For moms who are breastfeeding

naenay797 · January 2011

I am sure this has been asked a thousand times on this board but how long does it take for your nipples to toughen up? I don't know how much more of this I can take. It's excruciating.

Nhev · January 2011

Things got a bit better after a week, good by 2 weeks, and before 3 weeks were up, it felt totally normal for me. I hated BFing @ first but it got SO much better very quickly

izzourclue · January 2011

Mine actually cracked and bled so I'm trying to get them to heal. I started using a nipple shield last week and it helps a lot.

Calabaza78 · January 2011

About 2 weeks for me, but we had a tongue-tie issue that caused a lot of pain for me early on, even though he was getting enough milk and gaining well. Don't be afraid to meet with a LC and have your latch checked out if the discomfort is really bad-- sometimes it's more than just needing to toughen up.

laure1122 · January 2011

Huge difference after 5 weeks. hang in there, it is worth it and becomes so much easier and less time consuming too

naenay797 · January 2011

His latch seems fine. I did meet with a couple LC's in the hospital. My big problem is mine also are cracking and bleeding.

Carilyn · January 2011

It took about 3 weeks with both children. It's a rough three weeks, but totally worth it in the end.

alswitch · January 2011

I'm 4 weeks in and my nipples are still tender just as LO begins. If you're suffering, definitely check with a lactation consultant. You can find the local La Leche League meetings at www.lalecheleague.org. They can give a ton of free advice/assistance on getting a good latch. I've also heard good things about ameda.come and kellymom.com. Good luck and hang in there!

PunkyBooster · January 2011

I don't think they toughened up but they were sore/tender since there was so much stimulation for about 2 weeks.

If yours are cracked and bleeding, then it sounds like his latch is actually not okay.

JaimeCH · January 2011

About 3 weeks for me. Mine cracked and bled, and I went back to the LC at 2 weeks and she worked on the latch and gave me a nipple cream with a steroid. That cream is what kept me breastfeeding. I was so ready to give up from the pain, and LO wouldn't take a shield. I didn't pump and use a bottle, but wish that I did. I was crying from the pain, and in the long run it probably wouldn't have hurt, but I was so stuck on the idea that I couldn't give her a bottle until 4 weeks. Well, we waited until 4 weeks and she wouldn't take a bottle, and now I'm still working on getting her to take a bottle, and I have two weeks until I go back to work.

Nhev · January 2011

naenay797:
His latch seems fine. I did meet with a couple LC's in the hospital. My big problem is mine also are cracking and bleeding.

Both sides cracked and bled for me, but the right side was awful! I ended up taking a day or two off and trying to pump, but immediately pumped blood too Not to gross you out, but mine were bad too and they toughened up really quickly! I just took another day off, massaged & expressed in the shower for the "off" days, and got her back on that side once it healed. Idk if an LC would recommend that, but it worked well for me.

*I also used lanolin like crazy for the first week or two. After that, I didn't need it anymore!

AverysMom1118 · January 2011

By 2 weeks it was much better, 3 weeks just the initial latch hurt and by 4 weeks i felt nothing. Hang in there! I know it's hard, I used to dread feeding. Two weeks seems like a long time, especially when it's 12 times a day but you will be so glad you stuck with it!

honkytonk_kid · January 2011

I realized earlier today that I didn't have to breathe through it when he latched on- I was close to calling an LC to check on us.

At 4 days I was definitely hurting. If you're sure his latch is good, I'd give it a few more days (if you can handle it!) then call an LC. That being said, it would never hurt to give one a call now if you're concerned.

Good luck- I hope it gets easier for you, pronto!

Arielle27 · January 2011

Took me about a week I think. Use cream EVERY TIME LO eats! It will really help!

HairStylinWifey · January 2011

AverysMom1118:
By 2 weeks it was much better, 3 weeks just the initial latch hurt and by 4 weeks i felt nothing. Hang in there! I know it's hard, I used to dread feeding. Two weeks seems like a long time, especially when it's 12 times a day but you will be so glad you stuck with it!

Yep yep yep. Hang in there mommy! You can do it! I dealt with the cracked bleeding nipples too, they looked like hamburger! Just awful, I would cry and cry when she was nursing. But I stuck with it and it doesn't hurt at all anymore, I love it and I'm so glad I stuck with it.

torii · January 2011

It took me about three weeks. I was literally screaming from the pain every time DD latched. One day, it just stopped hurting. Now I actually enjoy bf'ing... early on I never would have imagined saying that.

Hang in there!

dmurrie · January 2011

After about the first month, it didn't hurt any more when my LO latched on (of course, her latch got better over this time, too... she had such a tiny mouth when she was born, that we were having difficulties), but my nipples are still pretty sensitive at 8 weeks... I use lanolin after EVERY feed or pumping session and wear a nice, supportive bra.

If your nipples are cracked or you're bleeding, though, speak to a LC. At my breastfeeding class, we were told that this only happens with an improper latch. And from when dd was hit or miss on her latch, I know from experience that it makes a HUGE difference to the amount of pain that it will cause dear Mama if the LO is latching properly or not. When she'd latch, it would just be a little awkward, but if she missed, it would be excruciating until I broke the latch and we tried again.

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