, and im having another home visit today, will ask for advice.

Electric blue, do you have a home visit? Or can you make a appointment for one or a lactation consultant?

PS congrats on your new arrival, we were both prelabouring at the end of last week together.

Im sure ill see you around the boards.

spottydog.

[mavisandjack]

The first few weeks can be hard. I agree to try the ABA as they might have some help for you.

Some things to try:
- let your nipples dry, with breast milk on them, in the open. This can help them heal much faster than if you put anything on them
- skin to skin contact will help stimulate your body to produce more milk (four days is still early). If you are somewhere hot, you might like to run a warm bath and take baby in with you, or just take your top off and lie on a bed with baby.
- if you have people coming over all the time, perhaps ask if they can wait a few more days. It will hopefully make you less stressed
- nipple shields can really help if you have grazed nipples. They aren't too expensive. They can help your baby improve his latch. I used them every second feed for a week and I think they really helped.
- even though it can be stressful, try to get a good latch every time you feed baby. Make sure they have a wide mouth, nipple to the back, tongue right out etc. if you know someone who has breastfed they may be able to help out, checking your latch. A LC would be better but I am not sure if you can find one on a public weekend.

Ideally it would be better to keep baby feeding from the breast, as long term expressing is hard and sometimes impossible. Just keep trying as much as you can and try to encourage your DH to do skin to skin with baby when you need to sleep.

[LifesGood]

OP it is hard and it does hurt in the early days, but you need some professional help with getting your baby properly latched. Call your MCHN and find out if there is a breast feeding clinic you can attend. It is really important to get the proper attachment happening otherwise your nipples will get increasingly damaged.It's hard to explain proper latching without being there.

Can you afford a private lactation consultant to come to your home? If so it is a really worthwhile investment.

Your milk should be through today or tomorrow - sooner if your baby sucks at the breast rather than pumping.

Good luck and congratulations, it sounds like you are doing a great job

[spottydog]

The first few weeks can be hard. I agree to try the ABA as they might have some help for you.

Some things to try:
- let your nipples dry, with breast milk on them, in the open. This can help them heal much faster than if you put anything on them
- skin to skin contact will help stimulate your body to produce more milk (four days is still early). If you are somewhere hot, you might like to run a warm bath and take baby in with you, or just take your top off and lie on a bed with baby.
- if you have people coming over all the time, perhaps ask if they can wait a few more days. It will hopefully make you less stressed
- nipple shields can really help if you have grazed nipples. They aren't too expensive. They can help your baby improve his latch. I used them every second feed for a week and I think they really helped.
- even though it can be stressful, try to get a good latch every time you feed baby. Make sure they have a wide mouth, nipple to the back, tongue right out etc. if you know someone who has breastfed they may be able to help out, checking your latch. A LC would be better but I am not sure if you can find one on a public weekend.

Ideally it would be better to keep baby feeding from the breast, as long term expressing is hard and sometimes impossible. Just keep trying as much as you can and try to encourage your DH to do skin to skin with baby when you need to sleep.

OP it is hard and it does hurt in the early days, but you need some professional help with getting your baby properly latched. Call your MCHN and find out if there is a breast feeding clinic you can attend. It is really important to get the proper attachment happening otherwise your nipples will get increasingly damaged.It's hard to explain proper latching without being there.

Can you afford a private lactation consultant to come to your home? If so it is a really worthwhile investment.

Your milk should be through today or tomorrow - sooner if your baby sucks at the breast rather than pumping.

Good luck and congratulations, it sounds like you are doing a great job

Gatecrasher here..

But thank you both for these bits of info, im off to google lactation consultants in my area and may have to think about shields too, i used them with DD but stopped feeding as it was all too much.

spottydog.

[bikingbubs]

The first couple of weeks are really hard. I found both times it was just a matter of pushing through it, because lets face it...grazed bleeding nipples arent exactly high of my list of things I ever wanted.
My suggestion to soothe the pain is hydrogel breast pads - they sell them at coles. Put them in the fridge - and they will feel like bliss. Also lasinoh after every feed, along with trying to give them as much air time as possible.
I know its SO hard in the early days, but try to feed from your breasts as much as you can tolerate as babies are much better at bringing in milk than a breast pump is.
It will get better xx

[puffsgirl11]

I would be getting professional help too.

I unfortunately couldn't bf due to latching issues which I think with help we could of overcome eventually (I live in the country and getting to see a LC is like finding a needle in a haystack). I express all of my DS feeds but it is very time consuming and quiet frankly can be a pain in the but.

My milk didn't come in till day 6. I would also maybe limiting visits by friends/relatives if that is an issue. I was a prude when people were around and just couldn't relax enough to bf in front of everyone.

Also if you do express I find most of my milk comes at night. Make sure you drain both breasts and I found pumping every time my DS fed was beneficial in keeping up my supply.

Good luck and I am sure you are doing a great job.

[Ehill]

The hospital I gave birth at had a nurse where you could have follow up appts a week after going home. Ring your hospital and find out.

The nurse I saw with DS was amazing. She had me attached properly in no time!

CYH nurses are great too but can be busy. Call your local office and see if you can get a home visit.

[Dinosaurus]

Attachment is the key to pain free breastfeeding. I was you with number one and I am furious that you have been sent home without proper attachment or your milk coming in.

The hospital or birthing centre that you birthed at have a duty to you so you can start with their lactation consultant for free. If, like me, you don't get any joy there you can try another public hospital for free (there may be a short wait which feels like eternity when you''re in pain) or a private LC if you can afford it.

In the meantime you need gel pads, mothers mates, rite aid or similar - they are cooling and healing and will heal your nipple in a short time.

For practical help with attachment the ABA website and you tube hothouse have very helpful videos to copy.

All the best, I remember the pain well.

Oh, and you're baby wants more because in those early days they grow and change very quickly as they get used to life outside the womb. You are doing an AWESOME job feeding him, it is really hard but honestly does get easier and pain free and then you can enjoy all the rewards of breastfeeding.