Help! Sore & weeping nipples

[decaffeinated]

My DS is 6 days old, and we are getting established with breast feeding.

On his very first feed, he drew blood on my nipple. I wanted immediate breast feeding, and feeling a bit bewildered after my c-section let him stay on the boob for ages, and didn't realise this was happening til it was too late.

The midwife said that he was latching okay, then left me to it, so I thought I was doing fine.

He's a bit of a muncher in BF style, and now my nipples are sore, weeping & cracked - my right one worse than my left, but the left is still cracked.

They're quite deep cracks.

I'm using Lansinoh lanolin cream, and am walking round with my boobs out (oh the dignity of it all! ), catching the abundant milk in breast pads, and keeping the nipples moist. I bought some nipple shields today to give my poor nips a break for a day or so, and so I will still be able to feed. DS doesn't seem to mind these so we're still feeding well.

I wondered whether anyone else has experienced this, whether it gets easier, and how they got over it. Are there any special hints and tips to get things a bit more comfortable?

I missed out on my natural birth, and feel very strongly that I want to BF.

Any advice much appreciated!

oh you poor thing,. your nipples really, really shouldn't be cracked or bleeding at all.

this is nearly always down to bad latch. I would urge you to ring one of the breastfeeding lines tomorrow morning, and see if you can get a counsellor to come and watch you feeding LO and fix it.

here numbers.

decaff, do ring and get help for your latch and positioning, it can and will be much better. i have been through similar and the earlier you get help the better.

oh decaff, how awful. I have been there. it does get easier and less painful, once you have sorted the latch out. Keep lathering on the Lansinoh, you're doing all the right things.

You could also try Jelonet - it's a kind of gauze with vaseline - you put little squares of it over nipples between feeds.

Let us know how you're getting on.

You are doing all the right things. Take a look at www.drjacknewman.com/ for great help on position/latch etc if you are looking for clues which might help you. Good luck! I went through something similar in the first couple of weeks, you can get through it.

Oh - and keep pumping in whatever painkillers you're allowed, even if the scar etc feel a bit better, it will let you keep feeding in more comfort.

Hello all,

Thanks for your advice, will call the advice lines tomorrow, and the jacknewman website and see whether we can get it 'cracked'.

The Jelonet sounds good too. It's very reassuring to hear it gets better. I think the main prob is that where the cracks have started and I've just trucked on there's been no chance for healing. Roll on it getting easier and the ole nips toughening up...

ouch, been there, did manage to keep feeding and now dd is 12 months so it was worth it

hold a picture in your mind of you and your baby in a few weeks time, blissfully bf, all problems sorted
repeat endlessly, you can get there and get this sorted, one feed at a time
pay really close attention to every feed to minimise the pain, the cracks will heal once the latch is sorted but it will take a little time.
have you tried a 'deep latch' - good for reducing pain www.pumpstation.com/pumpstation/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_id=3228
also might be worth trying
in the meantime make sure you keep your nips v clean (as in, don't do what I did and put the lanisoh on without washing your hands first)

Gah, it's hell isn't it?

Lots of MNers swear by Silverette

Nipple shields also helped me through a very bad patch lasting a day or so but received wisdom is one needs to be careful in case of nipple confusion.

yes i forgot ,i tried silverettes too and they helped with mild soreness...

Hello, just thought I'd pop back to say that things are steadily getting better with my sore nips.

I've been using nipple shields, and also breast shells in between feeds to catch the drips (sooo much better than pads which were ripping the healing tissue off!).

Midwife has also been round to help with positioning, although the latch all seems to be good.

The shields saved my boobs, but now, bubs is into them and not so into the bare nipple, so we're just about to start weaning off them! Thankfully though, my boobs are feeling bearable again, and feeding getting easier so it seems a small price to pay! Thanks again for the reassurance