I've been advised by a breastfeeding friend that I should harden my nipples before my baby is born. Any ideas?

[BellaBear]

My midwife didn't know what this meant. Does anyone on here?

Load of rubbish IMO.

Ah. Right!

I wasn't very helpful really was I? I have heard of it but, from experience, unless you plan on getting someone to suck on them for half an hour at a time every 4 hours or so then it's not going to help.

The key to avoiding soreness is to take your time getting the baby latched on correctly each time. Each time I've had problems it's been because I've been frustrated by a starving baby and shoved them on - one feed and the damage is done.

Yep - complete tosh IMO, too.

agree with soupdragon - sounds abit odd and nevre heard of it before.
Just buy a tube of Lansinoh

Actually, it is quite helpful, I trust the advice I get on here

Have been given a gift of Lansinoh. Am currently using it as lip balm

I'm getting quite worried by the whole breastfeeding thing, I'm desperate to do it, I just hear so many stories of how difficut it is, it is a bit intimidating!

Thanks for all responses!

Did she say it in some sort of jokey way?

There is no way to toughen your nipples. Just make sure you have a good contact list for when you do have the baby, so you know who to phomne for help if you need it.

It's only as difficult as you make it in my experience, with MN to help you at every turn you'll be fine

No, she hadn't and had had a friend who said she did and she wishes she had.

Too many 'shes'. Does that make sense?

Thanks Pillock

What a bizarre thing to type!

I mean "thanks pillock" is a bizarre thing to type

every nipple is different. And so is every baby.
Personally I never had pain, not with dd and not with ds. Apart from when he bit me when he was teething.
Each feeding mother has a slightly different experience to the next feeding mother.

OMG Lansinoh is £10 a tube, I wouldn't waste it on lips !!!

I agree with all the PP no need to do anything to nipples before breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is a learnt skill and although some mums and babies manage fine on their own, for the rest of us here are the experts numbers.

Print these numbers out and keep in case you have difficulty.
Breastfeeding Help Lines
National Childbirth Trust 0870 444 8708
La Leche League 0845 120 2918
Breastfeeding Network 0844 412 4664
Association for Breastfeeding Mothers 08444 122 949

HTH

BellaBear - CONGRATULATIONS on your pg. my advice buy good BF bra, nice PJ's, some clinique goodies all for you as a treat.

and tell your "friend" that you will harden your nipples when she boils her head

silly arsed advice

thank you, thank you

(I always feel so grateful when people reply to my posts)

Yes, expensive lipbalm, only used a tiny bit but it COMPLETELY sorted out my dry lips for a day, which is amazing. Won't overdo it. Promise!

Thanks scottishmummy

to be fair, it was a friend of a friend's advice, my friend is very sensible and has suffered quite a bit from mastitis but is determined to continue - and just wanted to pass on what she had heard

it is a really old granny's tale from yesteryear. funny that it popped up

Is it? That's very interesting!

I have heard of this! My sister's best mate lives in Germany and she was advised to loofah her nipples twice a day through pregnancy to "toughen them up" for breastfeeding!!!!!!!(oooooouuuuuucccccchhhhh!)
I don't think she did it but she seemed to think it was widely accepted practice in Germany........
Anyone from Germany can you confirm or deny this???!!!

I might be making this up to fit in with your post (I think I do things like that quite a lot) but I think my friend's friend is German. So that makes sense.

omg. either german women's nipples are made of stuff different from mine or they are into a bit of s&m. (sorry, i know how bad that sounds but that was my first thought.) my nipples were so sore through my entire pg even clothing irritated them.

I know I can't imagine doing it! the first three months esp. my whole breasts were so swollen and tender i could barely touch them let alone........ohh owww just makes me flinch thinking about it!!

A hairdresser told me to do this as well .. never actually did it. Agree is load of rubbish. Luckily mine didn't hurt at all but I can't imagine how this would have helped anyway.

You don't need to do anything. The idea.