Breastfeeding Prep....#sorenipplescare

razberryt20

Ok, so with my firstborn the nips were sore and tender but nothing major. Then with my second they got so bad that I had to go on a nursing atrike and walk around the house baring my nips to all with a tube of neosporin at the ready, in case I brushed something and reopened the wounds. Needless to say the husband enjoyed my "free-boobing it" for about two weeks. It was more than uncomfortable, more than embarrassing, and totally worth it. FYI you can put neosporin on cracked nipples and still breast feed directly, baby won't get sick. (insert sigh of relief here) They healed after awhile but it hurt like a (insert adjective here) at each feeding.

Achae

I used lanolin. Never tried neosporin.

strlitemiss

Did you have your babies evaluated by a lactation expert? Sore nipples is one thing for the first few days but what your describing is certainly not the normal or what people should expect.

pettycrocker

My nipples started cracking and bleeding the first day DD was born, it was ridiculous. This time if it gets bad I am set on EPing. My friends were telling me if you start applying lanolin a couple weeks before LO is due to arrive it can help with the discomfort in those intiial nursing days 

cMichelle0423

Coconut oil works wonders too. Lanolin is great, but because it's so thick, it can clog up some of the "holes" in your nipple where the milk flows out.

charliegoldengirl

Could a nipple shield help? That sounds awful!

CanadianGamerMom

I had issues with this for the first few months with my DD. She didn't have tongue/lip tie, but she couldn't get a deep enough latch so it killed everytime she nursed. I used a shield until she was about 4-5 months and then she was finally able to get it deep enough. I also ended up needing to use a prescription cream to heal the cracks as lanolin and whatever else I tried didn't do the trick.

SoSirius

Motherlove Nipple Cream is the best and safe for babies. I used it every time and never had any soreness. Also, wear a nursing bra if you wear a shirt because he rubbing makes it worse.

bublesmiled

My mom told me last time, as delivery got closer to take a washcloth to my nipples to start roughing them up a little.  I also loved using a nipple shield when they got sore because it made it a little less uncomfortable.

strlitemiss

You don't need to rough your nipples up or prep them for breastfeeding.

strlitemiss

Here's some helpful links to help avoid sore nipples.
https://www.llli.org/faq/sore.html

https://www.askdrsears.com/topics/feeding-eating/breastfeeding/common-problems/sore-nipples

https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/nipplehealing/

MississippiCatfish

bublesmiled said:

My mom told me last time, as delivery got closer to take a washcloth to my nipples to start roughing them up a little.  I also loved using a nipple shield when they got sore because it made it a little less uncomfortable.

This has never made sense to me. Doesn't exfoliating make your skin softer? Not more rough.

Achae

MississippiCatfish said:

bublesmiled said:

My mom told me last time, as delivery got closer to take a washcloth to my nipples to start roughing them up a little.  I also loved using a nipple shield when they got sore because it made it a little less uncomfortable.

This has never made sense to me. Doesn't exfoliating make your skin softer? Not more rough.

I would also be concerned about stimulating labor!

bublesmiled

It's not about exfoliating, it's about the nipples getting used to being treated differently than just hitting against the inside of a bra.  You're not trying to stimulate them, just like people who work with their hands have skin that's used to being exposed to rougher elements, it's about slowly introducing your skin to a rougher environment.  Hey it could just be an old wive's tale, I'm just sharing what I was told to do when trying to prep - it's not like we can practice a baby suckling

Kvanderw

Shallow latching causes cracked nipples mamas. Spend some time researching the best methods of achieving a deep latch so that when D day arrives you are better prepared. I've found that the football hold in the early days helps baby to get a deeper latch. Also check out the flipple technique of latching on you tube.

flockofmoosen3

I agree that shallow, or otherwise incorrect latching is the most likely cause of sore nipples. I thought i had breastfeeding down at the first latch after birth, but luckily for me and my nipples, an awesome LC came by and showed me how to deepen the latch. Baby's face has to be pressed into ur boob much deeper than u think. My DD's chin, cheeks, and nose were all pressed against my boob, and my whole areola was fully in her mouth, not just the nipple. From then on, no pain ever unless baby got lazy. I would just detach her and get her to fix the latch. She also did not have lip or tongur tie, which would have interfered with our ability to nurse.