Need Help from Other Moms with Breastfeeding

Personally, I found the lactation consultant at the hospital worthless. They really didn't show me anything.

Find another lactation consultant and get help. I got shingles right after giving birth and it royally screwed things up. It took a few months, but I was able to breastfeed my son till he was 2.5 and it was very comfortable. Don't wait. It'll help a lot. :)

With my first one I had a very hard time. It took about 4 - 5 weeks until we had really established good feeding habits. I always felt that at the beginning he was too small to really latch on properly. I also had an infection which made the whole thing extremely painful until it was treated properly with medication. If you have blisters from feeding he is probably not latched on correctly and may not get enough milk. I think pumping to keep the milk supply up is a good idea. Don't give up yet!

You're doing great Mama! If you are concerned about how much he is getting, focus on how many wet and dirty diapers he's producing and his wieght gain...those are reliable indicators of "getting enough". Usually I chart feeds and diapers for a couple of days once my milk comes in to satisfy my concerns and then I go to the doctor for the two week check up and lo and behold, the kid has gained wieght! It is totally normal and does NOT mean he isn't satisfied if he constantly wants to nurse! It's also normal to have one breast more full than the other, I personally prefer to nurse on my left side, so that one tends to be bigger and have more. Kellymom.com is a wonderful resouce, this link should make you feel better
http://kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing/
If you search on the site for "is my baby getting enough milk?" you will get lots of good articles ranging from low milk supply to common questions bf newborns... Good Luck!

Don't judge hunger by whether your son wants to eat shortly afterwards. That is not helpful, and it will drive you crazy. Both of my children nursed CONSTANTLY (no breaks) for the first two or three weeks. It is normal for a newborn to need food up to every half hour, every two hours is just a standard that doctors tell people. My son wouldn't even wait a half hour. I got 15 minute breaks. It was hard, but completely normal.

If you are worried that your child is not getting enough milk, go into the hospital where you gave birth (or your pediatrician office should be willing to do this, too). Weigh the baby, and then nurse. Then weigh the baby again. This will tell you how many ounces the baby is getting. A newborn only needs about two ounces per feeding (less if they are feeding as often as you say), so as long as your baby's weight goes up, milk supply is not an issue. Actually, I am pretty sure Le Leche League will do this for you, too. It is a very standard test to see about your milk supply, and it is usually FREE.

It is VERY common for one breast to have more milk than another. You can try to even things out, but I have never had any luck with that. I ended up feeding my daughter on one breast alone - the other side dried up completely. It is maddening because you look lopsided for a while (I wore padded bras to help even it out), but the good news is that the breast that is in-use shrinks back to pre-nursing size, so you won't be lopsided after you wean.

Pain...sadly, that comes with the territory. Try some lanolin - that was the only thing that helped me. But the pain does get better after about 4 or 5 weeks. I know that's hard to hear, but it's also completely normal.

Go to http://www.llli.org/ to find a Le League League near you. They will provide free help and information for you about what is normal. They may also be able to act as lactation consultants (or at least recommend someone who can) if it turns out that you do have supply issues.

I'd be happy to talk to you in a private message as well, although I have also struggled with breastfeeding so I am perhaps not the best resource. But I can at least let you know what worked for me.

Good luck.

If I can remember my own situation, my boobs hurt like hell for a week or two after having my both of my daughters. I mean they hurt the whole year I was nursing, but before my milk let down I thought I would die! I put purple cabbage in my bra. For me it helped to open up the milk glands. Eventually things got going and the milk supply picked up. Also drank mother's milk tea. That stuff helped tons with my supply. http://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/mothersmilk/ - Hang in there!

I just wanted to empathize with you and let you know I went through the same thing with both my kids. The lactation consultants became like a part of our family we saw them so often. I tried everything under the sun...ALL the tips and tricks they say to do. At a last resort I even tried 2 different medications. I ate tons of calories. I drank tons. I drank the tea...lots. I took the herbal supplements. I relaxed. I did the pumping. The latch was perfect. Nothing really worked for me and my lactation consultant said I was the first person she has ever seen who was doing EVERYTHING right but was not seeing improvement. I did these things for 4 months straight with my first child. From month 4 to month 6 I finally stopped with the pumping to increase my supply. I was so incredibly tired of doing this. When my son was 6 months old I just stopped having any milk. I gave up then and started using formula. When my daughter was born...the same thing happened but now I also had an older child who desperately wanted my attention. So many times he would be begging me to read to him or play with him and I had to pump in between feedings. I cried out of sadness for my son. When my daughter was 6 weeks old I was only able to pump about 1-2 ml of milk...practically nothing. I gave up then and just switched to formula. I felt guilty and I still feel awful about it. I still HATE being around other moms who love to constantly talk about breastfeeding. I just have to leave the room. My kids are both awesome though...they are both whip smart, very active, strong, and super healthy. I just want to send you encouragement to do what you can...but also try not to feel too guilty if things don't work out like you want them too.

