I need to heal a cut on my nipple.

[iwasagirlinavillage]

I'm breastfeeding and have a cut/split at the base of my nipple. Not sure of the cause - thought it was thrush but now the GP isn't sure so he's sent off a swab. But what can I do to help it heal?

• I'm trying to feed from the other side more but the good side has the lowest supply due to a previous surgery. I'm offering that side first and really trying not to feed on the other side that much - trying to give one big feed from that side rather than cluster feeding.
• I'm using a saline solution after every feed.
• Getting air to it as much as possible.

She is 7 1/2 months but she was premature so she's still small and still feeds VERY often. As her weight gain has been slow I've always allowed her to feed as much as she wants and that is a lot. The longest stretch I get without a feed is 4 or 5 hours in the evening. Is there anything I can do in this time to help it to heal quicker? The cut is right where her tongue is when feeding so every feed opens it back up again and it is agony!

glad to hear no thrush. Just keep it covered with cream, the jelonet just stops it drying out and lanisoh will do that too. Key thing is if it doesn't dry out it won't crack from the bottom when you next latch on.

I had a MASSIVE fissure that went on the heal beautifully once I did this. It really stops that agonising pain when you latch on as well.

DD has been feeding more frequently the past few days and nights which isn't giving it any real chance to heal. I probably need to keep her on that side for longer to make sure she gets more but it just gets too painful. I'm starting to worry that this will be the end of breastfeeding for us as I'm not sure how it will heal otherwise. I really don't want that yet.

I'd be surprised if it doesn't heal while you're feeding - I had a very deep cut on one nipple and it healed despite frequent newborn feeds. However I had to keep her tongue away from it so that it wasn't too painful to feed

I had terribly cracked nipples with my first DS.

Eventually I heard about moist healing, not letting it dry out, as each time you get a scab it comes off next time you feed. This was a few years ago but I swear by petroleum jelly, Vaseline. Keeps it moist so it can heal from the inside and harmless to baby. If you can put it on your lips you can put it on your nipple. Such a relief and it healed up really quickly.

None of the Kamilosan or other nipple creams had any effect, plain old Vaseline was the best.

or jelonet which is brilliant at keeping it moist.

honestly, if you keep it moist and don't let it scab up it WILL heal. I promise.

I've got the jelonet and it seemed to be helping yesterday, until DD had a feed and it's opened it up again and it now seems even deeper than it did before.

I've tried putting her in different positions so her tongue isn't directly on it but every position hurts and there still seems to be contact between her mouth and the wound which makes it worse.

I'm wondering if it's worth seeing a nurse at the GP surgery. From seeing the doctor I know it's "okay" as in not infected and not caused by thrush. But at the same time what can a nurse do? I know the nurses at the surgery are very pro breastfeeding so I don't think their immediate solution would be to stop so it can heal. But I don't see how else it will heal at the moment.

keep with the jelonet and maybe do two feeds the other side, one feed cracked side?

You poor thing.

I would put some daktarin gel on under the dressing. I would be surprised if there's no thrush there.
The Swab may simply have not picked it up . It would have healed by now otherwise. It's worth a try.

I think you could be right about the thrush Muffet. I've been getting that deep tissue pain that I did when I had thrush the first time - kind of under my arm rather than just in my nipple/breast. It at least can't hurt to use some Daktarin and it will help to keep it moist during the day. The jelonet isn't staying on very well so I've bought some tape and I've bought some more plasters for when I've got the lansinoh or, now, the Daktarin on. It was agony tonight. DD woke up when I laid her down in bed and wanted to feed again so she was feeding for pretty much 2 hours non stop and I was nearly in tears. While DH is home tomorrow I might express for a couple of feeds and see if that little bit less contact helps it to heal.

I'm really pushing the other side with her but I have so much less milk on that side so she gets really frustrated with it. I'm not adverse to giving a bit of formula to get through this but I don't want it to effect my supply. I'll try with the expressing tomorrow and see if that helps.

Thank you all again for your suggestions and sympathy.

YY to daktarin.

Also are you taking any painkillers? I would do that. It was absolutely agonising when I had it, like slamming a door on my nipple when I latched on.

Fingers crossed it gets better very soon.

