Cracks...

[Jenijena]

Looking for sympathy and ideas for cracks that won't go away. Been bfing for 21 weeks now (yay!) but I've never got rid of the cracks on my nipples, which are vast (one J shaped, one Y shaped) and fairly deep. One is spreading and bleeding intermittently again :(.

I've had my latch checked countless times at bf clinics, by different people, DS doesn't seem to have tongue tie, (one person thought possibly but its too thick to cut) and gone through tubes of lanisoh/pads that are supposed to help/other things from "that shelf" in boots.

I'm so proud of breastfeeding this far, but so tired of my nipples hurting all the time. If I rest one side by expressing, the other gets more mashed.

Are your nipples mishapen after feeds?

When do they hurt? During feeds, after, always?

This sounds like it could be latch-related (even though you've had it checked), it might be worth trying different positions.

It also sounds a bit like thrush ...

Get rechecked for tongue tie. Same issues here eventually ENT doctor agreed and its beginning to make a difference and also see a qualified lactation consultant.

My left nipple is completely flat and gets sucked out during feeds, the right one (which is currently bleeding) doesn't seem to change. Latching. On hurts and they're always tender, but with the worsening crack on the right hand side that's hurting all the time.

Had deep breast pain for wks 1-10, was a group B strep infection (!?) in my milk which went with third type of antibiotics. My GP practice (all of them) is adamant breast thrush doesn't exist and with the weeks of agonising pain I went through the mill then I'm not expecting sympathy if I go back, as bottle seemed to be their only suggestion.

Hi Jeni, I had the same problem as you with cracks that wouldn't heal, despite having had my latch corrected, and I'm only at 11 weeks, not 21 so I'm in awe of how you've got that far!

The one thing that made a difference for me was breast shells, also available from "that shelf" in Boots! They keep your bra/breast pad from rubbing against/putting pressure on your nipples which gave mine the chance to heal. At the same time keep using your Lansinoh on the cracks so they don't dry out and open up again which will make them bleed.

I had tried everything and breast shells were my last resort and whilst progress was slow, my nipples which were in an absolutely horrendous state are now fully healed so I hope it works for you too.

As you will know they won't heal though if the source of the problem isn't corrected so keep going to your local BF group to get your latch checked on a regular basis if things aren't getting better. I'm not sure about a tongue tie being too thick to cut? But if you think your LO could have a TT I would definitely get a second opinion. Who looked at it before? Unfortunately lots of HCPs miss or mis diagnose TTs so you need an expert... Try the infant feeding advisers at your hospital or a trained lactation consultant as your first port of call.

Finally, another poster mentions thrush. What does the pain feel like and when does it happen? Thrush pain is usually a deep burning/stabbing pain, often deep in the breast, that continues throughout and often after feeds. There may also (but not necessarily) be thrush in your LO's mouth - a thick white coating on the tongue. If instead the pain is "just" (!) when latching on and at the start of feeds, it's more likely to be due to the cracks you've got rather than thrush.

Hope this helps. Good luck and HTH.

Thanks Yorkshire rose, I haven't triedbreastshells for weeks so maybe I'll give them another go. Did you wear them all the time (contemplates madonna bra look!) I've been going to the hospital bf clinic (with lac consultants) and midwife led bf group in the community, so I think I'm seeing the right people.

A combination of non-healing nipple damage and antibiotics is practically laying out a welcome mat for thrush. I'd ask the BFing specialists you're seeing about it - the first-line topical treatments for it don't require a prescription so you can keep your moronic and clearly male GPs out of it, if they think that's what it might be. If it needs a course of fluoconazole, beat your GP around the head with these leaflets until it's prescribed for you.

Jenijena have u tried jelonet? It worked for me when my nipples cracked dreadfully when ds2 was about 2 weeks old. U can get it from pharmacies. It's a moist mesh dressing and works like lansinoh but better.

I was eventually diagnosed with reynauds phenomenon on my nipples and given a 2 week course of calcium channel blockers. I now have no pain, although I have other bf issues. Wish someone had mentioned it with ds1 when I gave up bfing after 4 weeks due to the pain.

Ha Elpheba, female as well as male. Isn't going to happen at that surgery. The BFN leaflet was described as 'rubbish, I don't believe it, it can't exist'. DS has no signs of thrush. I'm just aware that the agonising (childbirth is better) pain I had in deeply, milk samples tested +ve for infection and three types and four lots of antibiotics later, it had gone. The bf specialists don't think I have thrush now (though thought I did earlier).

I hadn't heard of jelonet, I will go to the chemists.