I have a medical condition (inverted nipples)

by Tracey
(Australia)

I am so glad I have found this site. I am the same as everyone on here. I have a medical condition (inverted nipples) and it has been the one thing I have always wanted to do was to breastfeed my children.

I now have 3 kids and unfortunately my first also had a tongue tie which make latching even harder so I gave up really quick with her.

My second daughter would latch on great but only to my very raw and painful nipple, I was in so much pain every time she fed I would sit there and cry the whole time and therefore was not enjoying it at all. I have always pumped to get the colostrum out but never had enough to feed them fully.

I have now just had my son, he is 4 months and due to the last experience of breastfeeding I chose to exclusively pump, which worked out great while hubby was home and could look after the other kids.

I also had to have a c - section with this bub so that made things even harder. I would pump every 2 hours during the day and 3 hours at night and would still not get enough to fully feed him. By about 3 months, after hubby had gone back to work (after 6 weeks) I found it very hard to keep up the pumping schedule due to the demands of the other kids and also he was sick as well so that didn't help.

My supply dropped and I found myself only pumping once in the morning and once at night and he would only have 2 bottles of breast milk per day.

In the last few weeks I have been desperately trying to boost my supply up again and taking anything I could to try boost it up but still not getting enough and I have now decided that it's time to stop.

The extra stress in keeping up the pumping and the extra in washing and sterilizing is driving me and my husband crazy. Also, my son is so much happier, every time I put him to the breast he would scream and work himself up so much it would take him awhile before he would take a bottle.

I still feel guilty everyday and a million times a day I just wish I could breastfeed fully. I get very annoyed at people with regular nipples and a sufficient milk supply that choose not to breastfeed.

I would give anything in this world to be able to breastfeed just one of my children. Who knows maybe number four (if we go down that road) will have a better chance at it.

:):)