Breastfeeding

[user1474320794]

Hi just wondering whether there is anybody been through similar situation been breast feeding my 11 week old and I am so sore! I have sort of like actual tears around the nipple where you can see the flesh, bleeding and constantly stinging. Having to take parcetomal and ibruprofen as regular as I can, also using lanolin and coconut oil vice versa every hour and airing as much as possible. Any advice please? Didnt want to go to formula but think that is what will happen if it doesn't improve.

I had the same for the first few weeks and it turned out my baby's latch wasn't right and this was due to him having tongue tie. Once this was snipped and he was feeding properly it was amazingly different.

Do you have a breastfeeding support group or a midwife/health visitor you could ask to look at your baby's tongue? It sounds like the latch might need to be adjusted - feeding is painful to begin with (well it can be, and was for me!) but by 11 weeks I would think it's worth getting some professional support and advice to help you make sure that you don't continue in pain.

You have done so well to get to 11 weeks; I had the same for the first five or so weeks but since then it has been the best and easiest thing we've done and we're still going strong at 9 months. Hope you can get sorted.

This was what I was going to come on to post! DD's latch looks OK to me but my nipples still get very sore and I have a constant throbbing pain. No bleeding but they are raw and pink.

Have you tried nipple shields? I got a couple at Boots and they have helped. Multi Mam balm has also helped more than lanolin.

Good luck, hope you can sort it!

Oh, I was also thinking about getting an electric pump so I could express and go out once in a while. That might help to give your nipples a break so they can heal?

Well done getting to 11 weeks with this pain. I'd agree with getting checked for tongue tie. I was repeatedly told the latch was good but it was agony and I knew something wasn't right. Although tt was sorted with a snip, my nipples took some time to recover because of the damage. I would rest one side for a day and pump just to rest it from dds vicious mouth. It was exhausting but worth it. Keep going with lanolin also.

Google flipple technique. It helps for a deeper latch.
I didn't have the same but got lazy with ensuring a good latch at about 12 weeks and got mastitis pretty quickly. Are there any breastfeeding cafes near you? They really helped me

Go to a group so someone can have a proper look. There might be small tweaks that could really help. Go back to basics with the latch for a few days. And yes flipple /exaggerated latch worth a go.

Thesmellofoldbooks are urs better , went to see doctor and got antibiotics because she said there was an infection there. So all good now

A bit better thanks. There is a feeding support group at our gp so I think I will pop along and see what they say.

Glad things are better for you!