https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 03 May 2026 20:35:45 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1786856 Tue, 29 Jul 2014 10:31:54 +0000 cathyice 1786856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used Silverette silver cups as well. I used them as soon as I delivered my son (too scared of infections and cuts!!) and my breastfeeding experience was positive, I never experienced any soreness or cuts. I recommend them.</p> <p>Good luck, it is going to get better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1741606 Sun, 06 Jul 2014 09:22:08 +0000 Camillagiulia 1741606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: hi! I had 2 mastitis with my first for both i had to take oral antibiotics for a week and then i gave up and pumped only for 6 months. With my second i used silverette as a preventive measure since my first feeding and i didn't experience any wounds. Silver is a natural antimicrobial so it should work in preventing bacterias to get in the wounds and cause the infection. With my first i tried every single over the counter cream and i got mastitis anyway. Plus i washed like a crazy person my nipples before feeding my child being worries that the cream would get into my baby'mouth. Also i was a first time mother :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1741430 Sat, 05 Jul 2014 21:16:59 +0000 Mae 1741430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: @Camillagiulia: I can see why th cups would work but I'm curious how serious they are about not using creams with them. I am currently using an rx antibiotic cream prescribed to help prevent me getting mastitis while I'm walking around with open wounds, so is like to keep using that ! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1741247 Sat, 05 Jul 2014 15:28:24 +0000 Camillagiulia 1741247@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have to agree about the silver nipple cups!! They changed my breastfeeding experience with #2 after a disaster with #1.no soreness no cracks and especially no mastitis! And for sure a lot of patience! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1740847 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 23:46:32 +0000 leelee 1740847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice but super glad things have gotten better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1740722 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 20:13:36 +0000 pastemoo 1740722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>9 weeks was my breaking point. latch stillmade me wince but it got easier (slowly) after 9 weeks.</p> <p>Good luck. You can do this! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1740572 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 15:29:24 +0000 tysonja 1740572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't get to read all the responses, but just wanted to chime in with 'you're not alone!!' those first few months are really difficult in many ways. </p> <p>for me, things got better around 3 months in for bf'ing -- at least in terms of ease and (finally) little to no pain. I was feeding around 8 times a day, 1 hr each feed, with a bottle of formula afterwards. (sucky sucky supply! ahhhurrrghhh!)</p> <p>BUT, the good news is, for LO#2, everything was much easier, from recovery, to the ease of breastfeeding, and much less pain. the supply only increased a tiny bit, though. I think I was pain free by 7 weeks for LO#2! </p> <p>you are a great mama! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1740536 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 14:22:10 +0000 Anagram 1740536@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: great update!</p> <p>I know this is going to sound crazy but I have 2 friends who SWORE by these silver nipple cups (I know, sounds crazy) that supposedly really speed up the healing process for the nips. Our LC recommended them. They are pricey, but if you are desparate? </p> <p><a href="http://silveretteusa.com" rel="nofollow">http://silveretteusa.com</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1740437 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 11:55:35 +0000 hilsy85 1740437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: so glad to hear this! hope it continues to improve! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1740379 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 11:20:37 +0000 fairy 1740379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>2-3 months. I had some supply and pain issues but at about 3 months everything worked itself out. Still going strong at almost 13 months </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1737650 Thu, 03 Jul 2014 08:24:18 +0000 jetsa 1737650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: yay! I'm soo happy to see this update! I agree with Revel! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1737610 Thu, 03 Jul 2014 08:12:14 +0000 Revel 1737610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: So glad to see your update. Regarding the pain, I had a lot of damage from a bad latch in the early days and it really was until about 10 weeks that I was pretty much healed. The fact that things were getting incrementally better from about 6 weeks on kept me going, but I felt like it took much longer than it was "supposed to" to be pain free. So it sounds like things are moving in the right direction. </p> <p>It's obviously an individual decision for every mom and baby, but for what it's worth I love nursing now and am so glad we powered through the early days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1737555 Thu, 03 Jul 2014 07:54:06 +0000 sweetooth 1737555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The choice is totally yours, and I do hope that you have the support you need. It's smart to look for another LC if you feel that your current one is just giving up on you. But I wanted to let you know that I battled thrush for weeks and BF was so painful - my nipples were in such bad shape that pumping wasn't even an option. My son did not get enough milk from me and it was the cause of so much crying and sleepless nights. And I may have damaged my nipples for life because I felt like I <i>had</i> to keep going. It was what I was <i>supposed</i> to do as a mother.</p> <p>Formula feeding since three months was the best decision I made for both of us. He was happier, I felt more sane, and the healing began. Oh man, it is so hard in those early days. Hugs! