irritated by nursing - question

[carlaross]

Question for all you veteran, knowledgeable ladies.

I am nursing my third child - second child to nurse - BUT I had a 14 year break between kids. lol Sooo, I remember, but don't remember, if you know what I mean.

Bear with me, this is very very hard for me to admit.

For several days now, I have been feeling "irritated" with nursing. Not irritated like red, raw, sore, etc., but irritated like irritable, crabby, want him to hurry up and finish, etc. It's like my nipples are cranky and have PMS.....it's not so much an emotion, as it is that I have this strange irritating sensation in my nipples. I hope this makes sense. Hard to explain. I seem to be fine in the morning, but afternoons and evenings are worse.

Not sure what to think of this. Anyone ever experienced anything like this? Or am I just crazy?

I have some thoughts as to possible cause (like maybe menses is soon to return and this is a mild PMS/hormonal type thing).

Griffin is almost 4 months old. He still nurses every 1-2 hours during the day. And right now, he is nursing 2-3 times overnight.

Thanks in advance for any advice or ideas!!!

[tcmt81]

I've had that happen before, especially when DD doesn't want to latch off for 30 minutes. That's why I prefer to NAK.

[Greenbabybottoms]

Could you be pregnant? I had those exact feelings during my pregnancy while nursing. If not I would think any hormone surge could possibly cause it (like returning cycle etc).

[pieceofjess]

Just have to say that I thought I was the only one!
Except this would mostly happen at night!
I just felt so irritated and wanted him to hurry up! I felt awful about it.
It began when my son was around 8 months-ish until he nightweaned around a year or so.
Sorry mama, I have no advice, just wanted to say that I've been there.

[JamesAndMe]

Hormones mixed with tired, likely.

Distract yourself is all I can say. I will admit.. When my son was weaning off formula onto me and I hadn't been sleeping basically at all (he was waking every 2-3 hours before then but he stopped sleeping period once I was weaning off the formula!), I would feel irritated in the night when he was nursing sometimes. I would pull him off and say "aren't you ready to sleep yet? Mommy is tired"

I can't co-bed, I get night terrors, so I would stay awake when he nursed at night.

I would distract myself and the irritated feeling would go away. Usually I'd NAK or watch a movie I like.

It NEVER bugged me in the day-time or evening tho. Always in the middle of the night. Sometimes I'd wake up my SO and say "can you please hold him for 5 minutes I just really need a minute here because I'm so tired and I feel really irritable" - I'd go drink some chamomile tea and put my feet up in the recliner, find a movie I really like, and call for SO to bring the baby for more nursing-a-thon. lol.

I don't like admitting that I felt that way either. It's like we chose this so we shouldn't complain or ever feel irritable but I really think it's normal.

Anyway I think yours will get better (if it's PMS) or you'll learn how to cope with it. It helps if you get a sling/wrap and do stuff with them in there while they nurse. It also helps if you get outside in the sunshine with baby some, for some reason. It also helps if you do other things to distract yourself whilst you nurse. If you can accomplish stuff (like making a grocery list, making a call you need to, getting pictures sorted) while you nurse that also helps.

[carlaross]

Thanks ladies for the comments and "been theres".

I feel like it's more of a physical thing than an emotion (meaning that the sensation doesn't go away even if I distract myself)....so probably hormones (whether PMS, pregnancy, or what).

[carlaross]

Originally Posted by JamesAndMe Hormones mixed with tired, likely. Distract yourself is all I can say. I will admit.. When my son was weaning off formula onto me and I hadn't been sleeping basically at all (he was waking every 2-3 hours before then but he stopped sleeping period once I was weaning off the formula!), I would feel irritated in the night when he was nursing sometimes. I would pull him off and say "aren't you ready to sleep yet? Mommy is tired" I can't co-bed, I get night terrors, so I would stay awake when he nursed at night. I would distract myself and the irritated feeling would go away. Usually I'd NAK or watch a movie I like. It NEVER bugged me in the day-time or evening tho. Always in the middle of the night. Sometimes I'd wake up my SO and say "can you please hold him for 5 minutes I just really need a minute here because I'm so tired and I feel really irritable" - I'd go drink some chamomile tea and put my feet up in the recliner, find a movie I really like, and call for SO to bring the baby for more nursing-a-thon. lol. I don't like admitting that I felt that way either. It's like we chose this so we shouldn't complain or ever feel irritable but I really think it's normal. Anyway I think yours will get better (if it's PMS) or you'll learn how to cope with it. It helps if you get a sling/wrap and do stuff with them in there while they nurse. It also helps if you get outside in the sunshine with baby some, for some reason. It also helps if you do other things to distract yourself whilst you nurse. If you can accomplish stuff (like making a grocery list, making a call you need to, getting pictures sorted) while you nurse that also helps.

Is IS hard to admit. I really enjoy nursing my babies, love the bond we have, and love looking at his little sweet face.

[mrosehughes]

Just wondering, because I keep seeing it -- what does NAK mean? I think I've seen it used two different ways in posts...

[JamesAndMe]

NAK = nursing at keyboard

[mrosehughes]

Thanks Is PAK pumping at Keyboard?