Contact the lactation consultant again. She can weigh your son before he feeds and after to determine exactly how much milk he is getting. And, she can reexamine the latch to see if there are any problems. When breastfeeding my twins, after about a month one of my boys had a terrible latch, and my nipple was getting blistered. She watched me feed, and it turns out I wasn't helping him latch properly.

Another thing is he's only a week old! Sometimes they go 30 minutes between feedings, sometimes 3 hours. The best thing you can do is to NOT supplement if you truly want this to work. Once you start supplementing, your supply is already behind.

Ok take a deep breath. You may just be overthinking this. I had more milk in one breast with all 3 of mine - perfectly normal.

Is he having wet diapers? If yes then you truly should be fine. Newborns like to suck so have you tried a pacifier for after nursing? He may also have reflux or gas which is making him want the comfort of nursing after he nurses which is why he is rooting and fussing for more. Try to keep him upright and over your shoulder after he eats and walk around to distract him. Give him a paci to help him self soothe a bit. Then at a max of 1.5 hours later nurse again and do the same thing. Don't try and wait 2 hours right now, nurse when he wants to nurse. Then when finished distract and hold upright again. Get a Moby wrap so he can sleep upright on your chest. Make sure you don't do anything else besides - nurse, eat and take care of your other child.

Finally, stop worrying!! I know easier said than done but it will make this much harder on yourself. Low milk supply is pretty rare so if he has wet diapers you are making enough. Stop pumping too just nurse. He is much more efficient at getting the milk out than any pump. Relax before nursing, breathe, music whatever it takes.

Good luck and don't let any pediatrician talk you into supplementing with formula unless your child is not peeing.

ETA - oh and when nursing him make sure his ear, shoulder and hip are in a straight line. Also make sure his lips are spread apart like a fish. This will reduce nipple soreness.

I think the answers below from LivTokyo and Melissa are awesome. I just wanted to reply because I was just thinking this morning about a year ago this week - my daughter was 10 days old, eating constantly, I wasn't sleeping, it hurt horribly. I had gone from so laid-back "I've done this before, no problem, she can just eat when she wants" to an emotional wreck. My pediatrician gave me "permission" to feed her only every 90 minutes, and that's when she ate - for 8 weeks(!). And then she turned into wonderful baby who slept all night and ate every three hours - and we lasted the whole year breastfeeding. So I just want to say it does get better, even when these first few weeks are simply awful.

u have to breastfeed constantly, it isnt like a bottlefeeding schedule....breastmilk digests faster then formula so they get hungrier more often. feed every 2 hrs or so....im sure u are fine, u just need to take a breath and relax.

there is this ointment from medla (sp) that you can use on your nips that does not effect the taste for the baby its really nice. if you are pumping and getting milk then you should be ok. remember his tummy is really tiny so its not like formula that breaks down slowly, bm passes through the system quicker so he will be hungery sooner. does he have a good latch? also try different positions laying down, football hold, cradle hold also are you using a bf pillow? they do help with keeping the baby in position. my nips HURT for the first two weeks but I pushed through and was fine after. The key is to make sure he has a nice big grip on your breast. I held my breast then positioned dd bc she would just latch on with just the nipple, I had to make sure she was getting the areola (sp) too.

Please try to be patient. I would stop pumping and just go easy on your breast. It took me 3 months to get completely used to bfing my first and get through the pain. My second has been a breeze in comparison. She's 6 Months old and my left breast ALWAYS has more milk. It's never caused an issue. Good luck. It takes a strong woman to not give up on nursing. :)

I don't have any experience with your specific situation, as my son never latched and I ended up pumping and supplementing, however . . .

Go to a La Leche League meeting! There you will be able to get lots of supports and hear from others face to face that might have gone through similar situations! Good luck!

