Did it get easier? Or were the issues that remained by a couple of months in indicative of the rest of the breastfeeding experience? I really want to breastfeed for the first year and my 2 month old LO loves it, but I don't know that I can take 10 more months if it continues like it has... I will see a lactation consultant again next week to try to troubleshoot, but am hoping to get a sense of how likely things are to improve... I'd always heard it gets much easier after 6 weeks, and am sort of discouraged that hasn't happened.

My biggest struggle has been clogged ducts, mostly in my left breast. I've done everything the internet says to avoid them but it's still a near daily occurrence. Yesterday, I got horrible pump output from my left breast all day, despite doing massage and compressions on it while pumping to try to empty it. Was mostly focusing on trying to clear a clog at the top, which I ultimately did. But by 4am last night, the entire bottom and inner side of the breast was incredibly swollen and engorged and so painful. (I'd fed at 1:30, and rarely go more than a few hours between feeding or pumping). Tried to feed my LO from it - though he never likes it when there is a clog - then pumped and simultaneously massaged for 15 minutes, but only got an ounce out and it was still so swollen (my output from the other breast was almost 3x that). By that time LO was awake and I tried to get him to take it again. Repeated whole process a couple of hours later. Exhausted.

I had mastitis a couple of weeks ago as a result of this and am still feeling horrible from the antibiotic. I'm allergic to the antibiotic they'd normally prescribe so had to take a harsh one, and am horrified of mastitis again.