Clover Lane

Oh, this makes me sad for you. I'll say a prayer that the consultant has good answers for you. My first was a wonderful nurser and my second was much more of a trial. Thankfully I didn't have cracking or bleeding, just a LOT of discomfort. GOOD LUCK today!

I had a miserable time nursing each of my first 3 newborns; if not for lactation consultants and my super-supportive husband, I would never have made it through. (I nursed our oldest for 15 months, the next 2 for 1 year each, and #4 for 15 months.) Our fourth was gloriously easy from the start. I know not to expect an easy path with #5. But thank God for lactation consultants. I hope you find relief and answers, and soon!

Joining the chorus of those hoping the LC is awesome and helps you find relief!

I'm hoping there's a quick fix for you!
I had a rough go with my oldest, no one ever told me he had a tight frenulum and that is why it was such a struggle at first. By the time our ped said something, at his one year checkup, we had both gotten beyond the problem and he was just a happy little nursling.

I hope the LC can help you. You are super woman for hanging in there this long with the pain. She is PRECIOUS!!

Sending up prayers for you! Hope you get all the answers you need today. She's such a cutie!

I'm sorry. :( I had trouble like this with #5, #6, AND #7, so don't beat yourself up. With each one it was something different (latch, prematurity, etc) but with lots of help (my mom is a retired LLL leader and an LC!) and support (awesome husband), we've done well and enjoyed many more months of nursing.

Remember that it is a nursing RELATIONSHIP, so even while you have experience, Janey does not. She has to learn how to nurse, and you have to learn, well, Janey!

I'll say a prayer to Our Lady of La Leche for you both!

I can't imagine how painful that would be! I remember how bad it hurt with my second, but I never cracked and bled - and had to continue on feeding! I hope the consultant can help, so that you can get some relief and sleep!! It's lucky you have such an adorable little girl - it'd be hard to be resentful towards a little someone that cute!

Just sent you an email........

I hope your appointment goes well today and you get some help and answers. I loved every minute of my breastfeeding experience except for maybe those first few weeks of pain. You are an inspiration to those moms out there who are determined to make it work. I haven't posted a "Congratulations" yet, but I'm so happy for you and your family. Janey is a doll! I love that you are able to keep blogging through these first few days of newborn bliss. Not sure I could have done that. My blog gets put on the back burner for the slightest of reasons. :)

I had toe curling pain from a bad latch with my first. The lactation consultant told me that correcting her latch would make the cracks (and bleeding) heal within 24 hours. It did. It was hard for a little while, but so much better than the pain.

You can do it!

I had a similar problem with my 5th baby. It turned out that she had thrush and had passed it along to me - it made breastfeeding pure TORMENT. After we were both treated things became comfortable again (after a week or two - ouch!)... until she started biting around 10 months :-( Good luck!!

Ask for Newman's Nipple Cream - I was shocked I hadn't heard of it until baby #4 - pure lifesaver!!!

I was going to make the thrush suggestion also. It is INCREDIBLY painful!!! The treatment (13 years ago at least) was Gentian Violet. You swab your breast and the babies mouth with it. The crazy part is that it is purple...as in florescent!! It's kind of freaky to see your baby with a bright purple mouth, but it worked marvelously well for us...and the best part...no pain for me. Good Luck!!

I am sorry to hear that. I had a very hard time myself. And I had so much milk... I had to change my bedsheets every morning because they were soaked. I used a whole box of nursing pad every other day. I clenched my fists every time my son started to drink. It was a nightmare. After a while my breasts were hard as rocks and I couldn't touch them anymore. I lived in a foreign country and I didn't know who to turn to. The doctor gave me some powder I had to mix with water and then put this mud all over my breasts several times a day. Can you I imagine the mess in my bedroom? I think I did it 4 or 5 times and then stopped. It was just too much! Finally I became very ill and had such a high fever that I had to take antibiotics and medication to dry up my milk that same day. I am still sorry that it ended this way after only three months (he is almost 20 now :-)).
Your daughter is such a gorgeous baby girl!

