Not Comfortable When Breastfeeding- Need Advice

If when and where you are nursing your child allows try laying down on your side - I did that with both of my children and didn't have any back problems. This position also makes it easier to fall asleep with your child too again if your situation allows that you fall asleep after nursing.

Good luck,
Mel

Drop the boppy. Babies R Us carries the My Brest Friend pillow, it's about $35. I started with the boppy but because the top is curved my baby would fall into the gap, too low for comfortable feeding. The Brest Friend is flat on top, lifting the baby up to the level of your breast. It also wraps all the way around you giving your back a little extra support. Also, being able to prop your feet up on something stationary whether on a stool or a coffee table helps a lot.

I breastfed my son and we had problems in the beginning. I was using a boppy and could not get into a comfortable position. My lactation nurse had me try a thing called MyBreastFriend. It changed the experience DRAMATICALLY. It is SO much more comfortable than a boppy. It actually straps around your back...I could walk and breast feed him. It put him in the perfect position and was great. You should ask your doctor about it or go to a nursing store. They also sell them online. It is worth it!!! You can buy it online at various sites, I have attached a link.

http://store.babycenter.com/product/3985.do

I'm going to second the My Brest Friend. Horrible name, awesome product. It really, really helps with this issue. That and remembering to bring the baby to the breast, not the other way around.

Also, I like to lay on my side to nurse. That's not always practical, of course.

I think that it may be possible that you're leaning into the baby instead of bringing the baby to your breast. I was told by a licensed lactation consultant that the bobby pillows aren't good to use; she told me just to use a regular bed pillow. Also, it was very important to be sitting in a chair that fit my body...you know? When I sat down, my back needed to be straight up against the back of the chair...I didn't want to have to lean back, does that make sense? I also had a nursing stool that I put my feet on and that gives additional back support. They aren't very expensive...maybe $25?? I can't remember...but definately worth it!!

I hope that you're able to solve this one!

Do you think your back hurt because you were hunching over to nurse? I'm short-waisted and a B-cup, and I always found the Boppy to be not quite right for me. I found that using pillows under the baby worked better. I always sort of hunched over my first baby, but with the second, I reclined back supporting the baby and my elbow with a big pillow so that I was not hunching or holding a tense position. Good luck!

If you're very unconfortable, buy a good pump (I would recommend Medela, I had it and used it for 13 mo.) and pump the milk to give it to your baby on a bottle.
This pump has the double pump so you can cut the pumping time on half by pumping both breast simultaneously, so you'll be done in about 10 min.
You'll son will get all the benefits of breast milk and will reduce your disconfort greatly.

Good luck!

Congrats on your choice to breastfeed!
I chose to nurse my 2 children as well. I do remember the PAIN associated with it, but i never had back pain. My pain was the typical nipple soreness! I even nursed thru a nasty breast infection, mastitis. I do suggest having a small foot stool to help elieviate the pressure off your back, which will in turn let your back be more at rest during nursing. It may also allow for you to sit more upright instead of slouching down to reach the baby's mouth. Remember to rest baby exactly parallel to your breast. You mentioned using lots of pillows...pillows under the BOPPY and under your arms to make it so you aren't using your strength to hold the baby up. Pillows behind your back as well. That is the job of all of the pillows. Maybe even your husband can massage your neck and shoulders for a while:).

If you learn how to nurse laying down in bed this might help the back pain too. This may come later as the baby gets the hang of nursing though.

Good Luck and RELAX!
K.

I know you cant do this all the time except when you are able to be at home but I nursed my daughter a pretty long time (17 months) and I did not have back problems but I did love nursing while lying down. You just lay on your bed with the baby next to you and you lay on your side as well as the baby on its side and they can nurse right there. When they are real little you have to angle your body a bit towards them but you get to rest and look at the baby all while getting them fed! This is a perfect way to get yourself to relax and enjoy the baby a bit. If you cant do it all the time at least this will break it up and lessen your back pain. Hope this helps.

I too am less endowed in my upper half ("A"). I did however breastffed both of my children until they turned 1. I found that I had issues with back pain as well. It was exagerated when I nursed in the bed. I got a glider chair for the nursery and it hasgreat support. I nixed all of the pillows and found that the pain subsided with the use of glider and NO pillows. Use the arm rests and if necessary you can cross your legs to help support baby's bum. I will add that I previously had a six fractured vertebrate in my back. The more relaxed, but upright you are tens to help. But you want to support the baby, not so much yourself. Just make sure that you aren't sitting in a strange position due to all of the pillows.

I agree with rotating breast feeding postions and using the breast pump. Try the football hold again. The second time around is always easier. I was also more sore, with my first, than my second.

Also, ask a lactation consultant about nipple shields. These shields are curved and with holes which allow air to circulate around the nipple and prevent rubbing from clothing. Best of luck.

Hi K.,

I actually sort of lean back when I breastfeed my daughter and lay her across my lap/stomach. I usually am sitting in my recliner with my feet up, or if I am sitting in bed, I sometimes cross my legs to boost her up toward my chest. Hope this helps.

D.

K.,

Ow... I nursed my son for about a year, so I know what you are taking about. I nursed him in the football hold for quite some time....then when he became bigger...and heavier, I would lay on my side and lay him beside me and nurse that way. It is sooo much more comfortable and not nearly as h*** o* your back. You could also lay him/her on the Boppy if you need more height.

Hope this helps!! Congrats and good luck!!

S.

K.,
Bless you for breast feeding even though it hurt !

Let me assure you that being small chested means nothing in regards to pain. I am barely an A cup and was barely a B when fully engorged. I nursed each of my children for about a year each with very little pain. The only pain I had was when I was engorged in the beginning and once in awhile during a growth spurt.

Maybe a pillow in the small of your back will help. I got one when in physical therapy. It helps you sit up straight and it eliviated pain in certain circumstances. I recommend you speak with your doctor.

I wish you the best !
Blessings.
M.

Yoga. Pilates. Any form of exercize that gets you stretching your back . I tried a new pose this week that actually made my upper back "click" and then feel sooooo good. I don't know what its called though. Stand up and link your fingers behind your back then bend forward and lift your linked hands upward behind you toward the ceiling. Strength training has really helped my back as well.

Well I know that personnaly I don't want to be trapped at home nursing all day and like to get out and about.
It sounds like you might need to sit up and bring him to your breast. If you are hunching over you are straining those muscles as well as using them incorrectly, it will cause your back to hurt.
If you could make a consious effort to sit up striaght, it might be bothersom at first but will allow you to easliy feed him as you should, as well as not be confined to laying down to nurse all of the time. I know my back hurts when I sit hunched over to nurse.
Good luck with it and I hope you can get those muscles feeling good and enjoy your time nursing your baby!

Hi K.,

I have back problems when I nurse too. Try to nurse laying down if you can, that usually works well for me when my back is bothering me. The only way I can nurse sitting up without back pain is if I sit in a chair with a good back on it and prop my feet up on a stool so that my knees are bent. Then I lay a pillow on my thighs and put the baby on top (he's 7 months old now so we don't need the pillow anymore). I have no idea why this doesn't bother my back, but for some reason it works. I have a boppy too but for some reason it never really worked for me either. Congratulations on your little one on the way and good luck nursing!

try making sure that you are sitting up straight. I had the same problem with (exactly, small breasted and everything) nursing my two middle children, and then with the last one, I just kept reminding myself the whole time "sit up straight, sit up straight" Well, I guess it worked, because I was able to comfortably breastfeed him longer than I did any of the others.
Good Luck!