hi all,
I know you probably have this somewhere on the forum but I thought I should share this with you all as I had a horror time of trying (then giving up) breastfeeding my first son and found an amazing cream and everything fell into place with my second and third!

when I had my first son 'Alex' I had very little help from my health visitor and living in the sticks didnt help as I was far from my family and being a first time mum, bleeding, crying and aching ended after 2 months of stressing as I couldnt take it any more.

all change with my second 'Jayden' as I had so much help offered and introduced to the amazing cream known as Lansinoh (lanolin) that I could use for my poor sorry excuses for nipples that were bleeding/cracked/painful all at once.....and without worry of hurting my son as it was safe to use even when he wanted to feed just after applying. Now I know at about 10 pounds for a 56g tube seems expensive but its worth every soothing penny!!! Also after joining my local childrens centre, I was offered so much help with breastfeeding and felt happy and assured with the professionals nearby that I have now fed my second son till he was exactly a year old and am intending on feeding my little 9 month old 'Troy' till he turns a year old too (I have a saying that they have exactly 17 years till daddy takes them to the pub )

so my advice is to not worry about asking for help and that little tube of cream is the best buy a mum can ever make. your childrens centres are there to help not to judge (I just pray all the other centre staff are amazing as mine!) and if you ever feel low about breastfeeding, just look to the forums, read the great little stories and feel happy in the knowledge that your not alone! on a cuter note, I feel so much satisfaction looking down at my beautiful little baby while he is half asleep while feeding knowing that im giving him the best start I can ever offer xXx

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Loving being a mum to my 4 boys (pic update soon)

A great post

I'm a Peer Supporter at 2 of my local Childrens Centres (and training to be a Breastfeeding Counsellor) and I would really recommend going to your local Breastfeeding Support Groups - even if you dont need help its a great way to meet mums who are going through exactly the same as you!

Ideally try to go to your local group before you have your baby too, you can get some great advice and you will know where to go when/if you need help.

Just a little comment on the lansinoh - you can get it prescribed from most Dr's over the phone whoop whoop! So it will be free (maternity exemption!) and only ever use the smallest little bit on the affected part of your nipple & dont slather it all over the whole nipple.

There is lots of help out there for b/f women and mum to mum Peer Support is fantastic in a lot of areas now.

I have to say I would never have made it with ds2 without my local latch on group. The support I had was amazing and I got to 6 months with ds2 inspite of him having tongue tie (as did my first who i couldn't feed), but I am so grateful to the peer supporters.

Lahnsinoh is a god send. I found it with DD and ensured I had it when DS was born earlier this year. Should you be paying for it John Lewis strangely have it at £7.50!!

I fed DD til she was 18 months and intend to do the same with DS if I can. Got a pat on the back from the HV today too as there had been a lot of probs with his weight and I think they were all a bit surprised I didn't cave at the point of 3 hourly feeds with top ups of expressed milk after!

The beauty of all that expressing has meant that I had milk to spare and someone on this forum when DD was around 6 months had advised that she was donating to a milk bank for the babies in scbu, so I enquired about it this time as I was too late last time and I am now donating the excess milk!

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Ah that is really great that you are donating!! I wish that I could but Ellis is now 27 months (and you have to be within first 6m) and no where near me accepts donated milk

I bought some and chucked it in the drawer, I think I will dig it out and make sure it goes to hospital with me!