UGH! You sound like my sister did. I know she used some kind of nipple cream. Then she started using a shield you can buy from Babies R us. It saved her life. :-)

I will be praying for you, for healing and to find some answers today. This will end up being a time you will enjoy with her as you can hold and just watch your precious little one. This was one of my favorite times, whether nursing or bottle feeding. It is just the 2 of you. Just feeding. Such a precious moment when we can hold and love them dearly.

I am so sorry! I hope the lc gives you some answers. Also look into vasospasms. Once you have had nipple trauma (cracking, blisters, etc) there can be this phantom pain even when you look healed. It does go away though!

Nursing my first baby was a dream so I left the hospital with number two totally confident. Then I ended up with the exact same excruciating pain you describe. Turns out baby had thrush and I ended up with mastitis. Once we knew what was wrong and could treat it, it all became much more manageable! Good luck at the LC... Mine was a lifesaver!!!

oh man i feel your PAIN!!! i just gave birth to my 5th (a daughter after 4 boys!!) and experienced the same thing....nursing was painful with everyone in the beginning, but this was CRAZY, crying every time, bite down on something pain. It was about 3 weeks before things got better (she's 3 months now and there has been no pain for a long time). I wish you luck!!!!

Oooh! I'm so sorry! It does sound like it might be oral thrush, or perhaps her latch related to her frenulum. I truly wish you all the best with resolving this swiftly! Good luck {{hugs}}

Sorry to hear but glad ur going to have an appt with a LC! I had issues with both my little guys. I remember wearing a shield for a short time while I healed. And I found out about Smoothies (??) from the LC. They are these little gel type pads that you can put on when your not feeding. They saved me! Felt so cool & soothing. They come in a big circle & you can cut into fourths. Use them for a day or two (?) & then toss. Loved them! :) It will get better! Take care & good luck!

Oh no! Toe-curling pain is NOT something to live with. Thank goodness for LCs, I hope you get the help you need!

Janey is so adorable - and she looks so much like Patrick!

So sorry to hear about your nursing pain. I'm more of a lurker here, but I love your blog and your parenting philosophy--sounds like you're taking some of your own good advice this time. I'm still nursing at 18 mo with my first child. I hope the consultant can get to the bottom of your problem. If not, you might also try La Leche League in your area--they have helped me a lot!

So coming out as a reader of your blog...i am a mom of 5 and nursed each of my babies for 16 to 18 months, but on #3 the same thing happened that you are experiencing and it was a yeast infection. there was no sign other than intense pain, cracking and bleeding, then healing then starting all over. it was the worst. i was scabbing to my my undergarments. good luck and ask about the phantom yeast!

Great advice from everyone. I just finished nursing my baby...she is 2 1/2. I had the toe-curling pain and I just assume it is normal to get the nipples toughened up. Try the cream and hang in there...it gets better.

cute as a button she is...especially that little frown furrow.

If you had antibiotics during labor/after I bet it's yeast and use the ointment. It's a lifesaver! All I'll be well soon!

I understand and I am so sorry! I hope you get the help you need to remedy the pain and frustration.
I had great help with my first but with my second I literally could not handle it (and ended up with postpartum depression) and had to bottle feed her. And I came to peace with that desicion! :)

Ouch! I'm remembering it well. My toes would curl up when I was going through this. Could be a combination of things. Don't rule out a yeast infection (thrush). A simple liquid that can be swabbed in babies mouth will take care of it. I had it with two of my kiddos. I hope you are able to get it worked out so both you and Janey can make it a happy time again.
Best wishes to you friend.

Adding that Thrush can easily be taken care of with a liquid medicine called Nystatin (not that purple stuff). It's really simple and works well.

Ugh, breastfeeding pain in THE WORST! Hope you get things figured out today.

I didn't have my first and only child until I was 40. So I didn't have a clue about anything. When I was looking at the list of classes at the hospital to sign up for the child birth class I ran across a lactation class so I signed my husband and I up. I learned so much from that class about the whole latching on thing and I never, ever had a problem. I did, however get a nasty virus when she was about a month old and couldn't nurse for a day and became engorged. Did you know that raw cabbage slipped into your bra will take care of that. I was skeptical but it worked like magic! I hope the LC helps!

