The pain made me stop with #1 at two months but for #2 it was much better-- and I think that it was because I allowed my husband to give a bottle of formula in the evening while I slept or was really tired-- that little break and the knowledge that if I was just really hurting that it was an option helped me over the hump. I am still bfing at 13 months and after about 2.5 to 3 months-- it got really easier and it also really helped to learn to nurse while laying down- it became a really wonderful excuse to rest in a dark room Keep up hope-- it was really painful and then DID get better.

Look here's the truth, you resent it at first and maybe even for a while or the entire time. You will feed better about it once you stop thinking of it as a chore and think of it as an opportunity for some me time alone with your baby. It is so short lived (I can say this having a teenager) that you will eventually look back on these moments and wish you had those quiet nights/days back. Get a kindle find a good book or even some trash magazines on an ipad and use the opportunity to catch up on some reading. With my infant now, I enjoy these moments. The pain I try not to focus on and got myself a good pair of breast SHELLS (not shields) to wear in between nursing. They helped a ton. Good luck!!

I pretty much hated every feeding for the first three months. Sometimes it was the pain, but mostly it was because baby was feeding every hour during the day, sometimes more. LIke he was in hyperdrive.

Im not sure what changed, but things got better. Now at five months we are beginning to introduce solids and Ive gone back to work part time, so the occasional formula bottle is beginning to make sense, and I am feeling really attached to EBF. Who knew I would ever have a hard time giving it up after hating it so much.

This isn't what the OP wants to hear, but in case other new or expectant moms are reading, I'll say that I enjoyed it from the first moment.

It probably helps that I have very non-sensitive breasts. TMI but they are not an erogenous (sp?) zone for me. We did have to work with LCs to get latch right, again it helped that my doula was also an IBCLC.

In fact, it was much more uncomfortable towards the very end when DC was 2yrs old and wanted to play and nurse at the same time and my supply was almost nothing, which led to my deciding to wean.

Never. At two months I said "eff this" and switched to formula. Best decision I ever made, could finally enjoy being a mother.

Anonymous wrote:Took me a good 16 weeks.

Thank you for letting me know I'm not alone. I'm 15 weeks and the soreness is still there. I've seen many LCs, and know that DC's latch is an issue, but there's not much we can do about it. I pump half the time to give my nipples some relief. Pain issues aside, I am enjoying nursing, and DC LOVES it.

Tolerated without pain...2 months. Became routine...3 or 4 months. Enjoyed it...over 6 months old and then continued to 16 months!

OP back. Just wanted to let you all know that I'm still EBFing and things got much better at 4-5 weeks painwise. I still wouldn't say I enjoy it, but it is no longer excruciating!

Thank you all for the support.

I was very lucky and never had any issues. So I enjoyed it from the beginning.

OP, get a prescription for triple nipple cream if your nipples are beat up. It's a compound of Mupirocin (for staph), Miconazole powder (to prevent thrush) and some anti-inflammatory. My ped prescribed it but your OB may be able to as well. It was a life-saver, as it seems impossible for cracked, etc. nipple to heal when you're nursing every 2 hours. One of my lactation consultants also told me to alternate a bit with pumping/bottle feeding and nursing to give my nipples a break - though that is only a possibility if you are comfortable introducing a bottle (which we did a 1 week with no problem... and I'm still BF at 11 mos!)

For me the first few days were TERRIBLE, the first few weeks were painful, until about 2 months I had what my LC called the "60 second sizzle" where it was uncomfortable for the first minute but then fine. Its been almost a year now and since the 2 or 3 month mark I really havent felt any kind of pain or discomfort.

OP here. Thank you all for your responses. It seems like for a lot of you it got easier at the one month mark so I'll be hoping for that. At this point, I'd like to just not dread my son waking up.

Around the 8 month mark!

Just give it a little more time. At 4 weeks, when both my kids would latch on (twins) it became so much better because I didn't have to pump for my son. Around 3 months I figured out how to feel them both at the same time. It was hard at first, but I loved breastfeeding. One of the most meaningful things I have ever done.

I do not remember exactly when it switched from being a giant, stressful, painful, hassle to being a relaxing, enjoyable quiet time with my daughter but it definitely did. It may have been a couple of months where I was exhausted and it was sometimes painful and I was worried she wasn't eating enough/getting enough. But then after awhile, she started gaining weight decently and I did not have to use the nipple cream anymore. Suddenly, it started to be one of my favorite times of the day. Just me and my little girl cuddled up together with her nursing and putting her foot up on my arm or the other side of my chest all at the same time. I ended up loving it and I am so glad I got to have that experience with her. Good luck to you.