Nippy nipples

[Teabagtits]

For various reasons including difficulty latching I've only managed to breast feed regularly for the past two/three days. I was pumping and topping up with formula before that. Ds is 8 days old.

Anyway my nipples are getting really tender. I'm slapping on lansinoh like it's going out of fashion. I'm told by midwives and lactation consultant that the latch is good and he's feeding well but for the first five mins the tip of my nipple is agony and really nippy. It does ease as he feeds but it's eye watering to start with. It also feels quite raw/tender after he's stopped feeding and in between feeds.

What am I doing wrong as everything I read says it shouldn't hurt but people I've spoken to say it does hurt. Who do I believe?

Ds has slight tongue tie but the LC said it doesn't need treated as it's not affecting his latch. I'm wondering if maybe it does need treatment but as she's the one who does the procedure and says it's not needed I can't get it fixed.

[JohnLapsleyParlabane]

So firstly, if the latch isn't right for both you and baby then it isn't right. Can you afford a private IBCLC? I ask because as NHS training can be minimal. Secondly, have you tried laid back or lying down nursing positions? Thirdly, you could try the flipple technique, MilkMeg has good advice on it. And finally, congratulations!

[SarahOoo]

Oh I so feel for you. I was in TEARS with our baby girl breastfeeding (she's now 9 weeks).

I can guarantee it's the tongue tie if the latch is good. Baby girl Ooo had a severe posterior tongue tie and it was snipped a little late in the end due to all the referrals needed. Private would have cost a couple of hundred pounds so wish I had done that. They come to your house too. Try this link if you'd like to speed it up. (This is a London search but you can change it as required)

www.tongue-tie.org.uk/tongue-tie-practitioners-london.html

Latch and tongue tie are separate issues, the tongue tie affects how the nipple works inside the baby's mouth so I'd either get a Dr app for a referral or go private.

I was quite nervous for her having it done but it was over in seconds and we fed straight away.

I now have almost no pain!! Its such a shame mine took so long as I dreaded feeds. Combination feeding saved me and I still do it now as it's more convenient and amazing (for me!) that she can be fed by others as well as me. Also she can go from bottle to boob easily.

Please do get the tongue tie looked at. At almost two weeks it should start to be less painful anyway.

I always wore a bra with Linsoah breast pads (they're the softest) and plenty of lanolin. Also these compresses were amazing....

www.boots.com/multi-mam-compresses-1-x-12-pack-10078094

[RuskBaby]

Definitely do all you can for a private referral. We were told by several midwives (baby losing weight so saw lots) and baby cafe lactation consultants that latch was fine and no tie. After 6 weeks we finally went private, moderate tongue tie that needed snipping. This was by the LC and consultant we would have seen if the NHS had referred us.

[Teabagtits]

Thanks all. I noticed a crack on one nipple so I took note of what was going on, I think his tongue rubs the surface causing friction. I'll speak to the midwife tomorrow about it & ask about tongue tie but I'm going to have to let it rest a while or I'll be put off bfing completely & I don't want that. I'm not sure if a nipple shield would help in the short term or not.

I looked for an ibclc but didn't find any locally. I'm not sure the website works too well on mobile tho so search may have been crap. They were all hundreds of miles away.

[Oblomov17]

Please get the tongue tie snipped. I can't believe in this day and age you've been given the advice that it needs no treatment. Shocking!! This is really really poor.

[Oblomov17]

It should be done on the NHS, for free, quickly. I am cross, for you, that it hasn't been.

[LastMangoInPeckham]

Personally, if it was not for the occasional use of a nipple shield, I truly don't think I could have sustained breastfeeding with any of my 3 DC. Two of whom had TT and one a terrible latch!

I used as early as day 3 for pretty much every other feed and it did not cause any problems for my babies, but gave my poor sore nipples a chance to repair. They were a life saver.

When I had cracked nipples with my youngest, I would put the nipple shield on the nipple I was feeding from and one on the other to collect breast milk which soothed it before a feed.

Not for everyone, but they helped me.

Congratulations by the way!

Good luck x

[LastMangoInPeckham]

Oh yes, and definitely get TT snipped, it resulted in immediate improvement for me!