Bless your heart! I know exactly how you feel, the same thing happened with my first, and I just wanted to enjoy and not dread those feedings. For me it was a latching problem (and I was too shy to ask the consultant- oh, pride, ugh!) and then compounded by thrush. Praying you get answers today and can enjoy those precious nursing moments again.

If the consultant doesn't check for tongue-tie, please do this, or have your pediatrician check. My friend's dd had problems like you are describing and the lac.consultant did not check for it, but baby D. did have it. They found out months later, after mom had given up nursing.

Good luck to you and baby! How frustrating for you both...

I know you're not really asking for advice here, but we're all giving it because we know how awful that feels! I hated dreading that next feeding. For me using a nipple shield for a while helped give me a chance to heal up and made the pain more manageable. Also, going ahead and getting back on that low dose of motrin (like they give you right after the baby's born) helps more than I would have thought at taking the edge off.

I also want to say how much I appreciate your sharing this (along with your previous post about hesitation at taking the baby places). I just had my second, and sometimes I feel I should have everything down better by now.

I'm sorry Sarah. But I have to admit this post made me chuckle. Holy cow! Six years of breastfeeding - I have never thought of it that way! About everyday I call Mindy and ask for the "regional update" there are so many regions of the body that have issues after having a baby - thank goodness we have something so wonderful to show for it! Hope you both get it worked out. My doc gave me some sort of compound mixed at the pharm that help a ton. "dr. newman's compound? Also, I have used black tea bags in the bra - uncomfortable - but works! Thinking of you!

That happened with my 3rd... so miserable. The Lactation Consultant gave me some sheets of gel stuff that I put on between feedings... it made things bearable until it healed. I hope you get it figured out!

I hope you get some answers! I still remember (all too well) that toe-curling, eye rolling back in your head pain. I had it for a few weeks if memory serves me right & then it DID subside. The 2 LCs I worked with said that everything was fine with me, I just had to get through it. I remember "bracing for impact" & even waffling/pulling him away from me at the last second because I was so scared of that pain. My husband said a few times not to tease him but yikes, that hurt! Prayers this passes quickly.

Oh, man...I have been through the ringer a few times nursing my kids and when the toe curling, wanna swear your head off every time the baby latches on happened for that long it has usually been a yeast problem for me. I will email you what worked for me. Yikes, hang in there. That is the worst part of having a newborn for me.

I went through the EXACT same thing with my son. I nursed all my girls for two plus years, and so far Noah only nurses at night (he'll be three this November!)

He was the laziest nurser ever! I couldn't understand after nursing like a pro with my three girls that this boy was so hard to nurse.

He always favored one breast, and the other he was lazy, and then would bite at the end of nursing!

I decided to pump and buy a cup feeder to feed him until he was able to get a little bigger in hopes that he'd be a vigorous nurser just like the girls.

Although tedious...it worked. As much as my thumb and index finger became weary, and numb I persevered.

It was a happy ending. Now I just have to get him off the breast. I totally created a monster!

Good luck to you!

I think thrush also. I had it with both of my babies. People think you can see thrush, looking for white on the nipple or baby's mouth. I never saw I thing..but I FELT like razorblades were coming out of my nipple. If the pain eases after feeding a few minutes I would ask you MD for diflucan(SP?) for you, and nistatin(SP?) for baby. Good luck!

For what's it worth and perhaps helpful. Nursed my first 2 without any problems for a year, 3rd comes along - out of this world pain. I would cry profusely with each latch on. It was miserable and thought I was going to quit the pain was so terrible. Consultant said I had yeast on my n*** and prescribed a cream that they compounded at the pharmacy - did the trick and took care of the yeast and pain. The stuff was called Dr. Jack Newmans Cream (you can google it). Went on to nurse her 19 months. Good luck - nothing worse than nursing pain that you have to look forward to every two hours!

Awww. I've been through that too. Ask about tongue tie. I had cracking and bleeding when my newborn had a bit of a tongue tie and wasn't able to latch comfortably. Hang in there. Help is on the way. When it is all said and done you will have 7 plus years of nursing under your belt.

