Please help.

I had my son 4 days ago and he has not stopped nursing. At all. He came out rooting furiously on his hands. I know it's normal for nb's to nurse very often but this is my second attempt at bf'ing and my nipples are to say the least, raw. I know it's suppose to hurt at first but everyone says the first 2-3 weeks is the hardest but my question is...How in the hell did you guys make it at least 2-3 weeks?I literally sob during latch on. I've read every website and every book, memorized the illustrasions, talked to a lc and I think I'm doing it right but it just hurts so bad. I don't want to give up. I really don't but right now he's fussy bc he's still hungry after a marathon nursing (2.5 hrs) and the 2 oz I managed to pump this am. He just can get full.

Pease someone tell me the secret to get through these next couple of days. :cry:

Lanolin, ice packs, and a lot of "no stinky formula is going into this child's mouth".

Have you called a lactation consultant yet? You may have a latch problem going on.

I had a daughter who ripped off my nipple (I got help with positioning after that mess) so I started using shields (I think that is what they are called), and was perscribed Tylenol 3 for a few days. It took a lot of determination and a lot of support from my girlfriends.

Have you tried using soothies in between to soothe your sore nipples? I loved those things. Is he latching on right? does he just want something to suck on or is he actually hungry? I know most people dont' recommend giving a pacifier when learning to breastfeed but it's what saved me. Dd just wanted to suck, she never had any latch issues that i am aware of and she nurses like a pro. She is almost a year old now Good luck. Maybe walking around topless and letting your nips get some air will make them feel a bit better?

I only know what worked for me. Air, soothies, the lanolin cream and just keeping at it. i cried a lot at first too, but i was determined to do it.

He sounds like a hungry little dude!

Well, I can only tell you from my own experience that my milk didn't start coming in really good until after 4 days. It didn't matter if I bf'd, pumped, or did nothing - my boobs didn't fill up till that magical 5th day. All I could get before that was a little tiiiiiiny bit of colostrum. Very frustrating!

I was told to drink a lot of water and milk (since, if you're dehydrated you're not gonna make much ) but nothing really seemed to hurry the pace. My middle daughter was a Hoover vacuum too!!! If SHE couldn't get more milk flowing till that 5th day, NOTHING and NOBODY was going to get it going. :nadah

I'm hopeful that TODAY you will finally feel that wonderful sense of "let-down" and your boobs fill up with more than he can eat! At least all the sucking is encouraging your body to start producing plenty and pronto.

Yes, the first days are tough, especially when the baby is actually hungry, you are nursing 24/7, and no one is getting any satisfaction.

Hang in there, ok - it DOES get better!!! And I think with such a great suck, he will be a BF champ!

In addition to all the great advice you have already gotten, the truth is, your nipples will toughen up and it would be as painful as your body starts to get used to it. Before long, you'll barely wink when he latches on. Until then, it's hard though. You can do it! And you and your DS will be better off for it.

My milk didn't come in until 4 or 5 days, so you may still have day before production really gets booming. Also, my nipples were SOOOO sore this time. I thought he had a bad latch, but apparently it was just a hormonal issue...sorta like how sore and burning they get during early pg. That went away after several days, it still kind of pinches when he latches on and I have to make sure his lips are curled out b/c he tends to suck them in, but the actual bf'ing isn't painful anymore.

if you are sure your milk has come in i would offer a paci. Especially if you are sure the latch isn't an issue. Claudia came out with a crazy urge to suck and it really saved my sanity and boobs.

I read somewhere that cool tea bags--black tea--ON the nipples helps soothe them between nursing.

Can someone confirm or deny my heresay?

Thanks all for the advice and encouragement. I picked up some lanolin today, hopefully that will help. I have tried a paci, probably about $40 worth of every kind they make and he wants nothing to do with them. Sometimes he will suck on my pinky. Oh and my milk is def. in now. I'm just going to take it day to day.

I gritted my teeth and was absolutely determined to make it work.

Besides that -- gel pads saved my life and I feed my son one day handed him to dh and told him I would be back in an hour or so when I was done grocery shopping.

DS bruised me pretty badly from clamping down and both nipples were cracked and bleeding at one point, so I know what you mean about latching on making you cry.

Do you have a breastfeeding support group near you (LLL or through a health center or hospital)?

The first two weeks daniel wanted to eat constantly. I broke down and bought some pacifiers. He wouldn't keep them in his mouth for long, but it gave me a few minutes peace! It wasn't long at all til he figured out how to keep those darn things in his mouth. Now at 8 months old, he is still a "binky" baby...my first was done with a pacifier by 5 months.

And the first couple weeks are the hardest. I would cry as I fed him at night, because I really just wanted to sleep. Laying him in bed with me helped (I could sleep, he got to eat, all was well) except SO had a huge issue with that, so I tried to avoid it in the beginning. Mainly worried I would roll over on him, but I definitely sleep lighter when he is in bed with me.

My dh's pinkie was a lifesaver with both of them between nursing sessions. It keeps the baby from thinking "milk milk milk" but still gives them warm skin soothing contact or something. So if your dh/so or some other body is helping you out, try this. My dd would not take pacis either.