HHow long before the painful cracked nipples are better and breast feeding becomes a pleasure?

[Mamab33]

First time Mum. Baby feeds really well. Nipples are sore and cracked and constantly erect. Can't even wear a bra or a top so stuck indoors. How long does it take to heal and get into the swing of things? No problem with latch or tongue tie.

For me, less than 2 weeks. But then, I wasn't so bad I couldn't wear clothes. I did bleed though!

Thank you. Any top tips? Have tried lasinoh and now trying to keep them moist to aid the healing. Assuming that most people go through this before the nipples get used to their new job! It helps to know that I'm not alone.

Are you using lanisoh before and after every feed?
Might be worth a visit to a BF milk spot if you haven't already to see if your latch could be improved.

Well done - it does get better v quickly. In a few short weeks this will all be a distant haze.

For me only when we stopped the 4/5 hour evening cluster feeds (which in our case happened at about 10 weeks when we added an evening bottle of formula or expressed). At that point they healed within a week (continuing with the Lansinoh).

Now at 25 weeks I still love it and she is taking less and less formula in the evening: rarely more than 100ml now. Not sure why the change but it helped us a lot at the time!

No tongue tie here but a very strong suck and not the deepest latch (though the various BF groups I went to seemed to think it was OK).

Good luck! It will get better and when it does it is the loveliest thing. But do bear in mind that mixed feeding works for lots of people (I was very resistant but in the end it worked for me).

Mine have healed by two weeks and it's not painful now. Started with an okay latch but not deep enough, so my nipples got mashed and cracked. I resorted to breast shields, which not everybody likes, but they gave my nipples time to heal. I also read up about deep latch technique and un-latched dd everytime she latched on poorly.

Now at 12 weeks but probably for about 2 weeks it's fine, where there's no pain, no soreness and it's actually comfortable. I remember with my first thinking I must remember that first 3 months is the hardest and after that you don't even notice!

Wear some breast shells in your bra after feeding to allow the nipple to breathe and have air around it. I found these a life saver!

Thank you so much! It is always more difficult when things are difficult through the night. Just fed there and it was much less painful. I'll look into the deep latch technique and the shells.

In the meantime my DH has hollowed out grapes, which are moist and cooling. Desperate times...desperate measures!

About 10 weeks for me.

Lanolin cream and heat/massage helped. And letting the bangers hang free indoors.

The erect Ness I've found eases on/after a hot bath or shower. Give them a rub. Sometimes milk is caught in there and it frees it up.

Weeks!?! NOOOO - DAYS!!!! as in under 2 weeks!

Thank you squizita!

2 weeks here. Lots of lansinoh before and after. I rate Lush dream cream too for all round too. Still happily bfing 8 months later. Good luck x

Thanks toads

By the third week I was in agony and constant tears. As a last resort I pumped for two days. It was enough time to heal and I continued to pump at least once a day for another eleven months so dh could give dd her evening fed. Hang in there it will get better

How are you doing MamaB? Have you tried different positions eg rugby ball? That can help sometimes.

Hi, I had the same pain at 1-2 weeks and almost gave up! Then almost overnight it stopped. I used loads of lanisoh cream and also cold Savoy cabbage leaves out the fridge tucked in my bra - the MW recommends it. It's really soothing and stops tender nipples sticking to your bra - apparently savoy leaves have healing properties! It will pass :-)

Thanks. I'm hanging in there. Still scabbed and sticking to my bra. Feeding is less painful because I've been working on the deeper latch, which has helped massively. Still have the slight dread of every feed...can't wait to heal and enjoy feeding my baby.

I heard that cabbage leaves were to stop your supply when it came time to stop feeding....is that wrong? I'happily walk about with them in my bra to stop sticking and get some relief!

Hi Mama, I think cabbage leaves are generally recommended for engorgement and sore breasts but not to stop the supply of milk as far as I know.

I had really sore nipples this time around with DD (didn't at all with DS) for about the first two weeks, the midwife advised the key was to make sure my nipples didn't dry out and were kept moist. I became quite obsessed with putting on the lanisoh cream but it really made a difference. I was also really careful with the latch at every single feed but it sounds as though you already have that sorted.

I hope the soreness goes for you soon. DD is now 7 weeks and it's lovely now I'm enjoying it so much. It was literally just those first two weeks, I really hope it's the same for you.

Was painful the first couple of weeks (also like you had cracked nipple / bleeding). Was definitely better after a couple of weeks though, and pain-free after 4 weeks. May I suggest you try nipple shields for a few days? They really helped me. Also use loads of nipple cream. Would however be lying if I said it was a 'pleasure' now in the sense that I find it quite draining, although my DD is a particularly hungry lady so I definitely feel that I've just turned into a feeding machine. xx

Mine healed as soon as the tongue-tie was sorted. I was also religious with application of lansinoh before and after each feed.
I found a deeper latch much less painful. Hang in there, it will get better.
Have you taken any painkillers?

It took 2 weeks for mine to heal. Still bf'ing at 16 months and of again! The key to recovery, for me, was lots of lasinoh, airing the boobs and feeding in a different position (rugby ball) to take the pressure off the cracked area. It was agony at the time, I found the initial latch the worst so used to close my eyes, deep breathe, count to ten and then look at DD's little face. Once it healed, breastfeeding was a breeze and we haven't had any more problems.

Hope you feel better soon :)

Pg, not of! Bloomin autocorrect!

Thank you for your support. Bunny that is exactly what it is like. I have a chunk missing from one nipple but it is getting better. Have paracetamol and volterol for c section pain. To be honest breast pain is worse!

I found slathering on the lansinoh before and after every feed helped. Plus in between whenever I remembered.

If you google Dr Jack Newman and look up the exaggerated latch videos they might help. But I agree you need to see someone who specialises in tongue tie.