As a few others have said, my first thought was also the frenulum--or being "tongue tied" as some people call it. My oldest was having a hard time latching on and they wound up clipping his frenulum before we left the hospital. It only took a few minutes to do, and after that he could latch on a lot better and it was much more comfortable for both of us. Good luck, hopefully you can find some relief soon and enjoy this special time a little more!

I had a really hard time with my fifth child. I would cringe when I heard him cry for the first 2 weeks. I found out later that I had a clogged milk duct and he wasn't getting enough to eat which was causing him more suction than he should have needed to eat. Try the football hold position... it seemed to ease some of the discomfort and the problem corrected itself without any more issues.

I had that pain with all of my babies!! The nipple guard WORKS so well for this. It saved me! You woll probably just need to use it for a few weeks then be able to get rid of it. Seriously, it is a tiny thing, but so helpful!

Nipple Shild...lthat's the right name! Get one!! :)

Geez, I cannot spell today.... Nipple Shield, Nipple Shield, Nipple Shield!

Ouch, that sounds really painful! I'll be praying you get the answers and relief you need! Little Janey is adorable. :)

so sorry you are dealing with this. I hope you get some answers. If it is thrush, make sure the doc gives you a long enough course of diflucan. Not one pill, I think i had to take 10 days? I did finally clear up Natalie with grapefruitseed extract. the nystatin did not work for either of us. It went on for months. Good luck!

Hang in there Sarah
I've had 5 chil dren all of them were excruciatingly painful to nurse BUT it did go away and heal after 6 weeks everytime. I always met with the lactation specialists and there was never a problem it was just me. So if you can hang on a couple of more weeks it will heal and go away. Also, give yourself an out if you need it. You need your mental health just as much.

Hang in there Sarah. If there's a problem I'm sure the lactation consultant will find it. They're wonderful!!!!Let us know what happens. Thinking of you.

Also Sarah, it could be thrush. If not, the medella lanolin ointment REALLY helped me.

I can relate! That's exactly how I felt with #3! Hope the LC can help and that you heal quickly!

i know you do not need more advice-- 54 comments before mine.
BUT-- i have SEVEN children, and my LAST was a big struggle. i also went back to the hospital because i was bloody, and raw. ouch. she didn't latch right (i had to pull her lips open more) and she was colicky. as a last resort my doctor suggest i go completely off ALL DAIRY. she warned me it takes SIX WEEKS to get it out of your system. MY BABY WAS A NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE!! she is one now and still has issue with any kind of milk.

good luck!! i feel you!!

PS-- the ONLY THING i found to heal my chest was from MOTHERLOVE-- there were two i bought, breast cream and the yeast one. i liked the yeast cream best-- you can use it both for your breast and for your baby's bum. for some reason my babies are thrushy and yeasty. I LOVED THIS CREAM!!! saved my life.
pps. natural childbirth was WAY easier than nursing this baby... ugh. IT DID GET BETTER!

Perhaps (well, probably) you know it, but if not: Lanolin cream helps a lot with cracked and bleeding skin and it's no harm at all to your baby (no need to wash it off before feeding). The first weeks I used it every time after nursing to prevent my skin from cracking and despite a bit of a difficult frenulum, it worked out well for us.
Hope you heal quickly and your LC can help you to be able to enjoy those precious moments!

She is adorable!!! Hope you feel better soon.

Newman's requires a prescription and has to be done at a compounding pharmacy, but does seem to be good. I've dealt with thrush, mastistis, thrush, mastitis with exactly the pain you describe. It's horrible to deal with around the clock. I have a lot of faith about a lot of things in this life, but one teensy question I have for God in the next life is why breastfeeding a newborn has to be sooo incredibly painful. Many of us have been there...good luck!

I hate to give advice to a mom of 6 but have to as I struggled so much with nursing my 3rd child. What gave me tremendous relief was taking acidopholus in capsule form daily. I had pain with nursing and tremendous pain about 20 minutes after nursing. Once I began those pills, everything got better. They even said to give a little to the baby but I never did that. Good Luck!

Just wanted to say ((hugs))! I nursed for 7 years straight and now pg with #4 I'm anticipating another few!

