Sore nipples

[skorpion]

Hi, my dd is a week old today and I have bf'd her exclusively. My nipples have become more and more sore and today in the shower I discovered one of them is stripped of skin. She did have a couple of marathon feeds in the last 24 hr lasting three and two hours. I started using breast shields but with such long feeds I just dont give my nipples time to recover in between.

Please could you let me know what I can do to help myself? I'm sitting here with my breasts out to air them and don't know what to do. I do not want to stop bf.

Thank you.

Kamillosan/ vaseline/ lansinoh ande slather the stuff on to keep nipples moist - they really will heal better. also might be worth just asking a breast feeding counsellor to check your latch as it is easy to be less careful if you're dealing with such marathon feeds.

Well done and good luck

Thanks chocolaterabbit, I've been using lansinoh from the beginning but maybe not applying enough at a time.

I found the best thing was to rub a little breast milk onto them after a feed and let them air dry. It was the only thing that worked for me.

skorpion have you got any lansinol? It works wonders, even if it does not feel like it as you apply it. Honestly, it works. Also, when you wash, do not let them air dry as this dries out the skin even more, dab dry and then put nipple cream straight on, and then apply it after each feed and whenever else you remember.

I promise it will get better. I had it with DD for about 2 weeks, then one day it just went away, even with the broken skin still there it just stopped hurting, and this time, the same happened after about 5 days. Just stopped, like that. But before that, it was excruciating at times, made my toes curl and I could not feed in front of anyone as my face was a grimace.

I feel for you though, these first few days are hard work while the nipples toughen up.

Oh and thought it worth adding, right now, at just over 2 weeks, DS is feeding every hour and they are not painful now.

Sorry, i saw you were using nipple cream that'll teach me not to read through first! Apply it liberally and often.

And repeat to yourself 'this will pass, this will pass, this will pass'

Also wanted to suggest that you get your HV to check the baby's frenulum (under her tongue) just in case tongue-tie is causing a problematic latch. They're SUPPOSED to check routinely in such cases, but in my experience, don't.

Not much advice Skorpion but just wanted to sympathise. I've also found it hard and sore and have been dreading the next feed etc.

We're now on day 12 and it's definitely improving - the day feeds are not too bad (one side doesn't hurt at all in the day) as they're well spaced, it is in the evening when he feeds non-stop for hours that it gets bad. I've had lots of help from the local BF advisor (referred by the MW), can you ask for this? Or drop into a breastfeeding support group? I knew the problem was probably the latch and it was v. helpful to have someone observe what I was doing and reposition me.

I know from last time it took me about 3 or 4 weeks of struggling with most feeds and then it suddenly clicked into place. I did think it would be easier this time having done it before, but since it isn't I am holding out for the 3 week mark.

Hi Skorpion - I sympathise. I was in agony with DD born 7 weeks ago but it really did improve with Lanisoh after the first 2 weeks.

Another tip is to try a variey of feeding postitions and alternate them for each feed so that she is not always sucking on the same bit of nipple each time - this gives it longer to heal in between feeds. My midwife told me this with DS2 and it really helped.

I also read (I think it was on the lanisoh leaflet) that you shouldn't air dry your nipples. I've no idea why, I was always given this advice.

Also congratulations!

Also, they were very keen for me to ring either the midwife or the hospital if ever I need help and said they could send someone out the same day.

Thank you all so much, I think I freaked out a bit after seeing them in the shower. How can I let her near my boobs again?

But she fed for about an hour on one side since and with using a shield it was bearable. I've also applied loads of lansinoh and will remember to rub it on more frequently.

Just have to believe that it's only a phase. MW coming round today, I'll talk to her.

Thank you again.

I hope the MW was helpful?
It does get better, I promise. After a rocky start with DD I really enjoyed it and felt no pain. Let's hang in there together - soon our nipples will be tough as old boots

hi skorpion, 9 weeks ago i was in exactly the same position - it was awful! toes - curling, i actually had to count through feeds to distract myself fromthe pain - one side was completely cracked... after weeping through one feed too many IMO I got on the bus and went and bought myself a pump - best thing i ever did - what a relief!!! only pumped the one side and cos he was so young (i think) he took a bottle of ebm each time he was suppposed to feed off that side - because it healed in four days - baby cafe were great - lots of support - and once it was healed i was really strict with the latching on malarkey... after about a month my nipples finally didn't hurt... they toughened up (like bullets as a good friend told me )lol... oh and lots of lansinoh helped too... Good Luck!

Are things any better today?

Thanks again. She's been feeding constantly - it seems - in the last 24 hrs. I think she's making up for lost time as my milk took so long to come in after c-sec. She lost about 10% birth weight in the first five days and managed to put almost all of it back on in the following two. So at least I know it's worth it

It does mean no time to heal though, but the shields I'm using make things much easier. Am dipping them constantly in lansinoh, too and letting the milk dry on them.

MW said to continue using the sheilds until I heal and then I can go in for even a few hours and they'll sit with me during a couple of feeds and sort of start from scratch. I need to work on my latching discipline, it's justy been hard with a hungry, wriggly baby.

I have a pump, Ruby, will give it a go.