4 day old EBF baby with colic and cracked nipples

[Gerty1002]

DS is 4 days old and despite initial latch problems which caused very sore nipples we were doing ok.

Now it seems he has colic and has been so distressed that I can't get him to latch properly and my nipples are in tatters. Feeding seems to be the only thing that settles him but I cant face the pain

We've had to give in and give him formula top up tonight but expressing in hope of using EBM to give my nipples a break.

DS will not settle at all and DP and I are having to do hourly shifts of holding him and sleeping.

Any advice? Breastfeeding support worker and midwife coming tomorrow but somehow need to get through the night.

It's exhausting but you'll get there! Is he having wet and dirty nappies, has your milk come in? Re nipples I was advised by midwife to leave them open to air as much as poss with a couple of drops breast milk on to aid healing - ie no bra/pads etc on whenever you can.

You're doing great and sounds like you have the right support on the way tomorrow.

Brilliant that you have RL help arriving tomorrow. For tonight, white noise (you can download a free app, DD liked rainfall) or swaddling might help a bit to calm him down. Lanisnoh for your nipples if you have it! If not breastmilk and airdry as Grainmum says.

You are doing so well! Day 4 is known to be the hardest day. Congratulations

First of all don't worry he won't starve if he is only 4 days old. He might just be fussy feeding for comfort. Put him on you skin to skin and pat his bottom. Listening to your heart beat will be familiar to him and patting his bottom will give the sensation of being in the womb.

If you don't have any see if in the morning you can get lansinoh - a little tube will do. Apply it to your nipples and then cover them in cling film. This helps the lansinoh be absorbed rather than being rubbed off on your clothes.

Take a look inside the roof of his mouth when he cries. You will see a nipple shaped indent. That is what you are aiming for with your nipple. There is a bewildering array of techniques but essentially aim your nipple as far back and up into his soft palate as poss when his mouth is as wide as poss. Being a bit uncomfortable initially is normal but excruciating agony is not so if if hurts after a count if ten slide your little finger into his mouth to break the suction deal, take a deep breath and start again.

Keep persevering - it's worth it in the end! I had a really rocky start bfeeding my Dd1 as she was tongue tied. Once we had fought the system to get it treated on the NHS, it was a lot easier. I fed her until she was 14 months old then 9 months later had twins! (Oops). They don't have tongue tie but I had forgotten how to breastfeed and gave myself cracked and bleeding nipples again. I know it is worth the fight - not least because it makes getting out the house so much easier not having to cart around formula and night feeds are easy .

Ultimately don't beat yourself up he will be OK.

Day 4 was hell. We ended up giving formula. Cracked nipples and milk not abundant and a crying baby rooting for food. It felt the right thing to do for us.
If you're worried about bottles could you try cup feeding formula or expressed. We sometimes do with the sterilised bottle lid as a cup.

Could one if you hold him (you) and the other give back massages (dp)??

Thanks for all your comments, I was frantically expressing at that point in the hope of having something for the next feed after giving in to formula for the previous one. Hated giving him formula but he settled straight away and slept for four hours, which was a godsend.

Only managed to get one ounce even though they were really full and sore, but used nipple shields for next feed... what a godsend. I think these are the way forward until nipples are healed.

Plenty of wet and dirty nappies though a lot of his dirty ones are more splats after passing a lot of wind iyswim - he screams in agony until he does this then is fine. I wind him during and after feeding so really not sure why he gets so windy. Hopefully HCPs who are visiting today will be able to help.

Gerty, I hope the real life help you get today makes a difference.

It's very early to be diagnosing colic and wind - your difficulties are probably down to problems getting a comfortable attachment that's pain free for you and effective for him. Once that gets sorted, things should be better.

Don't worry about wind or winding at this stage.

Thanks tiktok, I was just going by what the midwife said when I rang the post natal ward for advice. Hopefully it's just the case that we're still getting the hang of it.

No one can diagnose colic in a baby just a few days old - in order to meet the usual definition the baby has to be crying inconsolably for 3 hours most days for at least three weeks www.patient.co.uk/health/baby-colic-leaflet.

No one knows what it is, anyway!