Yes! Slamming a door on the nipple is exactly how it feels. I noticed that she's started biting I think she's teething (I always think she's teething and she still has no teeth!) or it could be that she's noticing the wound so biting on it. Either way it's bloody painful. It sometimes feels like she's going to bite my nipple clean off. I can't tell you the amount of times I've wondered if it's actually possible for her to do that! She's also enjoying pinching my breasts and jabbing my nipples with her tiny fingers. She's cute and all but I wish she'd use something else as her punch bag!

It is an act of sheer bravery to put a nipple that painful in a baby's mouth! They should give out medals.

As well as using vaseline I had to feed rugby ball fashion on that side, ie I tucked DS under my arm, feet towards my back. Eventually I put him on the dining room table on a changing mat and fed him that way around (feet towards my back) for a few weeks on the sore side. It did help, but latching him on was toe curling all the same.

It's probably been put on the Poisons list or something since it saved me in a similar situation - that child is now in his late 30s and in normal health - but I will never forget Rotersept. Wonder if it still exists. It was amazing.

Rotersept does exist. It's not what you'd call organic but might be worth asking GP about. Now called Betasept.
I really feel for you, OP, you've brought it all back. Ow.

Thanks Footle, I'll mention it to the GP.

I think thrush might be back/may never have gone as both nipples are now bright red and sore, as well as the cut which seems to be getting deeper. I'm seriously considering switching to bottles. I really don't want to but I don't want to dread feeds and be on the brink of tears either. I just want this to heal.

I think I'm going to have to go back to the GP tomorrow but I don't want to be an inconvenience and I've already had this checked and there's apparently no thrush and no bacteria. I doubt he'd take another swab as he'll probably be satisfied with last week's results. So if that's the case I don't know if it's really worth going but I don't know how I'm supposed to carry on like this.

I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself right now.

This may annoy people but as an ancient fanatical BFer I think you should give yourself permission to stop, if that's what you feel like doing. You've done wonderfully well with your prem baby and all the turmoil that her birth must have caused.

She's had the most important months of your milk. You're allowed to change to bottles - your whole family needs you to be out of pain and feeling better. The baby will be fine.

Thanks Footle. Sometimes it does help to hear it, but the thing is I actually love breastfeeding, when it doesn't hurt! And I wasn't able to fully BF DD1 who was more premature so this means even more to me. I do know that BFing isn't the be all and end all but I've had a pretty rubbish time with PND and BFing is the one thing I feel I've done right, especially when I couldn't keep my babies in for long enough. I don't mean to be "woe is me" and I have had CBT and am looking at EMDR for the PND so that's all in hand, I'm just trying to convey how and why breastfeeding matters so much to me, possibly too much. The next lot of painkillers have kicked in so I'm feeling a bit more positive about it. I'm going to try going along to a breastfeeding support group tomorrow to see if they can offer any advice and can check the latch or offer and suggestions for how to get through this. I also going to give the nipple shield another go. Thank you for your support.

Any better this evening?

My cut has also reopened and it's not fun. I've found that if I squash the breast into his mouth and hold it there the hole goes past his teeth and I can manage... until I get cramp in my hand!

I'd have said exactly the same about how important it was for me to do this one thing for as long as it felt right. BFing didn't work out with my first and I minded dreadfully ( still do when I'm reliving those days ).
I hope you find effective help to improve matters , and you can go on till you're both ready for the next stage.

It's really crap isn't it Hawkmoth. It wasn't quite as bad this evening but I'm finding it really painful when the painkillers wear off, whether I'm feeding or not. It definitely feels like thrush. I'm going to continue with the Daktarin regardless. And stock up on paracetamol!

I had a Google and it seems that diflucan is safe in breastfeeding.
That would help.
Sounds like thrush if it's on the other nipple

Been to see the GP this morning, he thinks it's becoming infected so he's given me antibiotics. He said it could be thrush and he's happy for me to continue using an anti fungal cream. He thinks the pain is caused by the infection so hopefully the antibiotics will kick in quickly and feeding will become easier. He thinks the cut is trying to heal but the skin infection around it is preventing it from healing fully. Fingers crossed that's the answer and the solution.

Oh OP I had this and the pain was horrible. I feel for you.

Haven't fully read all the comments, sorry, but here's what helped me:

Keeping it moist- Lanisoh is I think the cream that doensnt have to be washed off before feeds but check. Keep some on at all times, don't let it dry out, and massage it in a little bit more right before you feed.

Express if you can, even just for one feed a day.

Really shove your nipple in, so that her sucking motion is happening past the nipple itself.

Get her latch checked, and assessed for tongue tie.

Good luck x