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Good advice or bad advice, I hope bad... ouch

hollyg8407hollyg8407
in Breastfeeding

As you all know, the advice has not stopped since I told people I'm pregnant.  Some good.  Some bad.  This just made me cringe....

A coworker told me a month before my due date I should get my nipples ready for breastfeeding... she went on to tell me she didn't do it with her first and breastfeeding hurt so bad.  But she did it with the next two and no pain.   She told me to get them ready by taking a NAIL FILE to them!!!  And if this hurt too much to use an old towel and "rough them up"   AHHH! 

Anyone heard of this?  Anyone DONE this? Can I go back to her and tell her to stop making sh!t up? I really hope there isn't a need to do this. 

Thanks in advance!

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Re: Good advice or bad advice, I hope bad... ouch

  • LynnJonesLynnJones
    NO, you do not need to do anything to get them 'ready'.  I did nothing to mine and yes it was a little painful in the beginning it only lasted about a week for me.  And for me it wasn't constant pain, just use a lot of lanolin every time you feed:) Oh, and walk around with no shirt on when you can. Good luck!
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  • surprisebaby4us2009surprisebaby4us2009 member
    OMFG!  A nail file??????????????
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  • cindy453cindy453
    OUCH! No, you don't need to do that. The reason it hurt with her first is because she was still learning how to do it.. her second and third she knew better what she was doing, and her breasts were used to it.
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  • meganandgabemeganandgabe
    Don't do it!!!! What horrible (and very painful) advice!
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  • Mrs.0428Mrs.0428 member
    Sounds like an infection waiting to happen! Sure breastfeeding hurt in the beginning but not enough to make me want to take a nail file to my nipples.
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  • The_Jen626The_Jen626

    That's a crock of shiit, sorry.  NO you don't need to do anything at all to "prepare your nipples".  The best thing you can do is meet with a Lactation Consultant and/or take a breastfeeding class.

    Your coworker deserves a throat punch!!

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  • hollyg8407hollyg8407

    Oh thank God!  Thank you ladies!

    I need to come up with a good story to get her back for this one!

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  • day194day194

    While you don't have to do this (an I did not), I have heard of people doing the washcloth thing (my MIL included).  Never in a million years would I believe a nail file was a good idea. 

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  • madhatter2003madhatter2003

    your coworker is nuts.

    A NAIL FILE?!  OUCH

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  • Eburke1986Eburke1986
    Omg! Just wow. That sounds so bad! I was told to rub them with wash cloth when I showered to help toughen them up, but a nail file, holy crap!
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  • MsHanMsHan
    nipple stimulation can actually trigger contractions - so doctors advise against this

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  • lasirenelasirene

    imageRN536:
    OMG no!!!

    THIS!!!  They take so much abuse anyways---no reason to inflict more!!!

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  • MrsWaneeMrsWanee
    do not do this!!!! yes, it hurts at first, but it goes away soon after. and after going thru. labor, you'll have a higher tolerance for pain. 
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  • SapphyrEyesSapphyrEyes
    For the love of that is good in this world, please DO NOT do that to your poor body.  Read some books on breastfeeding, attend a couple LLL meetings in your area, attend a bfing class, and have some Lansinoh cream and gerber soothies on hand for any soreness you might have.  You do not need to rough up your breasts, nor do you want to risk any sort of infection.  This is one of the crappiest old wives tales out there about pregnancy, lactation and babies.  Breastfeeding can be painful because of poor latching which doesn't happen to everyone.  And please, whoever told you this was a good thing to do tell them to shove the advice in the trash and don't listen to them any further.
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  • LizzieALizzieA
    no no no - do not do this!
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