Very sore nipples

[iamgroucho]

Hi all,

My partner is trying to breastfeed our newly born son, and she is doing great in terms of getting food inside of him, but she is suffering from such sore nipples that she is in tears nearly every time and feels she is really struggling. We are using nipple cream and she is leaving her nipples to dry off after feeding, and washing them as we understand that this can help. I just wondered if anyone had any tips or treatments they had found that offer mum some relief, but enable littlun to feed at will? We keep hoping that her nipples will get better as time goes by, but there not.

Thanks

Dan

[mrsmugoo]

I wore breast shells in the early days to stop my clothes touching my sore nipples.

Congratulations on your new baby. Persevere, it does get easier (eventually)

[KirstyM2014]

Hi, I had very sore nipples to start, I cried most times she latched on esp on one side as I had a crack, persevere mine got better at 5 weeks for one breast and bout 6 half weeks for the other, are u using lanolin nipple cream? I also found the lansinoh breast pads were by far comfiest all other breast pads rubbed. Keep up ur encouragement as well, my partner got me through the real bad times!

[yellowsnownoteatwillyou]

Lanolin cream, breast pads in the fridge. Gel filled cool packs in her bra from the fridge.

[MotherOfInsomniacToddlers]

Lansinoh cream is the best, if they are damaged they will hurt every time she feeds until they are healed. I had to use shields to do this and pump occasionally just to give my nipples a break. It does get better, tell her what a great job she's doing for your dc and how proud of her you are (when ever my dh said that it made me want to continue!) I found tv on for a slight distraction from the horrendous pain.
Oh and those pads you warm or cool in the microwave or fridge. And as the midwives to check her latch.
It really does get better and easier (mum of 2 bf babies)

[sleepingdragon]

I am having the same problem when breastfeeding my 2 week old. I visited a couple of breastfeeding drop ins this week and found them really helpful. Its helped improve my latch and they helped me try various breastfeeding positions that are less painful while my nipples heal, including an approach called biological nurturing, that is working for me- lots of information about it on the internet too to help me at home.

[geekaMaxima]

Don't wash nipples with soap, shower gel, etc. - it'll just dry the skin out and slow down healing. Washing with water at usual shower time is plenty, no need to do it more often.

Lansinoh straight on after every feed, don't wash it off before next feed, keep doing it until nipples are healed.

But definitely, definitely work on the latch so the nipples have a chance to heal. It's not meant to hurt that much (your poor wife!). Many newborns don't latch deeply enough at first but can get more boob in there with help - seeing a La Leche League or NCT bf counsellor face to face would help lots. Or in the meantime, google YouTube videos of deep latch technique (aka flipple technique).

Congrats to you both

[Coffeeaddictforever]

By the 5th day of feeding I expressed. I was scared that a manual pump would hurt as much as dd but it didn't hurt at all. I had sent dh to the shop to buy formula as I couldn't bear the pain any more. When he was out I rembered I had a breast pump so I gave it a go and was so relieved that it didn't hurt that I cried again :-). I expressed for 24 hours and fed dd via a bottle with the expressed milk. I know people say not to introduce the bottle too soon but dd didn't suffer any nipple confusion. I continued to express from the worst boob until my nipple was completely healed. By week 4 it was amazingly painless and still is 9 months on. Good luck xx