Poor you!! Been there, done that...just when you think you know it all, God throws in just a little bit of "uh huh, girl...try this." ;-) ;-)
Maybe she's just tongue-tied.
Much love,
Heather

Sarah- I am an RN for an obstetricians office and when patients have cracked, sore and bleeding breasts, we have the pharmacist mix up a recipe called all purpose nipple ointment. It is a topical antibiotic, something for yeast and a topical hydrocortisone. Hope you are feeling better soon!

I had this same problem with my last baby. The pain was excruciating. I had to do lamaze breathing and had to roll my feet in really fast circles to get through each time. It put me into a full sweat too.

Turns out we were dealing with a yeast/thrush issue. I got a special ointment from a compounding pharmacy.

I am hoping you find relief fast.

against the lactation consultant's advice, i used medela contact nipple shields and they saved my nursing relationship with both my babies!... just like a fake nipple. used them for 2 months with each of my babies, and then continued for 13 months without them. you probably don't need advice, but just sharing on the off chance it could help your nursing relationship with this one! best wishes.

So sorry you are struggling. I have 5 children that I breastfed, several different issues through the years. But, I did have to go to a lactation consultant with my fifth...just like you I was a little overconfident.(my milk wouldn't come in, which had never happened before) With my first I had open, bleeding wounds on my nipples, so I seriously understand the level of pain you are talking about! Anyway, temporarily using a good hospital quality pump is really the best way to let yourself heal & gradually switch back over to nursing. Good luck!!!

Slather on lansinoh (100% lanolin ointment) just BEFORE she latches on. This can "lubricate" the latch and make it less painful for you. Then glop more of the stuff on when she's done to protect from cracking and bleeding. Only wear thin breathable fabrics, no bra. Nurse topless to better guide her latch, and in private so you can relax. HTH!

Ooo, I was cringing reading that last part. I can totally remember that feeling. Hoping you and your sweet babe find your nursing groove fast!

I'm so sorry you are struggling. Have you by chance tried a nursing shield? My lactation consultant suggested one to me and it helped my little one latch but also did a great job shielding the pain. Just thought I would mention it.

I sympathize with you. I used a nipple shield to get me through until it healed but had several visits with a lactation consultant as well. I'll be praying for you!

Ah, Sarah. I struggled with all three of my bf-ing experiences, around six weeks for each baby. But with help, I lasted for 2 1/2 years with the two older. (My youngest is now 14 mo. with no signs of giving it up any time soon!)
It's awesome that you made an appt with the LC. This third baby, I got in with a former student of the famous Dr. Jack Newman and she saved breastfeeding for me. I'm going to mention a couple things that helped, especially for the sake of any other readers who are facing something similar.
The stabbing nipple pain cleared up almost immediately when I mixed the contents of an acidopholus capsule with Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter and spread it on thick. Oh relief!
Then after weeks and weeks of our painful effort, the chiropractor discovered that my littlest's palate didn't curve up like it should. She gently moved it into place and BINGO! My older daughter needed her jaw adjusted to be able to suck properly. If you're willing, try a chiropractor.

Sarah, please, please, please tell me that someone either swabbed and tested you for candidiasis/thrush/yeast or whatever they call it OR went ahead and prescribed you nystatin and an oral antifungal. Your description of what it is like trying to breastfeed sounds like classic thrush. I've had it, and it's awful. My sister with six breastfed all of hers successfully but had this same problem to some degree with all of them. Her last two were particularly bad--until she got on the meds, she would literally cry and bite her fist while the baby ate. I remember some of her tips: bleach or wash in super hot water EVERYTHING that is coming in contact with your skin: towels, bras, etc. Change your towel every day. Use paper towels for your hands. Try not to use nursing pads--even disposable--unless absolutely necessary.

I hope you are able to get some relief!

I had mastitis and cracked nipples with all 6 of my babies and am now 32 weeks pregnant with number 7 and am already thinking about how I can try and stop it.I did find that nipple shields helped and I know it sounds strange but sitting with your nipples in the sun for a few minutes after feeding helped them dry up,not always practical I know.Little Janey is just beautiful and in a few weeks the feeding pain will be gone x

Get some Lansinoh as soon as possible and rub it all over your nipples - it does not harm the baby at all. This worked miracles for me. Seriously. Run. You have nothing to lose. Even if the LCD gives you other ideas, please try this too!

