Sore, bleeding nipples - any other advice than a good latch?

[mummeeee]

I am bf and ds is now 6 days old. I have very sore bleeding nipples and am finding it is agony to latch on and still sore during feeding.

I have very flat/inverted nipples, so altho I managed to feed dd I had problems getting established and used nipple shields.

This time too (with ds) I had problems getting him latched on because of my nipples; especially during the first 3 days when there's only colostrum. The nipple damage started then, because it is so difficult to achieve a good latch with new baby and inverted nipples.

Once my milk came in, I used nipple shields because this is what worked with my dd. This has helped and I have been feeding him well (lots of milk, frequent feeding for 24 hrs, now settled down to more regular, sleeping between feeds etc).

The problem is my nipples are not getting better and seem to be getting worse. They are bleeding during feeding and the pain is intense, to the point I am dreading the next feed, can hardly bear to put him to the breast, am crying during feeding etc. I am using nipple shields at each feed, as otherwise I fear I would not get a latch at all and couldn't bear to take him off, try again etc. Also, the pain is so bad I fear I would not recognise a good latch.

From all the books etc I know the advice is that 'if your latch is good, the nipples shouldn't become damaged like this - so just persevere till you get a good latch'. All good, but the damage is bad already. What can I now do at this stage?? I can persevere if I think I am doing it right and they will settle down, but I don't want things to continue to get worse. Any ideas? I successfully fed my dd with nipple shields so don't think the shields are the problem.

Also, ds has a white lump in the centre of his gum in his lower jaw. I asked midwife and she said she thought it was a tooth...and that this maybe what's causing the problem.

Thanks for your help. Am planning to go to local bf'ing group. Had to miss yesterday's cos dd had hospital appointment; so next meeting not till next Weds and not sure I can last till then.

Poor, poor you. I remember how awful this stage is. Two thoughts from me; it doesn't last long. Within two weeks you will be out the other side of this and things will look much better. In the meantime, go to the chemist and buy some jelonet. It's a miracle cure that a wonderful lactation consultant recommended to me when I was at my lowest. It's a gauze for moist healing. You cut a small piece off (the size of your nipple) after each feed put it over your nipple, put a breastpad on and leave in place until the next feed. It made an almost immediate difference to me and costs next to nothing. You can buy it at boots.

Good luck.

details here. You can use with lansinoh too.

Lasinoh!

My DD is a week old today and I had one cracked nipple which formed a scab which kept getting dislodged at every feed.

I sent DH out to get me some Lasinoh, slathered it on and the scab was healed in a day and I am now just putting it on after every feed to keep them supple and have not had a problem since.

Good luck, you are doing a smashing job.

I can't even spell it but you know the one I mean!!

you poor love - only other thing I would recommend is Silverette Nipple shields - they seem to have got lots of positive comments on here. Also loads of Lansinoh and fresh air - go bra free and put a tea strainer over each nipple so that you can keep some air circulating around and stop the clothes touching where it is sore !
hope it gets better soon.

The only thing that got me through this awful stage was to express and bottle feed EBM for a couple of days to give my nipples time to recover a bit. That of course depends on how you feel about introducing a bottle early. I did with both of mine and never had any issues, but I know some say it can cause nipple confusion. It is a horrible stage tho.

Yep express. I didn't let her touch me for over a week. Once I had healed Things were great. I was guilty of justletting her get on with it without a good latch because at least she was getting something. After that though it wasn't worth it. I would try and try again until it was right. Expressing is hard work but worth it.

Hmm. I not sure about expressing (caveat; I am so far from being an expert). But was told that expressing with a pump could cause more trauma to damaged nipples and also if you rely solely on a bottle there is surely a risk that the baby will forget how to latch?

I have been through this recently and I'm so sorry for you, the pain is awful.

Yes to expressing, it helps them heal and IME it's good to get your baby to take bottles early as they may refuse when they're a bit older (which means you then can't express and leave them with someone else)

I saw mothercare own brand nipple cream recommended on here and I found it helped - it looks and feels like lansinoh but has different ingredients. I alternated them to get a bit of everything.

Lastly watch out for, and try to prevent, mastitis - make sure breasts are well-emptied (esp if expressing), have warm baths, kep breast pads clean and dry and replace often.

My BF counsellor said some types of nips can get sore even if there is a good latch. It can happen.

I expressed for a couple of weeks but sometimes BF on whichever side felt least sore, to keep DD latching on.

and btw avent isis hand pump worked well for me, you can control it easily and keep it very gentle. If the tube is too narrow for your nipples (as with me) you can take iut the rubbery "flower" part and use it without.

Thanks everyone. Managed to make it through the day. Still feeding on the left breast but the right was bleeding so much ds was pulling off and spitting out blood.

Decided to express from this side and that has worked well. Got lots of nice milk, minimal soreness to nipple and no pink (blood) tinge to milk...so ds happy.

Have the lansinoh and it is def helping, even just to make sure breast pads not sticking to the breast, forming a sort of scab and then peeling off more breast tissue when you take them off.

I do remember with dd that they were sore, but don't think they were this bad. Really hope I can keep it up, as am very committed to bf.

Am just going to look up the Silverette nipple shields.

Thanks again