Pain on right side while nursing and multiple infections

[@llli*kloz]

I'm new here... and pregnant. My husband and I have 5 kids, 1 is my step-daughter (but mine in my heart just the same!) and I nursed all 4 of my biological kids, one for 3 days, the next for 10 months, the next for 4 months (then till 6 months while supplementing) and the next for 2 days.

Here's an outline of my issues for ease of reading:
**(main issue) Pain on the right side of my right breast, sensitive to baby nursing and would feel like a string of pain going from that point in my breast and on back to the back of my breast, on the outside of it... If that makes sense. This pain lasts from when the baby starts nursing until the baby's done, and happens each and every nursing session. Starts happening when my milk comes in, and doesn't stop until the baby has weaned and my milk has dried up.

**Mastitis 3x in the first 4-5 months of nursing my baby #3 (I supplemented after 4 months because he kept acting hungry after nursing for 40 minutes). I never got it when nursing my baby #2, whom I nursed 10 months successfully, but through the pain which I was better able to cope with at the time.

**Seemingly dwindling milk supply, could be caused by the premature quitting of nursing due to the pain, I couldn't handle it for 20 minutes at a time

**I would have letdown pain but I'd count that down from 10 and it'd be gone before I got to 0. The pain I'm describing would last the whole duration of nursing on that breast.

**My left breast seemingly is a tad bit smaller, and seemingly produces less milk than the right breast effected by this pain... OR I just let the baby empty the left one because it doesn't hurt, but not the right one due to the pain... Which actually as I think about it, could very well be the case... I'd count down the seconds until 20 minutes and then it went down to 15 minutes because I couldn't stand it anymore.

**No nipple pain while nursing, except during the first month or so when I would have to count to about 20 before the nipple pain would go away... And use lansinoh to keep them from cracking... But they'd still crack/bleed sometimes, but like I said usually only for the first month or so.

**I tried different holds, warm compress then massage, pump (can't get anything out with one), warm shower then massage, and more I can't think of. I know warmth makes the breast produce more milk, but it was the only thing I could do to get any relief.

**I obviously couldn't relax while nursing on that breast, which caused conflict between me and the baby, me and my other kids because of me being frustrated, hurt, upset, etc... and conflict between me and my husband because I would get frustrated when the baby got hungry

**I think the babies were getting latched correctly... I'd research it online and a nurse at my pediatrician's office said the baby was latched great. I followed the illustrations online to the T and would re-latch if it didn't feel right or go along w/the illustrations/things I read.

Can someone help me figure out what this pain is? I am feeling horribly guilty for not nursing my current 7 month old.. Increasingly guilty each day I only made it 2 days before deciding on formula. I really want to nurse our next baby successfully for a year and my right breast is making it really difficult but my breast hurts just thinking about it!!! =o/

[@llli*esthervegan]

welcome to the La Leche League Forums Kloz!

there is a saying shared widely at LLL meetings,"Every baby is a New Beginning"
although in the past you did not have the support to reach your breastfeeding goals, you now have come to the right place.
LLL holds regular monthly meetings for free, led by knowledgeable accredited La Leche League Leaders.
I think that would be a good place to start.

you posted that you have pain currently in your breast? Did I read that correctly?

[@llli*ohiomama]

Welcome, mama and congratulations on your pregnancy.

Do you have a history of fibrocystic breasts?