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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

BFing- struggling with sore, cracked nipples

168 replies

hmyh23 · 15/02/2018 22:35

Not really an AIBU but I'm desperate for some advice.

Day 8 of BFing here and really suffering with sore, dry, scabby nipples. I am following all the advice I've been given- using Lansinoh, dabbing with breastmilk, air drying where possible but they don't seem to be healing up and are constantly stinging and tingling. The initial let down when the baby latches is very painful and then the rest of the feed is better but still uncomfortable which means I dread every feed. The hospital midwives and community midwives have checked the latch and agree it's good, the baby is maintaining weight and is thriving so no problem with the amount she is getting. They seem to think the damage is from the first couple of days when the latch wasn't good but I dont know how to heal it when there's only 3hrs between each feed. I don't know whether to stop and express for a few days to see if this will help but I'm worried about getting her back on the breast afterwards. I don't want to throw the towel in now after trying so hard to get to this stage but I don't think I can just keep feeding through the pain and I am also recovering from a tear so quite uncomfortable In general. In all honesty I'm wishing I had just bottle fed from the outset as I feel this is adding an extra level of stress on top of recovery from labour and getting used to everything. NCT advice is that the latch mustn't be right or it wouldn't hurt any more and I should try and get an appointment at the local midwife unit for more help.

Any advice welcome from people who have been through similar, they are sticking to breast pads/bra/tops which is taking the top off the scabs and making it all worse.

OP posts:
bumbleymummy · 22/02/2018 07:26

Try a different position so that the baby is latching with the crack in a different place. I had to use the rugby ball hold on one side to allow a horrible crack to heal. It took a few days and lots of Lansinoh but it was fine after that.

SharronNeedles · 22/02/2018 07:45

Im sure this will have been suggested but I had nipple shields for the first three months of feeding. I had an issue with an over production of milk though so my supply was insane. I could feed my baby and still get 18oz off my boobs in the morning.
I was given the shield as a last resort because he couldn't latch on due to his size (he was prem) and it is the only reason I was able to feed. I successfully fed for 12 months.
It could help you get through the pain!

BirdBrain85 · 22/02/2018 07:53

I was where you are - baby thriving and loving the breast, but I was in agony. I kept feeding and by week 4 saw a significant improvement. I did require antibiotics as one of the cracks I had became infected, and there is still a scar from that there now (DD is now 10 weeks) that I doubt will ever go. Be careful if you do express as I’m so sensitive that I ended up blistered from the electric pump too ... seriously those were dark times!! All absolutely fine now though so don’t lose hope OP xx

Nomad86 · 22/02/2018 08:13

Definitely try an expert or breastfeeding group. I was in agony for 7 months, breastfeeding every 1.5 hours during the day for the first 4 months. Health visitors had no helpful advice. 2nd baby latched fine with no pain so I'm convinced that with some help the first baby could've been the same.

PilatesSuck · 22/02/2018 08:45

Sugical gauze can help with the sticking. As much bra and top free time as possible. Could you express and give a bottle for a couple or use nipple shields until they heal. Nipple shields were fab for me then.

PilatesSuck · 22/02/2018 08:48

Theres a massage you can try before feeding to help with let down. Hands either side of breast, top then bottom gettling rub together. Then small circles from outside of breast to nipple and finally a lean over a slight shake.

namechange012 · 22/02/2018 09:16

Great news that things are getting better!

Please don't worry about not feeling the same as other people when they saying it's bonding etc etc. It's really not that way for a lot of people, especially at the beginning when it's just a bit sore, you're covered in milk, your breasts leak constantly. For me it didn't feel particularly natural or enjoyable until around the 5 month mark. Just around the time where the incessant questions (from the same people who were pushy about breastfeeding in the beginning) began to come about when I would stop 'before it gets a bit weird'. There really is no pleasing some people Wink!

Original poster
hmyh23 · 22/02/2018 18:34

After a session with the BF counsellor today I'm giving Medela nipple shields a go. Combo of small nipples and high palate are what's causing the latch and pain issues. I know there are mixed views on using them but I'm giving it a go, will report back later!

