Nip Prep

[RosettaTheGardenFairy]

Wondering if anyone has any advice: I'd like to give breastfeeding a much better go this time around. My first had tongue problems and couldn't latch. My second fed but I wasn't well prepared; the cracking and pain was awful and I moved to pumping/formula 50/50 within a few weeks.

I'd like to try breastfeeding again this time, and am wondering if anyone has any tips or experience to share on how to deal with the cracking, bleeding, discomfort etc. Is there something I can do in advance to 'prepare'?

Honestly, I think a lot of the pain and sensitivity in the early days is hormonal. I'm still bfing my 18-month-old and since becoming pregnant again, it's started to hurt my nipples, sometimes a lot. The cracking etc can be helped with lanolin (though I'm sure someone must have advised you to use that before) or nipple shields, though I never tried them myself. I think you have to be careful with nipple stimulation before birth though (depending on how far gone you are) in case it encourages labour to begin early.

I found the pain went away after a few weeks and it was so easy then, but if there's an easier way to get there I'd love to hear about it too.