:) I will pray that it gets better for you! I'm only a mom of one, but I also had a TERRIBLE first 3 weeks before I saw a lactation consultant. She gave me the most wonderful thing (at the time) -a nipple cover. I certainly hope I don't need it with future kids but it really helped me to heal and not be in pain when I nursed! Eventually we weaned off of it with no problems and nursed happily for over a year. I think you may be able to buy them at the store!

I had a terrible time nursing my 5th I finally realized she was latching on wrong, I fixed that and then with the help of Jack Newman's nipple cream (it is a prescription) it got better quickly. Hope you find relief soon.

Oh I feel your pain!!! Soooo been there... good luck, I am sure you will get it all figured out. She is such a doll. And what a sweet little serious face!!

That happened to me with my third baby and it ended up being thrush that had turned into an intra-ductal yeast infection. Sp painful! I wish I had taken care of it sooner!

I had this same problem with my 2nd after having the perfect nursing experience with my 1st. My Mom took us to get a CST (Cranial Sacrum Therapy) and she did a little maneuver inside her mouth and fixed it almost instantly! I believe it was something to do with her palette being off. She wishes they would teach all nurses on the maternity floor to do this - resolves most latching on issues with just a slip of the finger.
Hope you were able to get some relief! I feel for you!!

As a mother of 6 children, I have realized that when I think I have it all figured out I realized that I really don't!

I'm laughing so hard at your description of a Civil War Vet biting down on something for his anesthesia. I know that feeling and the dread of the next time the baby will nurse and send those shock waves of pain throughout my body. Your description was spot on (hence the laughing, because pain is no laughing matter otherwise), but I am sooooo sorry you are having to feel it. I hope the lactation consultant has some useful answers for you!!

Just a thought, a yeast infection of the breast can cause pain like you are experiencing. It would be worth contacting your doctor about.

That's no fun. I came to comment to say use a nipple shield, but it looks like many have beat me to it. The lactation consultant cautioned against prolonged use, but she's also actually the one who introduced it to me. I guess they don't want to introduce any nipple confusion, but I had no issues with it. I was introduced to it with my first child, so with the subsequent two, I never had bad cracking & pain problems because if it ever started, I just got out the shield, used it for as long as I needed, and then moved along.

One thing it did help with with my first child was to get her to learn to open her mouth a little wider and get a proper latch. She kind of had to with the shield because of its size, whereas without one, she tended to open her mouth as little as possible, which didn't create a good latch. Good luck!

Just throwing this out there in the off chance it can help you. Did you have a breast infection of any kind when you nursed Patrick? You can develop scar tissue inside your breast from an infection that makes nursing the next baby extraordinarily painful until the new baby's sucking breaks down the connection of the scar tissue inside your breast. It can take time--for me, it took about three weeks of the kind of toe-curling pain that you describe--until the scar tissue is sufficiently broken down enough. Then nursing gets much better and then finally, blissfully, painless.

I wanted to tell you about this JUST IN CASE, because I couldn't find any reason that I was having such pain until I found an obscure reference on the Kellymom site to the scar tissue thing and then it all made sense.

Been there, done that with all four of my children. Toe curling pain and I would just rock back and forth and pray for it to be over soon. With each child the lactation consultant couldn't find anything wrong. I don't know why but almost magically at six weeks, the pain would subside and we nursed happily until each baby weaned themselves. Twelve months for the first and second, eighteen months for the third and three-and-a-half YEARS for the fourth. Crazy but wonderful. You know. Seven years, I never thought about it that way. Prayers that you'll find a way to be rid of the pain sooner. Janey is darling. Enjoy ♥

Oh Sarah, I would've already thrown in the towel...dont listen to me though....Its so hard what you are trying to juggle right now and then to have to deal with this? Yuck.

I am sure you will get some great answers and then wish you would have called a week ago!!

