Painful Breastfeeding.

[Anonymous]

I have an 8-week-old and EBF except for 1 formula bottle a day. Breastfeeding is becoming more and more painful. Mentally and physically I’m done with it. I have big breasts, large areolas, and small nipples. I have always had super sensitive nipples that feel sore with stimulation. We have had multiple LC consultations. He nurses fine but it’s still very painful. Pumping isn’t as painful but I know many people hate pumping. Would you try to pump or just switch to formula? He needed formula in the first two weeks and we have kept a bottle of formula to get him used to formula and bottles if we ever need to switch to formula.

[Anonymous]

Other than having small breasts, I was in your shoes. I did keep pumping. I had my reasons and am glad I did it. But you may not have those reasons. Don't let anyone, including you, give you a hard time about it.

[Anonymous]

Honey, I give you permission to quit. You will see that none of this really matters in the end. By preschool they all eat their boogers and some read before others, despite what nourishment they received as infants. If it’s a pain in the teats, quit!

[Anonymous]

I would try pumping first and decide for yourself if you want to keep at it or stop all together. I found pumping harder than EBF and was constantly battling supply issues which made it all the more frustrating. It’s ok to try and ok to not. No matter how you feed your baby, a happy mom is the most important hurdle you need to figure out. Fed is fed.

[Anonymous]

Breastfeeding was very painful for me too. Pumping much less so. So I pumped for a couple weeks but eventually just did all formula.

[Anonymous]

I had the same experience and switched to exclusively pumping. I immediately felt better — physically and mentally. Do what works for you.

[Anonymous]

I would switch to formula, personally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Breastfeeding was very painful for me too. Pumping much less so. So I pumped for a couple weeks but eventually just did all formula.

This was me too. I had flat nipples and even with all the LC help it was still very painful weeks in. I pumped until 12 weeks with my first and then only to week 6 with my second and third. I wanted to give them some breast milk, but not at the expense of my mental health. Good luck in your decision! As a mom of three I can tell you I never think about this now unless I see a thread like this, but in the moment it seems like the biggest deal.

[Anonymous]

I was in a similar situation. I pumped until my supply gave out, and supplemented with formula. Not for the sake of my kid, but for the protection against breast cancer that nursing affords mothers. You may decide that it’s not worth the effort, and that’s fine, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an 8-week-old and EBF except for 1 formula bottle a day. Breastfeeding is becoming more and more painful. Mentally and physically I’m done with it. I have big breasts, large areolas, and small nipples. I have always had super sensitive nipples that feel sore with stimulation. We have had multiple LC consultations. He nurses fine but it’s still very painful. Pumping isn’t as painful but I know many people hate pumping. Would you try to pump or just switch to formula? He needed formula in the first two weeks and we have kept a bottle of formula to get him used to formula and bottles if we ever need to switch to formula.

If you are done, you’re done. Just stop gradually so you don’t get mastitis.

[Anonymous]

You have breastfed for two months and that is amazing! Congrats on making it that far!

With my DD, my nipples were really sore for the first 3 months, but then got better. I was glad I stuck with it because nursing was easier than bottle feeding, and I nursed her for 18 months.

My DS had latch issues, and after 2 months I switched to pumping. At 4 months, I stopped pumping because it was too time consuming. He's 5 months old now and drinks formula and I can't tell any difference.

I think we all have enough stressors right now with COVID, etc., so if nursing is another stressor, then by all means quit. I was so torn up over not nursing my DS and now only a few weeks later I don't think about it or miss it. This too shall pass. Good luck to you!

[Anonymous]

Breastfeeding was very painful for me with each of my kids for the first 2-3 months. After that, it started getting better. They stop eating so often, so you have more recovery time and it just gets better.

That said, you don’t have to breastfeed if you are done. Fed is best.

Maybe ask your pediatrician if they think with covid going on, if they think it’s important to keep breastfeeding for those antibodies?

[Anonymous]

It got easier for me after 3 months. Maybe give it another month and see? No judgement it's just so much easier to nurse once they get older.

[Anonymous]

Formula is just fine, OP, if you decide that. Just fine. No judgment for either decision you make.

[Anonymous]

I would keep trying to breastfeed. Two months is early on. It could be a latching issue, painful let down, engorgement. It can be painful especially in the beginning but eventually your breasts will toughen up and you will become more experienced at it.