Breastfeeding, how to mend my nipples!

[Lozmatoz]

Second time around and engorgment and edema mean my DS could latch on properly and I now am resorting to nipple shields until I can bear the unbelievable pain! Luckily the engorgment has passed and she's draining me really well. The only problem now is mending the raw bleeding holes left behind.

Any tips? I'm putting my milk on them and using lansinoh. Anything else I can do?

Lansinoh and letting them get some air on them worked for me - spent a few evenings sitting topless on the sofa!

Owwwww! Ooh your post just made my toes curl with the memory of the 'raw, bleeding holes' made by dd (twice - as a newborn then after a nasty bite with her new fangs at 7mo). Such awful pain, I feel for you. Lansinoh, keeping them clean (I washed gently with clean cotton wool pads) and watch out for signs of infection - pinkness or oozing. With the 7mo episode I saw the gp for advice as I was in so much pain and the hole just wasn't healing - turned out it was infected, and a course of antibiotics helped in a couple of days.
I had one side worse than the other when dd was newborn and sometimes I used to start her on the 'good' side and then at letdown swiftly swap her onto the more sore one - to save the sore one from her frustrated pre-letdown hoovering. Hope it all heals soon

I alternated breast-feeding with bottle (with expressed milk) which just about saved my sanity and my nipples.

If you ask in the breat and bottle feeding topic (under feed the world) you might get advice from real life bf counsellors and mums going through the same pain right now.

I know Lansinoh saved me, but I didn't have too tough a ride.

Congratulations.

Cabbage leaves in your bra!! I'm evangelical about them as they were the thing that got me through the worst of the pain... They are soothing and apparently full of healthy stuff which helps healing. Also better than going out topless!!

Hydrogel pads definitely. You can get a prescription from gp or buy on Amazon

I had a terrible time with a cracked nipple which persisted right until four weeks in, when a bf consultant spotted it and insisted I stop feeding on that side and just pump for a week. The moment I stopped feeding and started pumping it healed within a day or two. I wish I'd done it earlier, even if pumping is a pain in the a**e.

I was about to come on and say breast shields I used shields with DC2 constantly my nipples healed with them. DC3 she weaned herself off shields so carry on using them then after they are fully healed you can start taking them off after he attached to the shield remove them every now and then till his got used to not having them. The comments for the HV and midwives were horrid till I had an older midwive came along and say "it doesn't really matter so long as DD is getting breast milk" I would of given up breast feeding like I did with DC1 if I hadn't of known about shields noticed how nobody tells you about them

I used Kamilosan with both DDs (horrendous first few weeks with both of them, two years apart). It is a fraction of the price of Lansinoh and worked really well. Used shields with my second, bottle fed expressed milk until nipples healed with my first (I did that for a few weeks, massive faff but it didn't seem to confuse her - in the end I breastfed her till she was 14 months).

Whatever you do, be reassured that the pain will go away and persevering will be worth it. I still seathe remembering the stupid 'if it hurts you're not doing it right' comments which only made me feel more useless. Sometimes it just hurts, whatever you do. But is will get better.

Definitely do not let the skin dry out. I also used these funny shields / caps, that you wear in your bra between feeds, they ensure that the nipple does not touch any clothing. Also, perhaps ask HV or a nurse for gel dressings, they are squares of gauze submerged in a gel and keep the wound moist.

God, this all brings memories back...

Hope it gets better soon.

I had terribly sore/cracked nipples and one thing that really helped me was bathing them in warm, salt water. It has antiseptic properties i think so helps with healing. You could bathe in a salty bath but I usually used to make up a wide, shallow bowl with warm water and about a teaspoon of salt dissolved in it then put it on the kitchen counter and lean over it with one boob in it at a time for about minute or 2 each side - you need to be a bit of a contortionist for this!! Oh man, the things we do as new parents! But it really works I promise. Afterwards I dabbed it dry gently then put on lansinoh. Also another vote for cabbage leaves here! Hope you get better soon - I remember the pain, it really is dreadful.

Definitely alternate with pumping if you don't mind using bottles. Just a short break can be what you need to kick start recovery.
Try a different position - rugby ball should mean pressure is on oppositeside of your nipple.
Get as much help as you can with general positioning - am going through hell bf my third and advice has still been useful despite the fact I know it all in theory!
Express by hand before trying to get the baby latched on to get your nipples more malleable.
And of course lansinoh lansinoh lansinoh!
Good luck.

I feel your pain, I've been through this twice (both dd shredded my nipples in the early days the sharks). You know it's bad when they bring up your blood with their milk! Not much I can add that hasn't already been suggested other than to use the shields until the worst is over. If you find that baby doesn't feed so well with them on, you can alternate your feeds with and without them, as well as pumping. Oh, and Lansinoh breast pads are the only ones I found that didn't stick to my scabby nipples- more expensive but worth it (plus, it's 60 to a box).

I'm another advocate for cabbage leaves. DDs latch was horrific in the first few weeks and I would cry and try not to scream with the pain of feeding her. In the end I was missing about a 5th of each nipple before I mNaged to get a bf councillor to help me.
But anyway, to help the healing, cabbage leaves in the bra, especially straight from the fridge. Don't leave them in more than an hour or so at a time as they can reduce your milk production.

As others - pump, and lanolin. But also try and get hold of some stuff called Paranet. Its like a mesh so you can feed through it.

Hydrogel are new and apparently the best thing ever from friends who've tried them (DS is 6 and they weren't around when he was little hence you might not find many recommendations). Expensive but worth it.

Really feel for you and remember that pain myself

Try using Lansinoh and cling film - sounds awful but it will stop your nipples drying out. Was recommended by a breastfeeding expert and it worked a treat for me.

Sympathies op, my nipples were shredded both times, with ds1 it happened on and off for months. Lansinoh did nothing for me, the only thing that worked was silverettes. Amazing, almost worth having another baby just to use them again.