Wow lots of advice! I also had problems with breastfeeding in the first few weeks or more. Sometimes I sucked on a Hershey’s Kiss to help with the pain. Sometimes I had to tickle her lower lip with my nipple to get her to take the nipple. My main problem was not realizing how much nipple she was supposed to have in her mouth; all of my nipple and then some. No wonder I was in pain! I hope things get better for you!
Amia
Samantha, it is so hard to sort through all the advice given. My best recommendation for you is to contact a local La Leche League leader (you can find one in your area through the website www.lalecheleague.org). LLL had been helping breastfeeding moms worldwide for 50 years. Its all about moms helping other moms.
I will say this, of my own. Breastfeeding has been the best thing I could have done for both myself and my son, now 8 months. Don't give up. The first couple weeks/month is really hard. The following ... however long you both decide to keep up the relationship is Wonderful!
I would advise against nipple shields. Never used them myself. One of the women in my LLL group did use them for inverted nipples and had quite a struggle to wean her son off of them. They did continue nursing, but the less fighting about it, the more satisfying.
Also, try other nursing positions. The "football hold" is really easy to accomplish with newborns. Lay a pillow beside you, lay baby on pillow, offer breast - like you're carrying a football. Also, nursing laying down worked really well for us.
Really, get in contact with La Leche League. Its totally non-profit and is there to be an outlet for moms to help other moms.
All that said, the hardest thing, and the most important thing you need to do is to RELAX. your baby can feel your tension. This is the biggest "mommy skill" - to relax when baby is screaming, but you must.
Thank you everyone for your advice and support. We have started going to a La Leche League meeting every month and we have also been doing A LOT of skin to skin and practicing our relaxation techniques (Not the ones for labor, the ones so I can trick her into thinking I really AM calm!). Because of this we have been able to succesfully latch on and nurse for up to 10 minutes at a time. Granted this has only happend 5 times but hey…it’s progress! Now I just have to work on her VERY POOR latch and remember…baby steps.