Hang in there...thinking of you and saying a prayer!
Sending hugs from Chicago,
Amy W.

READ ME! Sarah, I know there are so many comments to sort through but I had this very same problem with my 2nd child and it gets better! I discovered that the problem was that he was born with a very high palate. In the first month of his life I cried from pain everytime he nursed. The trouble being that when he latched on the distance that my nipple had to travel to hit the roof of his mouth was much longer than normal. I had to suffer through this for an entire month but then finally my nipples had stretched and the pain subsided. Maybe you can check into this when you speak to the consultant today! I feel you pain!

I'm right there with you! My baby is three weeks old and nursing has been torture from the get go. She was tongue tied (got it fixed) and is still lip tied so latching on is still problematic. Now she keeps spitting up after every time I nurse and then wants to go back on the breast again.
I too have been reluctant to call a lac. consult. I think I'm finally at the end of my rope though! I need prof help to get this baby fed comfortably! The upside is she is gaining weight like a champ and has plenty of wet/messed diapers.

I hope you find an answer! Like you, I had pain the first few weeks. However, with one of the kids, Annie I think, she got thrush and then I got thrush nipples. Only problem when you have separate drs., no one really knows/cares if it's not bothering the baby. When I asked my ob/gyn I'll never forget her saying "I've seen thrush nipples and that's not them." OK. Weeks later, I went to my internal med dr. and he scraped my breast - yes - and cultured it - yes - yeast infection.

I had the same problem with #1 ... cracking, bleeding ... lots of tears (from me, not my daughter). I had a pushy lactation consultant who gave me nothing but guilt. I almost gave up. A nurse actually suggested that I pump for a few seconds before trying to latch her on. It was just enough to pull my nipples into a shape that made latching on a cinch. I did it just long enough for my daughter to learn a proper latch ... and for me to know what a proper latch looked like (for her). After about a week we both had the hang of it and I nursed her joyously for the next 18 months. Just a thought. Best of luck ... she is absolutely perfect.

Im so sorry to hear that you have been having a feeding issues. But take heart, that as a LC myself, even I have had to seek assistance.

One thing that is often overlooked is frenulum issues or "tongue tied" issues. Please be sure that this is evaluated.

Hoping that you can correct whatever issues are present, quickly, and can settle into a good nursing pattern soon.

All the best, R!

Sarah many congratulations on the birth of your gorgeous baby daughter. Wishing her a lifetime of health and happiness. Ingrid

Have you asked about thrush?
I had this horrible pain when nursing my son at 3 months. He had thrush and had given it to me. It felt like lightning shooting up me every time he would suck. I would sit on the couch and kick the coffee table it hurt so bad and just cry while he nursed away. You may want to look into it...my son had no symptoms and I didn't either just the painful nursing.

Thank you for posting about not taking all of those newborn pictures of your daughter. Sometimes I feel like I always need to be behind the camera when what I REALLY want to be is their mom. Love that you shared that you feel the same way too. ~tara

Nursing my first daughter was awkward at first, and I was uptight about it, but it wasn't painful at all. Second daughter, a whole different story. I was laid back and super-confident, and everything went wrong. We had a bad latch, bad positioning, and bad (lack of) communication when she chomped down on me. I was a little insulted at the idea of a lactation consultant, because I had spent 18 out of the previous 24 months successfully nursing. But a fifteen minute appointment pretty much fixed all of our issues. I like to think of it as just one more example of how different each kid can be.

Nursing my first daughter was awkward at first, and I was uptight about it, but it wasn't painful at all. Second daughter, a whole different story. I was laid back and super-confident, and everything went wrong. We had a bad latch, bad positioning, and bad (lack of) communication when she chomped down on me. I was a little insulted at the idea of a lactation consultant, because I had spent 18 out of the previous 24 months successfully nursing. But a fifteen minute appointment pretty much fixed all of our issues. I like to think of it as just one more example of how different each kid can be.

My current nursling has been rough too. After she wasn't gaining at her 2 week appointment we say an LC and discovered she was tongue-tied. She's now 6 months old, and is doing a lot better, but we still have rough patches. She's just not the joy to nurse that my first was.