8 days in, cracked to buggery nipples and now mastitis - does it get any easier?!

[babysaurus]

I really, REALLY want to do this but am finding it SO hard! (This is not helped by things clashing with the 5 day post delivery blues...)

My DS has a great latch, but I made the mistake early on of letting him stay on the breast and now my nipples are red raw and very sore. I have had to express and give it to him with a bottle (we have been mixed feeding from the start as he had low blood sugar at birth) which has been okay (if a bit of a faff) but now I have an incredibly painful right boob which, an emergency trip to the GP's today, has been diagnosed as mastitis.

I am going to see a breastfeeding counsellor on Wednesday for help but not sure what else I can do. I am also now paranoid that the anti biotics will give us both thrush but I can't not take them as I am in so much pain (can't lower right arm properly, feels hard and swollen inside, both nipples feel like they are freezing off etc etc.)

I don't want to give up a pathetic week in, but at the same time this is turning into a bit of a nightmare!

Any tips, stories or morale boosters would be very welcome indeed!

I had the same problem when I started to breastfeed my daughter. I found my nipples so painful I used to dread feeding her. I bought nipple shields which helped straight away, without them I don't think I could've carried on. For mastitas I found keeping the breast 'empty' either pumping or getting DS to feed on it helped a lot and u can get microwave gel pads to go on your breasts which helped with the pain. It really does get easier, just takes some getting used to!!

Thank you! Its great to hear from others who have been there too. I have wondered about nipple shields but had concerns about confusing the baby, or whatever it is we are warned about, but perhaps they will be a good idea.

If you keep the breast empty, doesn't that just mean it produces more milk though...? To keep up with the 'demand'? Thats what I was wary of, although been expressing now as it helps relieve and also we can give it to the baby in a bottle.

Hi Babysaurus,

Yes, yes, yes! It does get easier but the first 12 few weeks are a bitch!

I never had mastitis luckily but it does really hurt at first. Are you using lansinoh on your nipples? It really is wonderful stuff. Use it after every feed. As I say, I'm no expert on mastitis but I agree with LisaMWill that I've heard you need to keep the breasts empty, the worst thing you can do is let the milk build up. I think hot baths/ showers help too?

Good luck and hang on in there! I found the pain went away after a couple of weeks max and then you just have to watch out for the growth spurts! x

I was in the same situation - I really really wanted to bf but found it difficult to get DS to latch on properly. It took a while (and a truly wonderful maternity nurse) to get it sorted but we did in the end. However, I then got cracked nipples (so painful) and developed mastitis (think flu for the type of symptoms). Thankfully a quick call to the Dr's and some BF-friendly anti-bio's and it was sorted ... and I can vouch for the white cabbage leaves down the bra really helping .

I had asked my DH to encourage me to continue bf-ing and he did this without making me feel inadequate. I eventually bf my DS for a year.

I can honestly say that I felt bf-ing was important for me to achieve. I did feel desperate at the peak of the mastitis when I was shaking and shivering but the anti-bio's cleared it up very quickly and I didn't get thrush nor did DS.

I think going to see a bf counsellor is a good step. Try not to make yourself anxious and stress as that is just a viscous cycle for both you and your baby. I thoroughly enjoyed bf-ing my son. It was a special time and I was thrilled to be able to do it (especially after those difficult first days).

I don't know if any of this helps. I wish you good luck - stick with it and listen to as much advice as you can and take any advice you think can work for you.

I have been using LOADS of lansinoh, yes. And I agree, it's great (even if it does leave greasy marks all over the place that don't wash out.)

So, expressing is the way forward is it? This won't just make the problem worse?

roguepixie it does help, thank you!

My mastitas side breast did produce a bit more milk but it soon evened out once the mastitas had cleared and the antibiotics do clear it pretty quickly.

It absolutely and totally gets easier! I wish someone had told me just how hard and painful it would be but it really does get better and in no time you will be a total pro! Stick with it - in the very near future you will really appreciate the time you spend feeding your DS (I also appreciated being able to catch up with internet, emails, text messages whilst DD fed happily!)

People don't seem to like them in here but nipple shields really helped me, plus the lanisoh!

