Bizarre bf injury - need advice please

[ScrambledSmegs]

Long story short, I burnt my nipple this week . No blister, but took off top layer of skin, it's a little weepy and it is very painful. It's on the side, not the top which is better than it could have been, I suppose.

Anyway, I'm ploughing on with bf nearly 5mo dd but it's AGONY. Keeping it exposed as much as possible waves at neighbours , using Lansinoh to soothe and heal it, and breast pads to stop it sticking to my bra!

I've never used nipple shields but am seriously considering it to help poor ole nippy heal. Would it cause bf problems? Dd doesn't take bottles and I really don't want to fuck it all up when it's been going so well.

You may now point and laugh. I am a twat, I know

You have to tell us how you burnt it!

::helpful::

Not laughing - sounds really painful! My advice is based on having had a seriously sore, cracked nipple - simply stop feeding on the burnt side for a while. Gently express from that side while feeding from the other so you don't get engorged or other problems, but don't let baby suck on the sore nipple for a few days to give it time to heal. You can then either let baby have the expressed milk (if he/she will take a bottle) or freeze for later. Hope this helps.

Oh, smegs, can I laugh first and then be helpful?! You poor thing. How on earth did you manage that?

I found breast shields really, really helpful when I had cracked, fissured, bleeding nipples with DS. It was easier than peeling off healing skin on the breast pads each time.

Given your supply is now well established, could you avoid that side for feeds for a day and do expressing from that side instead? (Not an expert, just thinking off the top of my head.)

Firstly thank you to everyone who's been helpful, and at those laughing . I have some kamillosan, will use that. Thank you! I'll get some nipple shields too, worth a try. Dino I'll give it a go, but I can't hand express and the idea of the pump makes my eyes water!

Right. I'm shattered as DD is sleeping badly. I had a loaf of bread in the oven. Dd2 needed feeding shortly before it was ready, so when the oven beeped I put her down mid-feed, boob still out (as you do!) and removed it from the oven. DD was yelling while I was trying to remove bread from tin, I was massively distracted and somehow I managed to brush the edge of the tin with my nipple.

I spent the next few hours with wet cotton wool pads in my bra.

Ooh, ouch Smegs, hope it heals soon

I would recommend hydrogel wound shields. I used them for nipple trauma. You can keep them in the freezer - so soothing! I think Tommee Tippee might sell them but I got mine from the pharmacy.

Hmm. Kamillosan is chamomile not calendula, who'd a thunk it? Cognitive abilities impaired too, I see!

Those hydrogel things sound goooooood. I've tried the expressing a little milk and leaving it on, but not so practical unless in bed.

I'll look back and laugh, I know . Thank you everyone

Hi Smegs, no advice I'm afraid, just coming to point and laugh

But I do hope you feel better soon you clumsy twat!

Gen I'm not normally such a graceless oaf! It's the sleep deprivation, it does strange things to my motor skills .

I'm sure others have done equally stupid things?

I would keep this moist - so put whatever cream on it you're happy with, and then put clingfilm on top of that. This is recommended for burn treatment anyway, and it helps keep your nipple moist.

If you burned your lip, you'd keep it moist all the time, right? Same thing goes for nipples. (And actually, burns always heal better if they're moist.)

NQC thank you! I knew that you were supposed to keep burns damp, having recently burnt my hand (spotting a theme here?) but for some reason I didn't think it applied to nipples. I shall apply cream and dig out the clingfilm forthwith.

Harriet you have made me very happy indeed

Kamillosan is excellent for sore nipples too.

Soz, Smegs, couldn't resist. And can I suggest it wasn't just tiredness but also the fact that you may have been daydreaming about a certain Paul Hollywood as you baked your luvverly bread...?

Nah. If his hands were attached to someone tasty then maybe, but he's a badger in human form!

Cor, can you imagine if Richard Armitage baked bread?

Lol! Bread badger!

Oh, and sorry to hear about your injury, I don't think I did this exact thing while BF, but I certainly did my share of stupid things.

How are you doing now?

Hello! I thought this thread had died. Thanks for asking stargirl, the burn is loads better.

However, I now have a new problem, due to keeping the wound moist as per instructions. Thrush! Ah well, short course of anti-fungal cream, oral stuff for DD and burning my bras should see us right

Hey, I can't get this thread out my mind!!!! What a place for a burn! Glad to hear things have improved (kinda). I hope you get back to normal soon.