Day 2 of breastfeeding HELP

Wetoneses

Ok my girls arrived on Monday morning and here I am on day 2 of breastfeeding them. Oh my GOD my nipples are killing. The lactation consultant has me feeding both at once and they are both latching very well. They feed for 3045 min each time and seem to be getting enough.

Ladies. I am in tears with how bad my nipples hurt though. How do I get through this? I feel awful thinking I may give them a bottle next feeding just so my breasts get a breather. The doc prescribed a cream I put on and I also am constantly wearing the soothes. Any other suggestions? Did you have this horrible pain because your nipples never got a break?

Thank you for your wisdom!!!!

ashleighlt

Your colostrum has amazing healing powers. Express some when you are finished and rub it Into the nipple. Allow it to air dry. I'm sry your in so much pain.

Dragonfly1226

Ask your OB or pediatrician to prescribe you APNO. it is a nipple ointment that needs to be mixed at an apothecary or a compounding pharmacy. It is a miracle cream. My blistered and cracked nipples were healed in 24 hours.

aliwisewoman

Yes, I agree on putting the milk on your nipple and letting them air dry. Part of it is normal. Double check with an LC to make sure they have a good latch. My youngest had a lazy latch. She would start off strong but then she would get sleepy and relax her jaw which caused a lot of pain and friction, but not until she had nursed like that for a day. I will say that when your nipples feel like ground hamburger, you are on the road to recovery. Let them air dry before putting anything on them too. You want them to dry out and toughen up. If you keep them moist they will be more susceptible to damage.

carrotcake06

The pain gets better. It does. But it def hurts like a mofo in the beginning.

I loved the gel soothies and didn't really like lanolin. Put them in the fridge, too. Also let your nips air out after putting BM or colostrum on them like PP said.

For the first two weeks, I would cringe in toe curling pain every time DS would latch. But it gets so much better and so much easier. Hang in there.

Ruthie04

Poor thing, I so understand how you feel! One of my boys had a shallow latch and the other was a biter (the hospital LCs missed both, so we had an outside LC work with us in the beginning), so the pain was horrific. I agree on the APNO prescription. I never had a bought with mastitis or thrush and I have to believe the cream had something to do with it. When I bled, I used the shells to protect my nipples from my bra. Definitely keep an LC on speed dial, as the pain is something that should be addressed. 

jessican08

It is so painful at first (I'm sorry!). It DOES get better though. I think the pain stopped for me after a week or two. Hang in there!

Nikkdam

I used nipple shields when it got that painful. Really helped!!

CNYBride05

ouch!  Did you talk to the LC about it?  Are your LOs latching correctly?  My LC said it shouldn't be excruciating if the latch is right.  I hope it gets easier!

bumpuser924057

Even if your baby latches perfectly, nursing hurts like hell in the first week or so.  I look at it like this - if I were to suddenly start sucking hard on the tip of my pinky finger, after a few hours it would probably start to get pretty damn sore.  Your nipples are way more sensitive, and they need some time to adjust.  Soothies help, lanolin CAN help (I actually liked the Medela ointment that had lanolin blended with a few other things because spreading the pure Lansinoh lanolin hurt my already tender skin), but you really do just kind of have to muscle through the first week until things toughen up a bit.  It gets a zillion times better, I promise!

Katiecooky

What everyone has said about creams and so on is a great help but if your finding that you just can't cop one more feed express every second feed so your getting some relief that way you know exactly how much your babies are eating and you can have a little rest while your nipples are drying and getting creams and ice packs put on.. Good luck and I hope you can find a happy medium! Breast feeding is a very hard thing to master..

leah0586

Teabags helped me.  Apparently, there are properties in the tea that help with healing and soothing.  I would take them and run cold water over them and put them on my nipples (with the breast pads so it wouldn't ruin my bra).  It was pretty much an instant soothing. Don't leave the bags on too long to where they dry out. After a while (hour or so), I would put the lanolin on before it was time to nurse again. (I love the Lanisoh brand)  Also, make sure you are changing out your pads frequently.  It does get better! Don't give up.  

lynn0926

Hang in there! I know how much it hurts at first. I used the Lansinoh cream and soothies. It was hard for about 1.5 weeks, but I promise the pain will stop. Hang in there and it will be so worth it in the long run. I find tandum BF way easier than bottle feeding and a huge timesaver. If you need to rest your nipples, then give a bottle here or there, but your better off letting your body adjust.