Help! Ds2 is 6mo and suddenly I have cracked nipples - what's going on?

[Olihan]

Ds2 is 6mo and exclusively bf with a bit of solids. Never had any probs with latch, cracks, etc but over the last 2 days feeds have become really painful, especially on the right side and it's starting to crack. I'm slapping on the Lansinoh but it's toe curlingly sore while he's feeding.

What do I do? He feeds 8-9 times a day, he's not teething as far as I can tell but he's sleeping very badly and using me as a dummy at night (we're co sleeping) but that's not unusual and I haven't had these problems from it before.

Will it affect my supply if I just feed on the left for a while to let the right one heal?

Help, please, I don't want things to get worse!

bump

Oli - would nipple shields be of any help? I know they're frowned on but if it's only for a short space of time it may help you

Any chance you may be premenstral and getting sore breast because of that which would make constant sucking more uncomfortable?

I used to have a similar with my DS2 although he used to pull my nipples when he came off the breast - I think it was a bit of sport and he just like the 'pop'! Little tinker! It got a bit much at certain times of the month though!

Do you express at all? If you do, you could always express from the painful side (and then cup / bottle feed the ebm), to keep supply up, and let him feed directly on the other... it should heal in 24 hours or so.
Even tho you've been bfing for 6 months, you can still call a bfc to double check the position and latch and try to work out why it has happenend in the first place. My ds is 5 mo and so interested in the world around him that he keeps pulling off to have a gander - so my nips are a bit sore from that I think ... could it be something like that for you?

Thanks all. Will have a look for my nipple shields later if it carries on.

Pmt is a good thought, haven't had a period yet, so could be. He's definitely nosy and also likes to pull my boobs about while he's feeding so I guess they're getting abit of a battering all ways round.

Didn't think about expressing, as long as it doesn't hurt I'll do it!

Olihan, I had the same problem in the early days & just expressed on my right side for a few days which gave my right boob time to heal. I've also used nipple shields (DS used to feed for hours on end when he was tiny!) & found these brilliant too!