Is there any chance of healing now or is it time to give up?

[Anchorwoman]

We are day six and dd is doing really well at trying to feed. However my nipples are now way past just being sore. Both are bleeding from the whole of the nipple area and with deep cracks. One is looking as though part of the nipple has started to split away and the skin on both has gone dark brown and then peeled away leaving oozing raw bits. Sorry, graphic.
I have been absolutely determined to continue and have sought advice on latch many times both in hospital and after coming home. Was told uesterday and today that latch was perfect.
I am dreading every feed now and tbh wondering whether to call it a day. Feel so frustrated but even with air drying, industrial strength lansinoh quantities, expressing to alternate feeds with sip cup and constantly checking latch I am at my wits end. I just don't see any way they are going to heal now. Has anyone managed to come back from this stage and carried on? Absolutely any advice would be great, am feeling desperately frustrated and disheartened. It's also starting to affect the way I feel about being with ds, which is awful.

Hi op, sorry I don't have any advice as I never had anything like this but just wanted to show my support and say congratulations and well done on getting this far! please let us know how you and your DD are getting on.

Had weigh yesterday and she has lost weight again. Still within the 10percent window but am very disappointed and worried I'm just not producing enough. Could the shields have done this already?
Spent yesterday waking her up more frequently to feed and then last night she went crazy feeding every half hour from 7 pm to 1 am. Ended up cup feeding ebm and when that was gone cup fed some formula.
Some of the damage is healing over though thank god and I managed to feed without shields all day yesterday. Still taking it one day at a time and she will be weighed again on Sunday. Not sure what I'll do if she hasn't progressed by then as I can't seem to express very much at all.
Latch seems better as not doing damage now so fingers crossed!

anchor it sounds like you are doing fab.

lets hope this mammouth feeding will result in weight increasing and hopefully things are improving from now on.

So many people might have given up by now, but im sure its threads like these that help other people continue on too.

good luck

Anchor my dd took three weeks to get back to her birthweight. I had an amazing bf counsellor who wrote up a plan for me where she predicted it would take three weeks, and it did, to the day. I dealt with the pain by telling myself "just one more feed" and then time went by and things got better and I was able to ditch the shields and things got better still, dd was gaining weight, and then one day I realised it didn't hurt at all. And aside from a two day nursing strike (dd2 at 6m) and a couple of blocked ducts that were fairly quickly resolved, I've had no other problems in 7 years (and a quarter..). In fact dd2 put on 8 ounces in her first five days. So once you are over this very grim patch it will be plain sailing and a distant memory. You are doing amazingly well. I wish you the best of luck. Do allow yourself a few weeks for your baby to get really on track weightwise.

(my DD took 3 weeks to regain her birth weight too, many BF babies i know seemed to have taken about 3 weeks, in the babies i know, its not unusual)

Nanny and helly that's really interesting, HV said she wanted to see birthweight in 10 days. Just shows that babies don't always fit the charts. Been doing much better today and I'm amazed how quickly things have improved with a better latch. Even just feeling more positive generally and that I CAN do this makes all the difference, so thank you!

It really helped me that my bf counsellor had put it all down on paper so that I could show the midwives and HV what was happening and that I was being properly watched and advised. It is so easy to panic with a new baby losing weight, but when someone tells you it is fine and normal and all will be well then it takes the edge off the worry. They did keep an eye on dds weight for a while as she dropped centiles and went down to the bottom, but she's still right on the bottom and she's seven. Tall and very slight and thin. So thats just normal for her.
Feed whenever you can, sleep or rest when ever you can. Eat a lot yourself and keep your fluids up .It will be FINE. (and unmumsnetty x to you for being so great)

Hello, I had really cracked nipples when breastfeeding my ds. A renowed breastfeeding counsellor told me to get a special mesh dressing on prescription from my dr. I can't remember what it was called!it was medicated and was fantastic. My nipples healed. Had to cut it into little squares! I will sleep on it or try to google. It was the author or colleague of the "best feeding".

Anchorwoman my DD2 also lost just under 10% of birthweight and took three weeks to regain it. MWs and HV didn't bat an eyelid. Just goes to show the great variety of health expectations out there.

Sounds like you're doing well despite everything.

I think bluebell is referring to jelonet dressings, I used them too and they were really good.

OP, my dd took almost a month to reach her birth weight, but once her latch was good and she had relearned to suck after her tongue tie snip, she started piling on the ounces. Within days she got rounder and rounder, and I could see her nappies being fuller as well. For us, co-sleeping really helped as she could feed for as long as she wanted and still helps herself through the night. Also, I personally found that keeping my nipples uncovered helped so I bought an old fashioned nursing bra that "drops" on each breast while still supporting it around. Similar to this one (but not specific one) www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B002YU2UHK/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ei=D1puT4edEeTX0QW35bWNAg&sa=X&ref_=asc_df_B002YU2UHK7127551&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&ved=0CHAQgwgwAA&creative=22134&creativeASIN=B002YU2UHK

I wore it without a top whilst in the house, looked a bit like a cabaret performer but it was a relief not too feel any fabric rubbing against me - just lansinoh and jelonet.

Well done, it sounds like you're doing really well!

Anything to update anchor? Hope everything is going okay.

Hi nappym and diamond, been a bit of a hair raising week but yes, good news in the end.

Dd has been losing weight despite best efforts and strict 2 hourly bf regime for a few days. Better latch has helped healing lots so able to carry on without shields,, although still she couldn't seem to get enough down her. Anyway we have turned the corner now and she is gaining thank goodness. I have to say that nips still look dreadful - one side very deep crater, but feels better and I can see new skin coming back. Have been totally concentrating on how bf feels and not 'technique' as such. Just want to get back to birth weight now!

Keep going, it sounds like you're managing really well in the face of some pretty tough hurdles.

IME cracked and damaged nipples often do look dreadful right until they're nearly healed, because the new skin develops from underneath. Keeping the wound moist with something like a tiny smear of vaseline or lanolin is essential to stopping the pain. The pain of a scab being sucked off at every feed is excruciating, but a tiny dab of one of those creams after each feed and then any excess gently wiped off before the next can make a world of difference. As can paracetamol or ibuprofen. If it feels comfortable, or at least more comfortable than before then you are on the right track .