Cracked nipple - advice needed

[AmeliaEarhart]

Help!

My baby is 4 weeks old and my right nipple is completely knackered; really big deep cracks due to bad latching. The supporter at my breast feeding group advised me to continue feeding on that side and not to use a shield, so I'm dosing up on paracetamol and gritting my teeth through each feed. I'm bathing the nipple and applying lansinoh afterwards.

Is there any risk to my baby? I don't think the nipple is infected but it looks a bit scabby at times. Is there anything I can do to help it to heal faster?

Also, I'm starting to wonder if I also have thrush. My breast feels sore and achy between feeds, but I'm not sure if this is just because of the poorly nipple.

[LaTristesse]

It sounds to me like your breast pain is down to the poor latch - wwork on getting this sorted. (IME thursh feels more like sharp breast pain - razor blades than the ache you describe).

In the meantime, keep feeding, and get lashings of Lansinoh on it whenever you can. It will pass, even though it feels terrible - take it one feed at a time, and be good to yourself... Good luck.