Tips for breastfeeding with inverted nipples

[MoshiMoshi]

Since my first child (I am due soon with number 4) I have found that my nipples have become quite inverted. Before children, they used to be flattish but were quite perky with the cold/stimulation.

When I had DC1 (breastfed for 9 months), he breastfed beautifully but had a preference for my left boob which I think was due to his being yanked out by ventouse giving him a bit of a crick to his neck. This resulted in a bit of a Super-Boob which, for DC2 (who breastfed for one year), was the more productive boob. So naturally, she found it easier to suckle from the left side. The nipple on the right side also became quite enlarged and tough (maybe through neglect?) so that it wasn't until she was 6 weeks old that I was able to get her to latch onto that side as her mouth couldn't get round it easily. Up to then I had to express the right side to keep things going. With DC3, she was not interested in breastfeeding and despite all my best efforts and much trying I ended up giving her EBM for 5 months on the basis it was what went in her and not the method that mattered.

So I was wondering whether there was anything I could do to make sure that this time, baby willing, breastfeeding got off to as good a start as possible. I think my left boob (ie the Super-Boob!) is soft and pliable enough for a baby to get latched onto, but I am concerned that my right boob (enlarged nipple) will prove difficult again for reasons described.

I know of people who have fed from one boob and if it comes to this I will, but would prefer to be able to do it with both. Any advice much appreciated.

Are they inverted naturally now or do they only invert when you attempt to express?

You can use breast shells the last few weeks of pregnancy to try and help draw the nipple out. Some women find short stints of using a breastpump work well. A few times a day, you might also try stretching around the sides of the bottom of the nipple....gently drawing the skin away from opposing sides. You could try the old ice trick as well soon before a feed and see if you get any results.

Once born, I'd try to get baby going from the potentially more difficult side first, right from the start. Watch for any hunger cues, or even when baby is just quietly awake, practice putting her on. Will be much easier when he/she isn't extremely hungry and unsettled. Sometimes pumping just a bit right before you put baby on can help to draw the nipple out enough to make it easier for baby....as soon as you get some results from the pump, quickly move baby on. Baby will do the best job at drawing the nipple out.

Hopefully where you are giving birth will have someone available who can help with things if need be.

doulac - Thanks for your response. It is so frustrating as they never used to be like this and have got increasingly worse with each baby. I think mastitis (I have had it at least 3 times) with each has shortened / affected the milk ducts so that the nipple gets drawn back now so that they naturally invert. I suspect having the expressing machine ready to get them started will help, as will massage beforehand (ice cubes at the ready!) The more tricky side is the one that bothers me as the nipple has strangely become larger and tougher so is more difficult for a newborn to draw into their little mouth. I will try as you suggest when baby arrives so that it gets the knack of doing it on that side quickly. I found previously that it was a vicious circle and using it less meant it was more tricky to feed from and the let down was slower meaning it was less satisfying for baby on that side, so baby was less keen to feed from that side etc!