bf positioning to avoid cracks

[caeleth]

Need a little advice on how to position ds (2weeks) to tr to avoid the massive, painful cracks in my nipples... anyone know how i should be aligning him to minimize the damage done? THe cracks are mainly on the outside top part of each nipple - so on left boob it's on the top left side and vice versa.

Didn't want to leave this unanswered. But without watching it would be hard to know what to suggest

Maybe calling bfn or LLL to see if someone could do a home visit or if there are any groups you could go to for support would help

I'm sure if you ask your HV she'll get a BF adviser to help you. In the meantime it's nose towards nipple so it's resting on baby's top lip. Use bucket loads of lansinoh. I used nipple sheilds from 3 weeks. You have my sympathy as BF with sore nipples is agony but it'll pass and is sooooooo worth it x

i would see if you can get to a breastfeeding counsellor and get his latch checked.

Thanks, have had latch checked and it's good now, but the cracks i got right st the start are taking forever to heal and are bloody painful. Seems likethey start to heal between each feed but just don't get enough of a break. I'm guessing that when he feeds it'll be harder on one side rsther than a completely even pressure all the way aroubd (if that makes sense), so was kinda hoping that i could try to find s position that'll be better and help nipple heal quicker.

Usng shields atm, but he can't empty boob with it so it'd only for the initial sucks - helps a little at least :-)

Sorry I can't help, but it will pass. I had sore, cracked and bleeding nipples with DD1, so much so I almost cried with pain. DD1 was bf until 15mo and DD2 is still bf (now 8mo).

Lots of nipple cream, "airing" your nipples with a bit of breast milk brushed over the top and talk to a lactation counsellor to make sure your baby is latched on properly. It will get better!

Have you tried laying down to feed or even laying him across cushions next to you (not across your lap)? It might change the position enough to give the sore parts a rest.

A friend with twins has them laid in a V shape with the 2 heads in the middle and tucked under her arms. You could try that.

Very much sympathy - I've been suffering from a similar problem and it's agony! I've found that getting as much of the breast as humanly possible inside DD's mouth helps. So I try and squeeze lots in once she's latched. Dangle feeding also helps, as does lying her on her back on my knee, and sort-of milking my breast into her mouth with both hands.

Is there any chance you could have nipple thrush? The crack on my nipple was v slow to heal and when I finally went to the GP, she thought it was thrush and prescribed me some treatment - it's clearing up now and the pain's getting much better. If it is thrush, don't use lansinoh or hydrogel breast pads, as they provide a perfect environment for it to flourish...

Moist wound healing will heal cracks twice as fast as air drying, will lead to no/minimal scabs forming and the skin heals from the bottom of the crack up.

You can get moist wound healing dressings from chemists (one brand name is Jelonet but the chemist may have a generic brand on sale that's cheaper) or you can try using lansinoh/lanolin ointment or even vaseline (but remove vaseline before feeding) on a breast pad as a make shift dressing.

What's dangle feeding?

I've been drying with a bitt f milk and then applying an ointment for wound healing (or sth like that, i dunno howto translate it properly) recommended by mw. Leaving to open air as much as possible. So i guess it's keeping mostly moist? Should i still get dressings?

Was at gp to check for thrush a week ago, but he didn't think it was. Notsure how muc i trust his opinion though, he also gave me the wrong dose of antibiotics for mastitis...maybe i should go back again.

Any idea how long it should (theoretically) take to heal a propercrack?

Dangle feeding is basically getting on all fours over your baby, and dangling the boob in his/her mouth. For me, this helped to avoid the crack, and the gravity also helps the milk to drain.

Aah, interesting. Will have to trythat too, thanks :-)