Raw bleeding nipples (TMI) with 6 day old baby, how long to heel? Long feeds or comfort?

[absandme]

I do wonder how many people would have given up by now?

My DD is 6 days old, I can't work out which is better for my nipples, air or lansinoh stuff?

They are agony on latch but then settle down.

Both are raw & bleed & then stick to my breast pads/bra or t-shirt depending if they are having a bit of air. I can't let the shower go directly on them. I can't touch them & I nearly cry when she latches.

How long (whilst in use) will they take to heal/improve? Anything else I can do?

Also:
She's a good feeder & drinks well but then slows right down and moves her jaw rather than sucks - does this action still promote milk production or is it just comfort - if it's just comfort I don't want to sit there for a further 20mins with agony nipples. I know it's early days but feel she's using me for comfort a little too much at the end of a feed. It's only sometimes she will have any big sucks in the last 20mins of a half hour feed.

Sorry to be so novice.... this has probably been answered hundreds of times!

Thanks in advance ;-)

About four or five more days. Squeeze out some milk and massage it in. Also as much air exposure as possible. Take paracetamol too, it's worth it, the first two weeks are by far the worst.

If you get any swollen hot red lumps then massage them out in the shower or a warm bath, blocked ducts are painful.

Try nipple shields, they are frowned on by the experts but they saved my life and my ability to breastfeed. Obviously not a ling term solution though.

oh I feel for you.

I had this with dd2, and am just going through it again wth ds (2 weeks old tomorrow)

wet healing is what you need, so definitely keep up with the lansinoh. I also use Jelonet (can get it in pharmacies) - it's a type of vaseline impregnated gauze - on top of the lansinoh. it means that not all the cream/vaseline soaks into clothes.

with dd2, I had more or less healed within 48 hours of beginning lansinoh/jelonet regime. with ds it has taken nearer 4 days, but all is fine now (just about)

I second nipple shields! Worked brilliantly for me just as a temporary barrier so nips could heal and dd didn't care! Also not good for babies to drink your blood - well done for persevering

Try and get to a breast feeding support group, not only will you then find others who will be in the same boat, but a professional can check her latch to ensure this problem won't reoccur. That said it is very normal and reading your post bought back the memories. I managed to feed up to 6 months so don't think you can't get past it.

Mine settled about day ten, I still use a bit of lanisoh after feeds though just incase. Because my nipples were too sore to massage anything in I let them air dry and then splodged a load of lanisoh into a breast pad and pressed it onto my nipples.

You poor thing - I was you a few weeks ago. DS2 now nearly 7 weeks but the first 2-3 weeks were awful. I had cracked, bleeding nipples (both) and major engorgement issues. I eventually healed sometime around week 3 and by week 4 I realised it had stopped hurting.

I recommend the following:

Layer up brufen & paracetamol every 2-4 hours.
Moist healing - I couldn't bear to touch my nipples so put big blobs of Lanisoh on breast pads and squished against nipple.
Get some hydrogel pads - Tommee Tipee do a 3 pair pack. They are expensive but cooling and speed healing.
Wear breast shells from time to time - they help engorgement and let a bit of air circulate. When you take them out make sure you put Lanisoh or similar on again. If you let your nipples get dry they will scab over which then gets broken off if it sticks to your bra or pad.

Best of luck. If it helps it does get better and I'm so glad I stuck with it now. I know it's agony though. I cried through whole feeds.

No it really doesn't need to hurt you need most wounded healing, you've already had some good suggestions on how to do that.

Then you need some good help with breastfeeding, with the right positing and attachment it really shouldn't hurt even in the early days. Some one needs too watch a whole feed from star to finish. Either your midwife or possibly a local breastfeeding group or ringing one of the helplines. No need to carry on in pain.