Well it's also the hormones making you feel miserable and depressed (thats what I always told myself!)

I struggled through the breastfeeding stage with both of my kids. Both times I eventually had to supplement with formula and then eventually went to full time formula because once you supllement its hard to keep breastfeeding as the primary source... Between the two kids I feel like I have tried everything and there is a lot of conflicting advice out there! Pump, don't pump, let them get hungry, every 2 hours no every 3 hours, no on demand is best, it can make your head spin. Did the teas, the weird drugs (do NOT let anyone talk you into trying Reglan! Blech!!!) The first time I didn't really know what to expect and the second time I was determined to get it right and keep it going. I honestly think I must not be a big producer. My other 3 sisters that have had kids have had very few issues with BF.

Anyway... In the grand scheme of your kids life, this is just a blip on the radar. People put waaay too much pressure on breastfeeding. Of course it's preferable, moms want to do it for the bonding, it's what nature intended, etc etc... but formula babies are just fine. It was such a relief when I finally gave up the fight and gave in to formula (several months in for both my kids... though I had to start supplementing before then, they were just not getting enough). Part of the stress over it is trying to pinpoint where you are going wrong. When I think of all those hours I spent wondering what would make a difference... was it my supply? How do I increase my supply? Was it because I got a breast infection, did that just really screw things up? Is something wrong with my kids mouth? Should I pump between feeding to keep the supply up? Should I stop pumping to conserve the milk? Should I exclusively pump and then I would know what she's always getting? Do I just suck at this (pun intended)... well I really wish I could get those hours back and just enjoy my baby.

Honestly... if/when I have a 3rd kid I might go straight to formula and relax. It's hard to type that without feeling like the La Leche League is going to march over to my doorstop right now and talk sense into me. But really, now that my kids are 2 and 5 and battling me over eating their fruits and vegetables... I think the BF vs. formula debate is way played out.

Just keep trying (it's only been one week) and when it's time to give up, well, it's time to give up. no big whoop. You need your rest, baby needs plenty to drink, and it doesn't hurt to have daddy bond too with a bottle feeding.

I just wrote stream of consciousness my thoughts on this. I;ve been there. I hope I didn't make you feel worse for any reason!

Call the La Leche League Leader in your area! You can find them at http://www.llli.org/webus.html

How many wet diapers are you getting? Baby's behavior is NOT a reliable indication, and neither is pump output-- but if it's coming out you KNOW it's going in.

Some peoples milk takes a little longer to come in, mine was like that. Even when it did come in I never had an overabundance, Ive never gotten leaky or had to wear pads in my bras. I still had enough milk for both my babies, my 5 month old weighs almost 20 lbs already. Dont judge by how much you are pumping, I can never get much out when I pump, baby is much better at getting your milk out than a pump. For a one week old, they nurse about ever 1 to 1 1/2 hours, thats from the beginning of one nursing session to the beginning of the next, so if baby nurses for 20 min or so on each side, that leaves about 15 min before baby wants to nurse again. Thats totally normal. If you feel like you cant take it and have to have a break, have daddy give just a small amount of formula.in a bottle, like only 1 oz or so, make sure you nurse first, and if you only do it occasionally it shouldnt affect your supply.
My babies both cluster fed in the evenings when they were little. My son would go 2-3 hours straight, switching from one breast to the other before bedtime. Thats babys way to increase your supply at that time to the day, after a week or so, I noticed this started to decrease, and he got fuller faster. Now he goes about 1 hr, 30 min on each side and hes asleep. If it gets to painful or you feel like you cant take it, give a little formula. My older dd got a bottle of formula every night at bedtime and I nursed her for 13 months. GL, and try to relax, its normal for a new baby to want to nurse all the time, but they dont stay little for long :)

Just about everyone feels that they have low supply at one week. Your body is still ramping up. It's perfectly normal that a one week old wants to constantly nurse. You should expect to not do much else for at least a month! Natures way of trying to get mom to rest and recover. Also, if you have a blister, he is not latching correctly. Make sure he opens wide, and gets as much breast as possible in his mouth. If he is on right, it shouldn't hurt. Hang in there! I got mastitis both times which is very painful. But breastfeeding is totally worth it in the long run. It gets MUCH easier. And way easier than washing bottles, paying tons of $$ for formula and sick baby...

