Lactation Consultant Let Down

I called my doctor's office for advice recently because of some issues I was having with breastfeeding. Here is what I think happened: Logan caused a puncture wound because he was having teething pain and changed his latch. I had seen the doctor two weeks after it initially happened, and at that time it was healing. However, a week the wound had reopened and I called the doctor's office for advice. I ended up taking an antibiotic four times a day. After a week of antibiotics and pumping on that side, I was feeling much better. That's when Logan gave me a corresponding injury on the other breast. So I called the doctor's office again. When the nurse returned my call she said, "Have you considered that maybe it's time to wean?" I thought that was a pretty dumb question. Of course I had considered it, and then I decided I didn't want to wean, which is why I was calling them for help. Duh!

The nurse then offered to put me on the phone with the "lactation consultant." Unfortunately, she wasn't much help either. The main piece of advice she offered was to tell Logan not to bite me and then stop nursing him if he did. She didn't seem to understand what I was saying. It's not that he is biting me in isolated incidents. That I have stopped in the past doing what she suggested. The real problem I feel is in his latch. She told me I could look on the internet for more help. Gee, thanks. I could have figured that out on my own. And I am a bit annoyed and saddened that the nurse would suggest I wean. That is why I had been avoiding telling anyone but Brett about the problem I was having. I knew they would think I was crazy, and I was worried that it would scare people into thinking that breastfeeding is painful. Okay, right now it is, but in the three years total that I have nursed my kids, this is the only real challenge I have had. I wish that our society was more open to long-term breastfeeding, and that there was a better support system for nursing mothers. I am feeling like it's totally up to me to solve my problem or else give up breastfeeding. And I'm just not ready to give up!