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1737384 Thu, 03 Jul 2014 03:55:28 +0000 Pumuckl 1737384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: Wow, what an amazing update! :heart: Glad things are starting to look better! Keeping my fingers crossed that your nipples will catch up to the additional nursing. It always took mine a while to adjust when something changed. FX it'll keep improving! :goodluck: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1737381 Thu, 03 Jul 2014 03:43:33 +0000 Mae 1737381@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: thanks for checking in! So for no apparent reason, things just got better! Tuesday morning I said f it and tried bf her again with no shield and she latched on like she had never had a problem! So I decided to just bf her as much as possible to hopefully keep the progress going. Since then I've bf her every meal except one when I had to pump and leave a bottle bc I had to shoot an engagement session. She has fussed a few times but it's been more latching on and off wanting my milk to come faster, not refusal. And I've gotten her latched every time. </p> <p>Unfortunately now that I'm bf again so much my boobs are getting more sore again. I feel like my wounds will never heal. :( but it's bearable and I feel like we really need to bf this much so she gets practice and gets over wanting a bottle ( or even thinking that's an option first) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1737330 Wed, 02 Jul 2014 23:54:03 +0000 Kemma 1737330@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: how are you and LO getting on? Any change or improvement? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle/page/2#post-1733220 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:43:23 +0000 Mae 1733220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: I haven't. I honestly feel sort of horrible when she does this because she gets SO upset. Like that eyes closed, mouth open as wide as it will go, face red, WAIILING. She acts as though putting boob in mouth = being boiled alive. It's tragic. :( Usually once she starts that we just take her away and calm her because I can't stand to let her wail like that for more than a minute or two :( </p> <p>And I haven't looked at LLL message boards-- did not realize that existed. I will! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1733216 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:40:05 +0000 Kemma 1733216@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: have you tried switch nursing when LO won't latch? You basically just keep changing sides until she latches on, you could also try giving her your finger to suck on just to remind her that sucking is good?</p> <p>Have you checked out the LLL message boards? They have some amazing ladies over there who really know their stuff when it comes to the more complicated nursing issues. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1733193 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:22:18 +0000 Lindsay05 1733193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sorry about the breastfeeding issues but glad you found a solution. For me, the struggle ended when I finally gave it up a supplemented. Good luck, I hope you can get a better experience now :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1733169 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:04:09 +0000 Mae 1733169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@RubyCali: @BabyBoecksMom: gah so it worked the first time I tried it and then it didn't work the second. She latched onto the first side and seemed to be nursing somewhat but wasn't swallowing a ton and then popped off after about 10 min. Then wouldn't stay latched to side 2 and had a complete and udder meltdown :( I'm at a loss of how to proceed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1733143 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 19:49:14 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 1733143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: glad to hear the nipple shield worked. I had to use one for 3 months w/ my first baby because of all the pain and latch issues. We eventually weaned off and it was fine from then on. Ans your LC's can kiss my butt for telling you that you can't change your supply! Pumping/nursing more often and/or taking supplements will increase your supply. Hugs and fingers crossed that this will get much, much easier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1733124 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 19:40:50 +0000 ShootingStar 1733124@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just wanted to tell you that I did not have an exceedingly difficult breastfeeding journey, other than a 6 week bout of thrush, and it STILL took until about 10+ weeks to get into a groove. There were times when he would just scream and scream at me and I'd hand him over to DH to give a bottle to because I just couldn't take it. </p> <p>At 6 weeks we finally got the thrush under control and at some point between 6-10 weeks the cluster feeding stopped, as well as a lot of the screaming at me. Then around the time I went back to work at 10 weeks I was able to start EBFing, including the 2 pumps at work. </p> <p>On the whole, I loved BFing for several months. But with all that said, don't kill yourself to do it. We had to switch to EFF and DS is happy and healthy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1732796 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 15:34:27 +0000 RubyCali 1732796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: The nipple shield was a lifesaver for me! I used it for a couple weeks and then weaned DD off of it. I hope that you get some relief and that you find an encouraging new LC! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1732694 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 14:56:18 +0000 Mae 1732694@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: I have slow flow nipples but not those, maybe I'll look into that. </p> <p>@Kemma: glad to hear that a few weeks after tt clipping things got better. We are 10 days out from hers, so hopefully we'll turn a corner soon. </p> <p>@Anagram: How long did you EP for? It seems like that is a possible outcome here... and I really don't want to :/ </p> <p>@lauraeva: sorry you went through that, but glad to hear it is possible for it to get better! I do have a le leche league here but they only meet at night. Which like... what? I have no idea how I could attend a meeting and also keep LO's nighttime routine reasonably normal to get her to bed :( </p> <p>@Pumuckl: Oh I'm all over the motrin! I started off taking 4 every 6 hours for my c section, then when I tried to start realized how much worse my nipples felt. So now I'm back on. I sort of worry about taking that much for this long... but honestly it is the only way I'm capable of continuing on. It is literally unbearable without </p> <p>To everyone else that posted-- thank you so much. Seriously. I was starting to feel like I was just fooling myself for