I really feel for you, but you're doing great and it really does get easier. I had similar problems, sore, cracked, bleeding nipples and mastitis. I used to dread my dd needing a feed in the early days and spent lots of time in tears. However........5 months on I'm still breast feeding and absolutely love it!!!!! Just do whatever it takes to keep you going (dont listen to any disapproving comments). I used nipple shields, lansinoh before and after feeds, hot showers, warm flannels, cabbage leaves in bra at night, painkillers etc. I also went to an NCT breast feeding group which was fantastic. By 6 weeks I was over the worst so have faith, it is worth persevering if you can. I never thought I would love it so much but already I feel sad about having to give up when I go back to work at the end of the year :)

I don't agree with the expressing advice, the baby is much more efficient than the pump at extracting milk, so lots of direct feeding is best for the mastitis.

Also letting him stay on the breast is a good thing (for your supply and his weight gain/comfort), not bad, and should not damage your nipples if he is indeed latched correctly.

Has he been checked for tongue tie? Many HCPs miss them, especially posterior ones, which can cause the most problems.

I had the same as you and used nipple shields (avent) and found it really helped. Only had to use them for a few days whilsy I healed but it helped me keep going.

Well done, you are doing such a good job, be proud of yourself! X

Yes I agree with sc298. Baby is much more efficient than the pump.

Thank you so much for the replies everybody! You've perked me up no end! x

I have to say, there are so many opinions on what's right / wrong that it's hard to work out what's right for you too (the opinions on nipple shields for instance.) As it's all new to me, and I've already had the problems I have had, it can be very overwhelming (which is hardly what you need 8 days on from having your first baby!) It's good to hear from people who have been there, as opposed to midwives or GP's (the emergency one I saw today clearly didn't know much about it and just knew about what drugs to dole out) too.

Re - mastitis, latch baby onto bad boob first for each feed and keep the boob warm. Shower is lovely for it, then snuggle under a duvet and just keep nice and toasty. Should take a few days for the redness and soreness to go.

It does get easier!

Another vote for Lansinoh here (also good for dry cracked lips!)

It does get better, but it might also be worth seeing a breast feeding councillor (not midwife or health visitor, but someone who really knows what they're talking about)

I had trouble with dd2, a bf councillor sorted us both out!

Good luck and don't beat yourself up if decide not to continue

Oh and congratulations!

Agree with the nipple shields, I read a lot about the confusion but it never happened and once they had stopped bleeding I went back to feeding without.

Congratulations on your DS!

I had a similar start when my DS was born - my nipples got sore and cracked and then when he was about 14do I ended up at the out of hours Dr with possible mastitis and got given antibiotics.

There's some really good advice here on Kellymom for treating mastitis (a really useful website if you haven't come across it yet). Seeing the breastfeeding counsellor sounds a really good idea - if you're sore and not yet starting to get better, then maybe there's something that can be tweaked with your latch, even if you're 90% there. While you're waiting to see her, you could perhaps also call one of the helplines - they are really helpful, and I wished I'd called one sooner.

A few people have mentioned nipple shields. I ended up using them when my DS was a little older, for some feeds because we were still having latching problems. However, he ended up refusing to feed without them for the next few months. Clearly it's better to use them than not BF, but they are a bit of a faff with potential affects on supply too, so if I had my time again I'd use them as a last resort, having explored other options first.

I hope the antibiotics get to work and you're feeling better soon, and that however you get there, you soon find your way to pain-free feeding.

Nipple shields got me through when my nipples were cracked and bleeding. I was so worried that they would cause problems re nipple confusion but that didn't happen and kept me breastfeeding when i otherwise would have stopped.

The GP also confirmed thrush in both me and DD at the 8 week follow up. Gave me some cream to use on my nipples (? Daktarin) and some oral meds for DD (Nystatin). Administering the meds to DD was a total faff. There was no way i ever managed to give her the recommended dose. She often spat out the liquid or vomited (meds plus full feed) shortly after taking them. I am convinced that i never got anywhere near a full dose into DD but nevertheless the thrush passed after a few weeks.

My DD is now 28 weeks old and EBF. Those difficult early weeks seem a long time ago! I don't think i ever cracked a conventional 'good latch' (DD sometimes looked like she was sucking a through a straw!) and certainly never managed to get DD to open her mouth by stroking her top lip but somehow we found our own way and now it's second nature.

Keep going and good luck!