I've had quite the experience with feeding my baby boy. He's 18 days old and we currently do a combination of breastfeeding and supplementing with formula.

For the last 2.5 weeks I've seen a lactation consultant 3 times, had the pediatrician fix his tongue tie, pumped around the clock, and tried breastfeeding as much as I could.

Last Wednesday was the first time I got him to latch, but it hurt a lot. His latch is shallow and I always have the lipstick-nipple look with a white line at the tip.

The only way for me to nurse him is if my husband helps. And once he's latched I pretty much sob due to the pain for the first 5 minutes. I'm so stressed about it that it takes me forever to get him to latch. The pain is so strong that I know I won't be able to break the latch without hurting my little boy, so I just hold on to my husbands hands until I'm used to it, then I try to introduce more into his mouth. But I'm not brave enough to break the latch and try again. I can't handle the pain of starting over again with a bad latch multiple times.

My husband thinks I'm traumatizing myself. He supports me, but today he said he wont continue to let me hurt myself.

Everyone says the first couple weeks are the hardest, and to just keep trying. But how do I know if it's too hard? Or if it just won't work for us?