trying to continue on if we hadn't gotten it by now. To know that so many people struggled for longer and still were ultimately successful gives me so much hope. </p> <p>UPDATE on our situation: I talked to our LC this morning about yesterday's nursing strike (she refused to nurse all day) and I am/was really disheartened by her. She suggested I use a nipple shield and express milk into it before latching LO on so that she would feel the plastic and get that first squirt of milk and think it was a bottle. She said if that didn't work they felt I was at the end of my journey and that I should just EP or if I really wanted to use a SNS (which I don't want to do because it seems complicated and not worth it). I was so sad that I feel like they are just giving up on us. I do not feel like we are hopeless! </p> <p>On the plus side, her suggestion about a nipple shield worked. I have nursed her 1 time with it, and she did successfully latch and nurse. So I hope that if I can use the shield for a day or two maybe I can then try without and she'll latch and get over her strike. But I'm also looking into new LCs because I am really unhappy that this office is so defeatist. Also, this was the second time they'd said to me that my supply is set at this point and I probably won't be able to increase it. From what I've read online and talked to my midwife about, it does not seem that is true. So again-- I sort of feel like they're giving up on me having an EBF relationship with my daughter and I'm not sure it is fair to give up on us at this point. :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1731522 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 09:11:16 +0000 heartonastring 1731522@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh, mama....hugs. You are doing such a good job, I promise.</p> <p>For me it was 9 weeks before I stopped crying and considering quitting every. single. day. If it had not been for the fact that my LC is like no other LC I've ever met I would have quit, without question.</p> <p>I have way more to say, but am at the cottage now and my connection isn't the best. I'll PM you later today or tomorrow once I'm back home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1731304 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 07:43:10 +0000 irene 1731304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So sorry you are going through this....</p> <p>It was very hard for me too in the beginning but it was a very different set of problems for me back then. I don't have enough supply, it hurted me tremendously when LO latches, so I got afraid and pumped half the time when husband supplemented with pumped milk or formula....etc.</p> <p>It turned around the corner for me at around 4-6 weeks? I could have remembered it wrong, but I remember it was when we were at the pediatrician 1 month well visit when the ped gave me an "order" that if I were to plan to BF exclusively, stop pumping and BF exclusively. No supplements. Hang on for 1 week. I also had an appt with an LC the next morning at home and learned some latching techniques. After that I got a hang of it, and my supply matched to LO's needs. I remember 6 weeks to 3+ months was the honeymoon period of my BF journey, and it went down from there when our nanny started and I started pumping. *cue nursing strike* Sigh.</p> <p>Best of luck and wishes to you! Thinking back, BF is really a mind and soul torturing journey. I was really die hard on no supplements and exclusive breastmilk back then, but now I am over it (LO is 2+ years old!), I just think it so wasn't worth it for my situation. I think I literally lost my mind back then. I was in the ER and stayed at the hospital for a day because I was too stressed out because of breastfeeding. And I didn't realize I was hurting my relationship with LO, when I would have enjoyed his infanthood so much more if I were just pulling out bottles of formula back then. I was proud that I made it to 10 months (although my goal was at least 1 year, and I did beat myself up for it back then), but the process was a dark and long tunnel for me. I would have quitted much earlier if I were to do it again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1731201 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 04:50:58 +0000 Pumuckl 1731201@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At the time it felt like forever and ever but at 8-10 weeks things started to go uphill. My LO mouth grew and the latch got better and finally my very, very sore nipples started to heal. What really helped me in the end was the recommendation from a LC to take ibuprofen so I wouldn't be as scared to really work on his latch. So even if it took 3 or 4 tries I could (physically) do it. Also from around this time the nursing sessions got a lot shorter which also helped with healing.</p> <p>Hang in there! FX it will get easier for you too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1731190 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 04:15:37 +0000 lamariniere 1731190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A loooong time, unfortunately. You and I have had very similar struggles. It finally became easier when DS was 3.5 months. I too couldn't see the light of the end of the tunnel for a long time, but we ended up successfully BF until he was 13 months. :goodluck: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1731159 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 00:30:44 +0000 lauraeva 1731159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I too had a "shocking" amount of damage, as per the LC I saw. I finally got referred to a breast-feeding physician, who diagnosed me with stage four ulcers on both my nipples. It was awful! I'm so sorry you're going through this. It makes it so hard to "enjoy" your newborn. I pumped exclusively for a week to kick-start the healing, and rest my "wounds". I then used a nipple shield for several weeks. I was prescribed an antiobiotic ointment called fucidin, which really helped! I would put it on my nipples and put cling wrap over top, so it didn't rub off on my clothing. It was 12 weeks before I healed completely. Now my DD is 10 months, and nursing her is one of the best parts of motherhood. It will get better! Is there a La Leche League in your area? They are a great breast feeding support. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-point-was-breastfeeding-no-longer-a-dailyhourly-struggle#post-1731150 Mon, 30 Jun 2014 00:06:21 +0000 Mrs. Bee 1731150@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i would say around 3 months. before then i pumped a lot. hang in there! i never would have dreamed we would have lasted 26 months. it is much easier than pumping, and it really takes a long time for some to get the hang of it! </p>