OP posts:
Original poster
hmyh23 · 22/02/2018 21:18

Hmmm not 100% sold on them. Pain free but also feeding for nearly an hour rather than the usual 20mins. 🤔

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 22/02/2018 21:53

Nipple shields!!

kaytee87 · 22/02/2018 21:55

No idea why I didn't see your last posts. Keep trying with them, it's better than expressing and giving a bottle which would take ages too.

moonmaker · 22/02/2018 22:04

A high palate is usually accompanied by a tongue tie. I've fed two tongue tied babies . Please get an expert assessment for tongue tie . I was you until it got snipped and then it was plain sailing .

Moo31 · 22/02/2018 22:07

Glad to hear things have improved for you!! I could have written your post 3 mths ago! Ds now 14 weeks and I have been using the medela shields since he was 4 weeks. I love them. Braved a bf support group today for the first time as I was scared of being shamed for using them but the lactation consultant was fantastic and says she actually recommends them in some cases and that there is no reason not to use them i.e. they don't affect supply etc. I honestly wouldn't still be bf if it wasn't for the shields. Once baby gets used to them feeds will get quicker.

Littlereen · 22/02/2018 22:37

Aside from everything else that’s already been mentioned - multi mam compresses. You can get them in boots or on amazon. I don’t know a single woman they haven’t helped - they are amazing at healing damage but you obviously need to resolve what caused it in the first place. They are extra soothing if you keep them in the fridge.

Allthewaves · 22/02/2018 22:41

I'm late to this. Could u have thrush

Original poster
hmyh23 · 23/02/2018 00:40

She isn't tongue tied, she's been checked by the feeding specialist for that. Her palate is only slightly high, it's just a combination of my small nipples and that. And before anyone says I know technically it shouldn't matter if the nipples are small but the issue is I can't get them in far enough to hit the soft palate. I don't think I have thrush but I don't know I suppose, maybe worth a doctor's appointment to check. I've been feeding on and off for nearly 3hrs now with the shield and I just don't think she's getting enough milk as she's never like this. A normal feed takes 20-25mins.

OP posts:
Moo31 · 23/02/2018 03:46

She might have started cluster feeding? Ds started at around 2 weeks old.

Is there also a possibility that without the shields it was hard work for her so she wasn't feeding for as long as she could have?

SilverBirchTree · 23/02/2018 03:53

It’s so tough at the start, you’re doing great.

I would try expressing one side and feeding from the other each feed for a few days. Then each nipple gets a 6 hour period to heal but the baby is still at the breast (and hopefully improving their attachment).

Hang in there if BFing is something you want to do. You’re through the worst of it.

Original poster
hmyh23 · 23/02/2018 07:15

So my husband gave her some formula about 1am because I couldn't carry on any longer, she slept til 6am so I woke her for a feed. We've had another hour feeding with the shield and she still didn't seem full and wouldn't settle so I put her back on the breast for 10mins and now she's fallen asleep. If this is cluster feeding, there's no way I can cope with it, with or without the shields. Going to have a chat with the midwife today and look at the options as I feel like it's starting to affect me a bit too much now.

OP posts:
PilatesSuck · 23/02/2018 08:26

It does take longer with shields as its less effective but they can give a bit of respite. It always took my dc longer when i had to use them.

PilatesSuck · 23/02/2018 08:28

Do whats best for you. Combi feeding...could that be an option? A lot of people say breast or bottle but both can be successful.

Original poster
hmyh23 · 23/02/2018 09:23

Yes I was thinking about combi feeding, going to ask the midwife's advice on how to make it work. At least I'd get a bit of a break from it then.

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 23/02/2018 09:29

Nothing wrong with combi feeding. Lots of people make it work by Mum going to bed early around 9pm (or earlier if possible!) Dad doing bottle dream-feed at 11pm as he goes to bed then Mum taking over BF for the night as it's important to feed over night to keep supply up. This would hopefully allow you a good 5 hour stretch of sleep.

kaytee87 · 23/02/2018 09:30

This won't last forever op Thanks you WILL sleep again and your nipples will stop hurting.

NeedMoreSleepOrSugar · 23/02/2018 09:39

Absolutely nothing wrong with combo feeding if you wish, but for what it's worth, I was exactly like you describe with dd1, and it healed (very suddenly actually) at about day 18 (although had improved from about day 14 or so)

What made the difference for me was putting a little breast milk onto the nipples after every feed - Not just every note and again as I had at the start, and not using shields/ nipple creams which never helped me at all.

Looking back, I now think dds latch was too shallow as z she was small, and what made the difference was simply her growing a bit. Ds was bigger from birth and I never had even a second of pain feeding him (well, until he started teething!)

Good luck!