I am very, very close to giving up breastfeeding. Yes, I know how much better breastmilk is for the baby; yes, I know that perseverance is the key and blah blah. Let me tell you (aka whine to you) about my problems. Since Hosea was born, I have had (in order)

Tongue-tie on Hosea
Low milk supply
Cracked nipples
Breast refusal
Cracked nipples again
Thrush (probably)
Mysterious unexplained searing extreme pain in both breasts (Maybe this)
Hosea's strong clampdown bite reflex

Also, I am back in classes since week before last. Yay, except it means that (especially when I start acting like a real student and not rushing home at every opportunity) I will be gone from 7:30 in the morning until about 5:30 in the evening. Is it even possible that Hosea (who already has Major Feeding Issues) could learn to breastfeed from 4 or so feeds a day? I've been doing almost exclusively breastfeeding for the last several days and he has, by our estimation, actually gotten worse at eating. What would happen to the poor guy if I started offering him the breast only at night?

I don't know, y'all. I called the lactation consultant (who I've already seen 2x and who told me both times that his latch looks great and that he'll start getting the hang of it "any day now"), so hopefully she'll ring me back in the next day or so. I had to stop nursing tonight, since the pain in both my breasts was making me cry. I'll see how I feel tomorrow after class.

Blech. This is not helping me feel like less of a failure.

{/whiny pity party}