Lipstick nipples

[felicity10]

DAY 9!!

OK, so we're getting there, we're feeding regularly, so after initial nightmares, much improved.

However, i do still end up with lipstick shaped nipples, is not desperately painful, their a bit sensitive because of earlier latch issues, but does it matter is my question to those of you who have come across this.

My MW thought that i did have large nipples anyway, so it could just be that there is nto enough space on roof of mouth of newborn and so will just be a time thing.

Previous latch issues meant she wasn't actually getting much milk but i can hear her gulping now, although still have to top up every odd feed as my milk has been slow to come in.

Would be great to hear.

F
x

I had this also large nipples! My DD does have a bit of a Tongue tie too which may have been the cause. Hers didn't affect her ability to feed and the pain/sensitivity for me settled down so we didn't have it snipped. Could be worth getting midwife or bf counsellor to check it out as LNG term could become painful for you.

Good luck!

Never really occured to me as an issue at the time but thinking back I had lipstick shaped nipples after feeding DD when she was newborn. I used to show DH in an "isn't this weird" kind of way

She's 9 weeks old now and while I can't rmember when it stopped, it has definitely been a while since they were that shape after a feed now.

Didn't cause me any discomfort.

Yeah, happened every time when she was little but not any more unless she really, really goes for it. As long as it doesn't hurt I wouldn't worry.

Lipstick nipples are a classic example of the need to adjust your latch/position.

It means the baby is compressing the end of the nipple on the palate and you need to try moving, even just a fraction. If you ring one of the BF helplines and tell them this, they should be able to give you more detailed advice.

I often had this at the start of BF and in my case it led to lots of damage. I basically had to move the baby's head a bit more towards my sternum/cleavage IYSWIM, instead of it being a bit too far 'over' towards the armpit. But it was literally a matter of millimetres or centimetres.

Your baby also perhaps needs to be tipping its head back a touch more and gaping more. It feels quite unnatural for them to be tipping back so much but it improves the latch no end. but you could really do with someone experienced in BF support to talk you through this, ideally in person. Because even though they're only sensitive now, you only need one bad feed to them to be excruciating!

Improving the latch in this way would also probably improve the milk amounts going in, and a BF counsellor could talk you through cutting down the top-ups - because this early, continuing to do that is quite likely to have a negative effect on your supply.

Good luck with it.

I agree with WillSelf that your latch is maybe needing a bit of adjustment.

Your nipple should be the same shape and colour when it comes out as it was when it went in.

Give one of the helplines a call and they will be able to chat through it all with you.

Thanks ladies, v.helpful. Have got some time with nct bf lady tomorrow, so hopefully that will help.

d
xx

Mine get like this with ds, it's most obvious as he is dozing off but still feeding iyswim. His latch must slip and it can get very uncomfortable. Other times it's not sore at all but it's much less obvious then; in general it's getting less of an issue now he is 9 weeks.