Almost 29w, still nursing, is it just going to get worse?

[terra]

I have loved nursing my daughter. We are down to 2-3 times a day- once for nap, once for bed, and once in the night. The problem is now I usually spend the entire time thinking of ripping my nipples off and just letting her have them.

She is 22 months old. I am 28.5w pregnant. I am dying here. She occassionally takes an hour to get to sleep. After 30 minutes, I have to unlatch her. She cries and asks to nurse more. I ask her to be patient. About half the time, after 30 seconds, she will "wake" back up, and I will have lost all our progress, so I feel shitty about that, too. :crybaby

She doesn't need to nurse to sleep. She has gone to sleep after nursing for a bit and then just hanging out in the dark with me several times. More, she has fallen asleep in the car and transitions well to the bed. Naptimes are just impossible though. Lots of tears and hurt feelings, and me clawing at my own skin praying she falls asleep quickly.

Does it actually get worse? Stay the same? Will it be better when there is actually milk in there again?

HALP!

[Yes, Again]

Ds1 was 23 months when ds2 was born. My experience was that nursing him got much better when I had milk again. I couldn't deal with nursing both ds at the same time though. And once ds2 was born, ds1 suddenly had a huge head and mouth.

[terra]

Originally posted by Yes, Again
And once ds2 was born, ds1 suddenly had a huge head and mouth. :lmao Thanks.

[funkytown]

ds1 suddenly had a huge head

LOL I just had a baby and that's what I think everytime I look at my toddler now. "Dang girl, your head is HUGE!" :lmao

Sorry, terra, I have no exp nursing during pregnancy. I can say, though, that until well into my third trimester, my nipples were so tender that the thought of nursing made me cringe.

[June Cleaver]

:lmao The first time I saw my "baby" (2 yo) after DS was born, I couldn't believe how BIG she was. It was like she had been blown up to twice her size. :lol She seemed so petite up until that point.

No advice on the nip situation. DD weaned when I was 4/5 months pregnant.

[Maximus]

It was somewhat easier when I got colostrum, but it still kind of made me edgy. It didn't hurt as much, but it was annoying, kwim? Which I felt bad about because I loved nursing him and knew he wasn't ready to wean. My ds is three.

It doesn't hurt now that we are tandeming, but it is hard to deal with him nursing sometimes because I feel all touched out.

[Marymoomoo]

That sounds very uncomfortable,Terra. Hang in there.
Here are a few links I thought you might find helpful.

www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/bfpregnant.html <<<some great links w/in
www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/tandem.html
www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBMarApr01p49a.html
www.kellymom.com/bf/tandem/index.htm

[winterwoman]

I know lots of people who have nursed through pg/tandem nursed (including myself - I have tandemed for three years now, through two pgs, in a variety of combinations of children), and I am here to tell you - IT WILL GET BETTER! It may not be perfect again, but it will get better.

One of the things I have always found when I have cut back on nursing 'cause it was so distressing to me, is that the nursling gets freaked out and just wants to nurse more. One of those vicious circle things, you know?. If you can figure out how to relax, instead of wanting to rip your nipples off, maybe she can too? Some of the things I do to help are always provide myself with some other stimulation while in nursing hell - a good book (not anything hard - something trashy), some easy TV, a favourite movie, chocolate, a foot massage - anything that gets your mind off what you are actually doing. Practicing pain relief techniques that you might use in labour - visualisation, etc. might work.

Other things to try might be to try to be out in your car (if you have one during the day) for her to fall asleep (or maybe the stroller?) during nap time, then park yourself somewhere and read while she naps - don't know if you have other children to amuse, that might make it harder.... or to get her really relaxed before she nurses for a nap, instead of right from an activity to a nap -- that might shorten the nursing time somewhat.

I found that it ebbed and flowed during pg (that feeling that you will just die if she doesn't get off your nipple NOW), so it may be better in a few days or so... hope so! I have so been there... you can PM me if you want to talk more!

[winterwoman]

oh yeah - and don't you be ripping off those nipples, cause you are going to need them in a big way if you end up tandeming. :lol

[Liza Doolittle]

It wasn't painful for me throughout the pregnancy, but it was always annoying. Sometimes it hurt like a bitch for a couple weeks at a time but it would stop as unexpectedly as it started. But after my milk dried up, it always just felt yucky. It was like someone was tweaking my nipple over and over again.

When my milk came in after the baby was born it did get better, but I still find most of the time that it almost feels like dd isn't quite doing it right. When I nurse ds, I sometimes don't even know he's unlatched without looking. Dd bites down harder and sucks harder, so it can sometimes be uncomfortable or downright painful. I am so ready for her to wean, but she isn't, so we're taking it slow. She's now down to nursing at nap time (she doesn't always nap, though :( ) and nursing before bed, and sometimes one other time as well. Dd is 2.5, BTW.