Help! Blisters and wonky nipples after feed - DS only 1 day old :(

[BettyButterknife]

Had DS2 in the early hours of yesterday morning, have fed him every few hours since then.

I've been reading up on good latch - trying to get lots of areola in his mouth, lips curled back etc - but still it's become intensely painful with blisters on the ends of my nipples, which themselves come out of his mouth pointing in one direction or another. That means the latch is wrong, doesn't it?

This happened with DS1 and I really wanted it to be different this time.

Anyone got any tips? I'm tired and weepy and I don't know if I can carry on with this, although I don't really want to stop. Help!

Oh poor you. Well done for asking for help.

Are you at home or in hospital. You need to see a breastfeeding counsellor asap to get your latch looked at. I had this with dd and ended up with an infection in my nipple and very reluctantly gave up breastfeeding after a month. I didn't push to see anyone, and really regret it now.

Have you tried different holds? Try googling psyiological feeding/latching, or somethign like that. It's basically where the baby is put on the mother's body and make its own way to the nipple. There are lots of references to it in mumsnet, and an amazing video.

Phone NCT and ask where their nearest counsellor is.

Phone LLL and talk to them.

Yes - definitely get advice from a breast-feeding counsellor but also Lasinoh cream is brilliant and safe for baby so can be applied regularly - good luck

Sounds like the latch

I had this with DD ... Can you get some real life help?

Someone to observe the feed would help .... DD was nipple feeding hence the blisters. True breastfeeding is a big mouthful of breast ....

Can you try a rugby ball hold?

Congrats on your DS

Litlefish is talking about 'biological nurturing' . Definitely worth googling.

When is your midwife seeing you next?

Thank you crikeybadger . I just couldn't remember what it was called. I'm glad you could recognise it from my ridiculously bad description .

Thank you, I've just done a bit of a google for pics/videos of good latches and have tried something slightly different this feed with ok results.

I'll try to find someone to talk to IRL - any of the counsellors particularly recommended?

And other than Lansinoh is there anything I can do about the blisters??

lanisoh is great for blisters. I feel your pain - my nipples were a mess on about day 2 of feeding DD2 - don't know if it was latch or if it was just because she was sucking so hard before my milk came in. It sorted itself out after a day or two (just after I'd paid out for a tube of lanisoh - thinking midwife's freebies would run out - it's still in the cupboard!)

DD2 is 9 months now - and I'm still bfing, good luck x

Can you speak to your MW tomorrow? the normally come in for the first 5 days after you're home so they should be able to give some advice.

You're right the latch is wrong and you'll need to get this corrected to ensure it doesn't get worse.

It will get easier, it was the same when I first started feeding my DS but after a while and help from MW I managed to get him to latch on correctly.

Could try nipple shields (Boots sell them) for short term just till the nipples toughen up a bit (also if your nipples start to bleed it will make baby sick) I used them and they did help. Also the rugby underarm position worked for me too. Good on you for persevering tho! And agree with everyone else if you can get an 'expert' just to take a look at yorur position can really sort you out quickly. Congratulations by the way!