Hi sweetie. First of all, I know EXACTLY what you are going through because I was there with both my children. Sadly, not all hospital lactation consultants are certified. Shocking, I know. It sounds like you have a bad latch - I had the same issue. Contact your local La Leche League (www.llli.org) and find a certified LC in your area - they have the letters IBCLC after their names. She may recommend different positions or a nipple shield - the one thing I will tell you is that it will take a few days for you and your baby to adjust. If you are having latch issues, do not feed your baby a bottle (bottle sucking has your little one mashing the nipple against his hard palate - with breast feeding, baby has to open wide, take in as much of the aereola as possible and pull the nipple back to its soft palate. Huge difference) or a pacifier. Also, don't judge your milk supply from what you are pumping. Babies have a much stronger effect on your supply an their sucking mechanism can pull out more milk than a pump. Babies often cry after they are fed because they need to be out back on the breast to stimulate your supply for the next growth spurt - it is NOT an indication that you aren't producing enough. It's just nature's way. Once you fix your latch issue, you probably will see a big difference in your milk production. In my case, I also had to have my infant see a chiropractor because I had fast labor and deliveries and my babies weren't opening wide enough. I'm glad I listened to my LC about that instead of heading for the hills because it made all the difference. Now, you may not experience instant relief or overnight success - for me, it took about 2 weeks and a few LC visits to teach my babies to latch properly but it was soooooo worth it in the end (especially if you can master nursing while lying down). We all got better sleep and I was able to successfully nurse my first for a year and my second for 2-1/2 yrs, which turned out to be a beautiful experience with both. Hang in there, call La Leche League immediately and try to go two weeks more. Either way, whether nursing works out for you or not, you are mom enough and you are doing a great job!!!

Hello,
I agree that you will need to bring the lactation consultant out again. We had a service through our insurance and the hospital had one on site. They will weigh the baby before having you nurse in front of them and then weigh him right afterward. Then they'll be able to determine how much milk your little guy is getting, down to the ounce. They'll also evaluate his latch, positioning, etc.

Don't get frustrated, you can do this. Although natural, it ain't easy at first! But you do need follow-up care in this dept. I would get this going immediately. (mom who nursed for almost 2 years:)

If you're concerned about supply, my # 1 recommendation is hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drink more water than you ever thought your body could hold.

I would also recommend taking fenugreek supplements (this isn't a medication; it's an herbal remedy and super-safe for breastfeeding moms.

Finally, as others have said, I recommend checking out the website kellymom, going to a La Leche League meeting, and following up with your lactation consultant.

Best wishes,

Mira

Drink as much water as you need to float away. That will help with low milk supply. Keep drinking water!

Call the lactation people at your hospital or through your obstetrician, and have the lactation consultant either come by to see you or call you so you can describe what's going on and get advice.

Use Lansinoh ointment for blistering and cracking. It has lanolin and made for breastfeeding.

Hang in there. I breastfed all 3 of my kids and definitely remember the 'impossible' days. (They're 16, 12, and 8 now.) It will get better. Stick it out for as long as you can, and then add a couple of weeks. It'll be worth it.

Mostly, congratulations on your baby! What a blessing for your family.

You should not have any pain or OMG glisters on your nipples if the latch is correct! You need to see a lactation consultant ASAP because it all starts with the latch. Breastfeeding may feel odd in the beginning but if done properly, should never hurt, before, during, or after! If the latch is not good the baby will not get enough milk. Nurse as often as you need but get this issue taken care of as soon as you can. Did they help you at the hospital?

I nursed both of my children. The first one I nursed for 13 months, the second one, I breastfed for 3 weeks. I think for me, nursing the second time was unsuccessful because my body weight was too low. My milk did not even come in the way it did with my first child. I understand your physical pain and have been there. I nursed every 2-3 hours like you are doing. I used A&D ointment on my nipples, and simply wiped it off before breastfeeding. It did help. I admire you for not giving up on nursing. Make sure you are getting enough calories during the day. TRY to rest as much as you can. You are burning up 1000 calories a day breatfeeding. I know its difficult. Hope this helps you some. Best of luck to You!

First off your just getting started, so give yourself a couple of weeks before supplementing or freaking out! Use lanolin on your nipples after every feeding or whenever they hurt, it will heal them and help the pain go away. It works! Your LO needs to nurse for 10 to 30 minutes on each side at each feeding session and you can encourage him to nurse more by touching his cheek softly. At this age they don't have a schedule and they could want to eat every hour on the hour or every three hours, your LO will let you know. The more you nurse them more milk you will make, you will see a change in supply every two to three days. Keep going you can do it!

