Cracked nipples

[Mamoun]

My baby is 14 weeks and after a bad bronchiolitis during which I have let him be attached to my boobs for naps and sleeping generally (I normally shh-pat him in bed and he drops off) I have a very painful crack on one nipple. Of course it has got to be on the side that generally produces more milk.

I had this issue on both sides at the beginning breastfeeding and I tried everything: breast milk, cream, silver cups... eventually what worked was for me to think I was going to stop altogether as it was agony, give bottles for 24h and realise that after a full 24h without feeding my nipples had healed. It all went very well from then on.

Now I don't know what to do as I worry that if I stop for 24 hours I am going to get engorged and my supply is going to drop off. When I did that previously baby was 7 days old so it was easy to get re-started after the 24 hours break.

Any advice? Baby's asleep now and it hurts!

Anyone?

Can you just feed off one side and pump the sore one just enough to keep up your supply ? That's what I did around this age

Replace feeds on that side with pumping and pop milk in freezer for another day.

I agree, feed off the non-cracked side fir a bit. You can hand express to ease off the engorgement if you don't have a pump.

Also, I found lanolin based creams were excellent for sore nipples. Can't recall the brand right now.

Ouch sending solidarity.
Have you got any nipple shields? These can help or if baby refuses then etc (my eldest would try and chew on them!) Then gently pump.

Put some bm on it and get some multimam compresses from boots. They are expensive but work cut in half and pop on for a hour after a pump.

Thanks! I am already feeling engorged on both sides from giving formula yesterday. It seems that my breast is hyper sensitive. This is why I never pump or does anything as my supply reacts very fact and strong.

I'll have to express, thank you for the advice!

It isn't working. My sore side is super engorged now and expressing reopen the crack anyway so I might as well feed.

Do you think if I ignore it and feed through the pain as of nothing had happened it would still heal?