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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

VERY SORE NIPPLES - HELP!

53 replies

Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 09:34

Ds is 9 days old. Feeds have been painful since the begining. sometimes it's painful for the first minute and then kind of ok unless he squirms about and changes the latch slightly. Sometimes, (mostly on the 'bad' side) it can be absolutely excruciating for the whole feed which means I either have to keep taking him off or if I still can't get it right just grit my teeth through the pain

I've seen a lactation consultant and she gave me plenty tips on how to get ds positioned properly and how to get him to tip his head back more. I've been putting the tips n to practice since last thurs but am still getting varying degrees of pain

My nipples have been blistered on and off and i've been using lansinoh and when not using that using silverette nipple healing cups. One nipple is still really sore although very slowly seems to be healing, the other is still a bit sore. The bad one kind of went white on the end, I think this was just dead/traumatised skin and is is slowly coming away in bits... I just want them to heal to give me a fighting chance, I know the pain is due to latch not always being perfect but if my nipples weren't so sore in the first place it'd help. Was the same with ds1 and I gave up at 5 weeks only to restart but never got my supply back fully and he ended up mix fed.

Seeing lactation consultant again today, am thoroughly miserable about it and dread/fear every feed, not sure how much longer I can carry on.

Please help

OP posts:
rubyslippers · 29/03/2010 09:37

is it thrush? I think that can change the colour of the nipple

poor attachment will batter your nipples

have you tried a different hold - rugby ball was very good when DD was little and my boobs were bigger than her head

a feed shouldn't hurt the whole way through - hang on in there - hopefully Tiktok will be around soon

Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 09:58

Don't think it's thrush as the whiteness is just mostly one side and it just comes off like dead skin... I think it's just trauma to the nipple from being squashed when the latch isn't right

I've tried rugby ball and lying down but all about thr same for pain levels...

I asked the lactation consultant if he might have tongue tie and she said she didn't think so but I might ask her to double check as ds had a very slight one that was never picked up on till he was a year old by the slt.

Any idea how i'd check that myself also? Not sure what i'm looking for.

He's been feeding for anything up to 45 mins each side about every 2 hours. Ds was the same so no surprise there but not much chance of a break to heal. I've tried using my pump to express from the sore side but it doesn't get much out, never did last time either, just don't think they work for me that well. I don't want to give him the expressed milk in a bottle though even if I did get a considerable amount as don't want to confuse him with the teat.

Just fed him from the bad side, made me cry, thankfully he just wanted a snack and only fed for about 10 mins before having a snooze. I can't carry on like this, it's ruining my enjoyment of this stage.

OP posts:
Jackstini · 29/03/2010 10:01

Dalrymps - sympathies for you - i remember those white blistery bits well [we really need an ouch emoticon!]
For me, the answer was nipple shields, just for a couple of days until they healed. Oh the blessed relief!!
Better latch/positioning etc. is obviously preferable but if the shields help you carry on it's better than you having to stop for pain reasons.
Let us know how you get on.

Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 10:04

I'll have a think about the shields, tried them last time but couldn't get the hang of them. It seemed like the teat part was far too long for ds's mouth and I couldn't get him to take a good enough mouthful so it still nipped iyswim? Don't know if that was to do with his slight tongue tie though, i'll never know now..

Any tips on using them?

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 10:07

Just gonna nip in the shower whilst he's sleeping, please keep posting advice, back v soon.

OP posts:
rubyslippers · 29/03/2010 10:12

i have no idea about tongue tie

can you get to a GP to check - this can cause issues simialr to what you describe

don't try to express IMHO ... could be making it worse as it is suction on an already sore nipple

Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 11:19

I askd the midwife to check tongue tie and she just said 'well he's feeding ok isn't he?' and I said 'yes but it's very painfull'. She then made a half hearted atempt at having a look and said 'oh he's too young for me to be able to tell I don't think he has one though

Lactation consultant tried to have a good look but i'm not sure she could say he doesn't have one 100%.

have only tried to express once, can't bear the idea of it at the mo tbh.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 11:38

bump

OP posts:
Jackstini · 29/03/2010 11:40

Dalrymps - which ones have you tried? I had a few but ds managed on the Avent ones.
I still have an unused one somewhere I think if you want me to send it you to try?

Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 11:42

I tried boot own and then avent I think, still have them somewhere so will dig them out. Thanks for the offer though, very kind of you

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 11:55

Popping out, will be back to check thread asap, please keep posting, I need all the help I can get...

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 13:11

Back for a bit before going to see lactation consultant. Anyone had a lo with tongue tie? Was it like this?

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 13:24

Ok, will check in when I get back...

OP posts:
rubyslippers · 29/03/2010 13:49

a friend of mine's LO had tongue tie

she had permanent mastitis, painful feeds and bleeding nipples

once it was snipped (at around 14 weeks so pretty late on) everything was fine

EspeciallyForYou · 29/03/2010 13:53

I found the (?Avent) nipple shields an absolute godsend. I actually ended up using them on and off for months, whenever things got bad again. I remember mine being so sore I couldn't bear anything touching them and having to sleep topless without any covers on!

Sella · 29/03/2010 15:39

Hi

I feel for you, have you tried biological nuturing? It's when you lie the baby on his stomach on your tummy/chest and let him latch on himself. It can be a bit scary coz they bob about quite violently to start with and I was scared coz my boobs hurt but it really did work for me. I was advised to go up to bed, strip off and try and do it when dd was quite calm, not starving.
I did that for a couple of days and my nipples were a million times better and now I just do it occasionally. I also got fantastic advice from the La Leche League in my area. They were really friendly and very helpful.
My only other bit of advice is to keep asking for help, don't feel bad about ringing people to come round, but you really need to find someone who will give you good advice, in person, preferably after watching at least one whole feed.
Hope this helps, I'm 10weeks down the line and things are better...

Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 16:29

Ok, have been to see lactation consultant. She had a good look in his mouth and said she didn't think he had a tongue tie.

She showed me a slightly different technique for latching him on, we tried it on the bad side whilst I was there and it was actually bearable. I have fed on the good side since I got back and it was better apart from the first 30 secs- a minute. I just hope I can get it to work as well on the bad side when on my own...

The technique involves using my thumb to tilt my nipple at the top so he gets a bigger mouthfull.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 16:37

Sorry, meant to say, haven't tried biological nurturing, am also a bit scared of having my sore nipples randomly latched on to... Might consider it though.

Have phoned LLL once and the lady was nice and helpfull, she also spoke of biological nurturing too. It'd be good if that worked but I also need a sollution for when i'm out and about.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 19:35

bump for the evening crowd...

OP posts:
pixley · 29/03/2010 19:57

Reading your post brings back memories of breast feeding my first child - I ended up with ulcers around the base of both nipples (ouch). I knew the latch wasn't right and ended up trying too hard to get her to take in plenty of nipple. I almost gave up but read a book by Clare Byam Cook which helped enormously - she feels you shouldn't do nose to nipple. I've since had a second child - was petrified at first but bought a "my breast friend" feeding pillow which has been wonderful.
To end on a positive note, it stopped hurting after 3 weeks, my ulcers healed up by 6 weeks, and I successfully breast fed with zero pain for the next 6 months.
I hope things improve for you.

Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 20:14

Thankyou for your words of encouragement. Ulcers round the base sound awful, poor you! Good to know things worked out and you suceeded. Will have a look into that book.

I am having varying degrees of sucess with this new tehnique but sore side has got to the stage where it has tiny scabs that bleed so the first part of the feed is still bad.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 20:50

Anyone else able to offer any advice?

OP posts:
Original poster
Dalrymps · 29/03/2010 22:26

bump...

OP posts:
andiem · 29/03/2010 22:37

dalrymps try getting some jelonet dressings from the pharmacy. You put them on the nipples and they can speed up healing. Try to keep your nipples moist all the time in between the feeds either with jelonet or lanisoh. There is a good link here
I had very sore/cracked nipples both times I fed my boys and positioning didn't seem to make a huge amount of difference. They did heal and I fed both of them for over a year.
Stick with it you are doing really well but I know how awful it can be

katiepotatie · 29/03/2010 22:57

Agree with trying Avent Silicon nipple sheilds they wereva godsend, also get baby checked for tongue tie, my ds got his snipped at 5 weeks it made a huge difference. Good luck

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