I would make sure your own oral Intake is enough for you and baby. Dont try to lose the baby weight just yet. Drink a ton of water. Pump and breast feed frequently. There are plenty of useful herbs and teas to try that are all natural that promote milk production that you can pick up at any health food store. Relax and try to sleep too.... Sorry I know it's a tall order, but keep trying. Some people dont make a lot for whatever reason... So if you find yourself having to supplement with formula. Still give your baby whatever breast milk you can. Some is better than none!

OK - you've gotten a lot of responses, and I haven't read them so this may be repetitive. I had problems nursing all 3 of my kids.

My first son never latched on properly. I knew BF shouldn't be painful, but his weight gain was fine the first month (when my milk first came in and was plentiful). By his 2month visit his weight gain slowed and I had a lactation consultant come to the house. It was very difficult at 10wks to get him to "unlearn" his latch. I ended up supplementing with formula and stopped nursing at 3months and pumped so he got at least a couple of bottles of BM/day. Baby #2 latched on okay at first then I had problems, so I went to see the LC at my pediatrician's office sooner. Baby #3 didn't latch on properly either so I went to see the LC consultant again. In the hospital with #3 the LC kept saying everything looked fine but I was still in pain and was getting flat nipples after feeding. The LC at the pediatrician's office was so much more helpful and supportive. First, she explained that it's really common for there to be some pain and discomfort in the beginning as your nipples are getting "conditioned." She said that with each of her own 3 kids she felt like she wanted to jump out of her skin and hit the ceiling when they first latched on...but that shouldn't continue for more than the first 2 weeks. The key for me was to just take the baby off and relatch as soon as it feels painful and to keep redoing it. Yes, the baby will cry but don't let that be a deterrent. Baby will be much happier when it "discovers" the more efficient way to get milk from the breast with a proper latch. The other important point from the LC was to feed every 2-2.5 hrs to establish breastfeeding and your milk supply. That was the difficult part. I did that -- even waking the baby overnight 2.5hrs since the start of the last feed -- but only for the first month.

I, too, always pumped more milk from one side. If you want to boost your supply, if you feed on only one side, then be sure to pump the other side as soon as you're done feeding.

Give yourself a reasonable amount of time to try and get BF to work. If it's making you too depressed and miserable, do not feel bad giving the baby formula. Baby won't be happy if mama isn't. I was almost paralyzed the first time I gave my son formula...and there's absolutely no reason to feel guilty and beat yourself up over it.

Best of luck to you.

I just want to tell you that I breast fed all four of my kids and it was different every time! My first one took some time getting latched but then ate like a champ. My second one latched like a champ but was a terrible nurser (he would nurse for very short sessions.) My third was pretty easy. My fourth? You would think I was a pro right? Wrong. He nursed for 20 minutes after he was born and then for the life of me I couldn't get him to latch on correctly. So frustrating. I agree with the posters that mentioned the blisters are from incorrect latching. Keep working on that. You might have to use a different holding position when nursing on that side. I also agree with the poster that said keep track of the wet diapers (which can be challenging with how absorbent diapers are these days!) Believe it or not, it took 5 weeks before my youngest got the hang of the whole nursing thing. He also nursed the longest 2 1/2 years! Oh, and just because your little one wants to nurse shortly after already having nursed, it may not be due to hunger but instead just the need to suck. I really feel for you and if you do hang in there it will smooth out. Nursing is the most natural thing in the world but that doesn't mean it is the easiest! It is a learning time for both of you. Whatever you end up doing, keep in mind that you are going to be a wonderful, loving mother no matter what and your little one will be just fine!

My daughter always wanted to nurse... constantly. I wound up counting wet diapers and having her weight checked. For us both numbers were low and I wound up having to supplement. I wound up nursing her with the occaisonal formula supplement for 2 years.

I also tryed pumping and teas etc. to try to increase my output. What actually helped the most was when I finally accepted that I would need to supplement. I RELAXED, and then started producing more milk!

So - if your son's weight and diaper output are fine, you can nurse on demand as he needs it, and if they are low, you can nurse on demand and supplement when you need to. Both ways are erfectly helathy for your son, and you can relax knowin you are doing the best for him!

