Cracked nipples & worsening but midwives say im doing everything right...

[pppuzzler]

DS2 is a week old. Midwife feeding support hasn't been brilliant. I said from day 1 that there was something wrong with the latch and it was more painful than it should be (and constantly painful). They kept saying i'm doing everything right, not to reposition and that it would hurt at first. But I have one slightly and one badly cracked nipple that is getting worse not better and that is agony when feeding and even when not. I dread feeding.

I thought at first it might be because he didn't open his mouth very wide at first, but by the second day he was better at that. They said that was probably when it happened and it would get better now. I said i thought it was sth else.

Even with a crack I think it shouldn't be as painful as it is every time i feed. I feel like damage is still going on not getting better. I feel like the nipple isnt going far enough into his mouth and have to ram my boob into his poor mouth far harder and faster than normal to try to reduce the pain.

They said he has a mild tongue tie, but not enough to refer me and he didn't have the typical lizard tongue of a tongue tie caused by the frenulum pulling the tongue back. She said he could get his tongue past his lips (it seems to me he can barely do that). And that I would have equally bad cracks on both sides if it was tongue tie (i'm not sure that follows strictly) so they wont refer me. She said they wouldn't cut it now for better kissing later as the tongue grows longer and it could improve.

Yesterday morning it was slightly less agonising than on Wednesday I think (or i was just used to the pain) but by last night I was in horrendous pain. It was not just in the nipple now but felt like someone was digging a red hot wire deep into the breast. The whole of the RHS of my chest was hurting even sending pain down to my right elbow so i took ibrufen so i could sleep.

I'm not sure what's causing it & still think the mild tongue tie is a contender. (does that explain why i feel the nipple doesn't go in enough?)

Anyway, there is clear evidence of a problem that isn't resolving but they just keep saying i'm doing everything right.

ow ow ow ow ow poor you! Takes me right back to ds being a newborn.

Suggest you see a b/f counsellor rather than the midwives - m/w don't necessarily get more than a few hours of education about breastfeeding. Try La Leche League or the National Childbirth Trust for advice.

Oh, and there are lots of threads here about creams for cracked nipples but best thing I found was to squeeze a few drops of milk out and pat it around. Nipple shields also helped stave off the pain, although I gather lots of people think they should be avoided - worth asking a b/f counsellor about them.

Hi
Oh, you poor thing... you remind me of me when I was breastfeeding, I also had a cracked nipple and was in absolute agony, it was so painful I couldnt talk to anyone through my gritted teeth and I used to clock watch and dread the feeds, my midwife just said to keep persevering and it will heal itself, but it never did, 3 months down the line I decided to express the milk for one week so that the nipples have chance to heal, they healed perfectly and then when I put my little girl back on it didnt hurt one bit, I could hardly feel a thing, and I went on to breast feed for 13 months!!! Good luck! oh, any my daughter took to my breast with no problems after a bottle, but then she was a bit older, so not sure how it would work for such a wee one. oh and Lansinoh nipple cream was excellent, recommended by the hospital.

If tongue tie is causing feeding problems then it is a problem. Ring one of the bf helplines for a second opinion. I am quite sure that there are guidelines for TT.

if you look at page 10 of this magazine, it talks and shows how to latch on a baby with TT.

The article's a brilliant help foxytocin thanks, I tried the exaggerated attachment & its been the most useful piece of advice all week. I can feed without curling my toes and stopping breathing! They say it is also for babies who weighed a lot at birth and feeding is painful, even if he looks well attached and he was 11lb and is a great little feeder despite everything.

I breasfed my first son to 3 weeks til i got mastitis which was left untreated as misdiagnosed, which became bilateral and could not be shifted even with a double course of antibiotics and I was incoherent with fever and pain. After giving up for 5 weeks I relactated and fed my son til 20 months so I have quite a lot of experience but still don't know what's going wrong. Because of the cracks the risk of mastitis is increased now so i want to at least get the problem identified quickly. I've got lansinoh and tried rubbing on EBM but its not improving. I dont want to use nipple shields just now nor express at this stage as the baby is better for establishing supply & i'm prepared to bear it til its literally unbearable whilst i find the answer.

But I really feel they are not experts when it comes to breastfeeding. I want the expert to see him at this point. I wouldnt recommend anyone to go there for breastfeeding support. If they refuse to refer me for tonguetie & i've seen head of dept how can i get a referral?

Having experienced Tongue tie ( and my Ds having it snipped) I would say it does not create the same damage on both nipples, one of mine was much worse than the other (still have the damage to prove it, 2 years on)

Go and see your GP they can refer you for the 'snip' it is such as simple procedure, my DS (3 weeks) didn't even wake up, the consultant will tel you if it needs doing, a short tongue in itself can be a problem so combined with a 'mild' tongue tie it should be sorted. In my case, it wasn't a quick fix but it improved the pain.

I feel for you and know just how painful it cam be, exaggerated attachment as mentioned above is also good.

I believe that the NICE guidelines recommend taht TT be snipped if it is causing feeding probs. I am sure i have seen it linked before here on MN.

I will try to have a look for you and link it but I am being pulled in 3 or 4 directions at the mo.

it is worth finding, printing out and taking to GP/MW/HV person

here

the Unicef site, Babyfriendly Initiative has a helpful document too but the site is down.

if you search the archives on MN there is at least one v. good thread on tt in the last year.

here is a thread

if you say which city you are near, maybe a MNer will be able to tell you which hospital nearby you can ask for demand a referral to.

As long as you are feeding as much as possible mastitis should be kept at bay. Cracked nips should heal now that you have found a way to heLP THE BABY LATCH. keep using lanisoh after everyfeed.

phone a helpline

I think the bfc can refer you re tongue tie too, if they are based at your hospital.

Thanks all for your ideas and the links.

I phoned the midwife unit and they dont know of any bf counsellors. I feel so frustrated and as though they are burying their heads in the sand. It seems their one bf specialist has given up.

Phoned ABM and got a great counsellor who is hopefully going to refer me to a specialist. What a relief. I was starting to feel so isolated until today. I couldn't bear to give up feeding this time round.