We took a class, read the books and had heard it was easy. HAHA!!! I don't remember the pain starting right away, but before we left the hospital I knew something wasn't right. I asked every nurse that came in the room, how does her latch look? I requested two lactation consultants while in the hospital and both said everything looked fine. Then why did it hurt so bad? Did my daughter just have a barracuda latch that I would have to get used to? Give it two weeks everyone said.
Those were the worst two weeks of my life and they should have been the best. I had a beautiful, healthy, new baby and I loved her to pieces but I hated feeding her. Not only was I dealing with the baby blues, but I cried every time my baby ate because it hurt so bad. I would have never survived the first 6 weeks if it weren't for Eric and my mom.
I waited exactly two weeks, praying everyday that it would get easier. When it didn't, I called the Riverside lactation hotline. I went in the next day and the no nonsense lactation consultant worked with me on Viv's latch. Based on my "lipstick" nipples, that was the problem. When she did it, it didn't hurt. I was able to nurse in her office with little to no pain. I had to go home and practice and use cooling gel pads to heal the sore nipples.
I was back in her office a few days later because the nipples felt worse and I wasn't getting any better at latching my baby. When she looked at my nipples again she pointed out the "open fissures" that I had. Maybe she is tongue-tied says the lactation consultant. She told me to call my OB/GYN for a prescription strength nipple cream and to pump and feed Viv with a bottle until they healed. STOP NURSING? USE A BOTTLE? WHAT?!?!
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