Good luck!

why are you stopping the nursing session? Is he pulling off or are stopping sucking and so you take him off? Instead, give him a tiny burp at that point, stroke his cheek and put him on the other side. At that age they should be taking about half an hour to nurse and be full. Both my girls took 45 minutes at that age. When he is sucking, pull him off and see if milk is dribbling off your boob or if you can squirt out milk. If yes,, then he is still getting milk and still wanting to nurse and it's not a supply issue.
The best advice I can give is to spend the weekend in bed with him. Literally only get up to go potty. Otherwise stay with him in bed, nursing on demand. Yes, they many want to nurse again half an hour after an hour long session - that is normal. For that weekend have food brought to you, nap when he naps, drink lots of water and just read, watch TV, and nurse him. Keep him near you the whole time. No, I am NOT an attachment parenting advocate, but I KNOW this works to make your supply come in completely (at a week old it is still not always in, and that is ok!). If you are feeling full of milk then you have milk in a little, if you feel like you will explode out milk at any minute then your milk is really there.

For breastfeeding you time from the time you START nursing. So if he starts at noon, it takes you 45 minutes to nurse, then he will want to eat again at 2pm, only an hour and 15 minutes after you finished.

You CAN do this. Get the book So That's What They're For. It's wonderful.

Also to see if he really IS getting anything, have the doctor weigh the baby on the infant scale, then you nurse, then weigh the baby immediately after and that is how many ounces of liquid he just consumed. At a week old it only is about 2 oz for ANY baby per feeding. This will reassure you that your baby IS getting intake.

My baby is be 4.5 months. This is my 4th! There is a book called The Nursing Mothers Companion by Kathleen Huggins that I still use. Buy it or see if your library has it.
The only reason I would pump of I were you (at this time) is if you feel engorged.
Here's the signs that you're producing enough from the book:
Milk came in by day 3 or 4
Baby nurses at least 8 times per day
Baby feeds for 10-45 min and seems content
Baby swallows several times during feeding
Breasts feel lighter after feeding
Baby has bowel movement everyday and is yellow by day 5
Baby is wetting more diapers by 5th day

If all these points are not all happening by now at 1 week it says you should have him weighed & examined.

Good luck!

Only did it once but that first week was scary. I had no idea what I was doing constantly stressing if he was getting enough. You body and his is still training each other. My son was took short but frequent feedings. My milk supply adjust to his needs, it did take a couple weeks. I was a wreck that first week, waiting for it all to come together.

I fed on demand. It worked for us. But it was tiring, although I can't imagine raising babies is anything but no matter how you feed.

Good luck, and hopefully you real soon in will become second nature.

Do you have another lactation consultant that you can go see now? They will be able to weigh your baby before and after a feeding to find out exactly how much milk he's drinking. They will be able to check your nipples and see if there is something about their shape that makes it harder. You might need nipple shields or something like that.
Mothers Milk Tea can help increase your milk supply. MotherLove makes some great products as well - a very soothing nipple cream that can be put on before you nurse (totally safe for the baby) as well as a variety of products to increase supply. Check them out here: http://www.motherlove.com/category/breastfeeding.html These are NOT medications, ,just organic herbal supplements.

Nursing every 2-3 hours is totally normal at this age. Some babies may even nurse more often than that.

Check out a local breastfeeding support group. It can be VERY helpful, both technically and emotionally, to be around other moms who are struggling. You will get tips, help from a certified LC, and a chance to commiserate with other moms. I found this online through Edward Hospital in Naperville:

Breastfeeding Support Group
This support group is led by a certified Lactation Counselor or Lactation Consultant. Join other breastfeeding moms for support and to have questions answered. No registration required. Bring your breastfed baby! Free. Meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, 815 South Washington Street, Naperville (located across from the Edward Hospital ER), immediately following Cradle Talk, around 11:45 a.m. For more information or directions, call ###-###-####. (If you are experiencing difficulties with breastfeeding, please call our Breastfeeding Center to talk to a Lactation Consultant or to make an appointment for an outpatient visit.)

You can also make an appt with an LC: http://www.edward.org/BreastfeedingSupport

They also have a postpartum depression support group. While it sounds like your emotions and feelings are primarily related to nursing, it may help to go to this group as well.

Good luck and hang in there! For most women, it DOES get easier. It may take a month or two, but after that, it is usually smooth sailing. Get help now and you might be able to continue nursing as long as you want.