Please help! 72hrs PP, nipples are SHREDDED!

jenna1008 · July 2011

I have been BFing in the hospital; however, my milk still hasn't come in. I had a planned c/s. Due to PCOS, low thyroid, etc. I am petrified of how long it will take to come in. Okay, so that's another concern. What is making me cry in pain today are my battered, bloody nipples. I am occasionally using Lanolin or Motherlove. I have let them air dry. I have smeared milk on them. I have tried the breast shield which so far is the best pain reducer, but baby isn't a huge fan and I'm worried that I won't be as stimulated as I need to be. The LCs I have seen - 3 - say that the baby's latch is fine. This is confusing because I didn't think this would be such an issue with a good latch. Any advice would be appreciated. I am trying to do everything possible to be a successful breastfeeder...right now that seems to mean grimacing in pain through each nursing session.

MustanGTbaby13 · July 2011

I found soaking in an epsom salt bath helped...you can probably just fill a bowl and lean into it or something like that.

Have you had the same LC check it every time or someone different? Perhaps a new set of eyes could help- any family or friends who breastfed that you can ask as well?

Use the nipple cream before and after each nursing session. Try different positions- side lying, football, cross over holds to see if it makes a difference. Having a different angle can help tremendously for sore nipples.

I know the first 2 weeks SUCK for soreness, etc....just do your best to get through it. We have all been there!

Lisa102304 · July 2011

I agree with PP... The first 2-3 weeks are the worst! Lanolin didn't help me much - I bought Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter on Amazon and LOVED it. Also, football hold was best for me and gave me the least pain. I still use FB hold except when NIP.

ALY1981 · July 2011

This is a really tough phase to get through but STICK WITH IT! I was in so much pain, my nipples were so sore even though he was "latching just fine". TO be honest, it just takes some time for both of you to get it down pat and for your nipples to toughen up. It took me about 4-5 weeks for me to really get the hang of nursing and I am onto month 6 of breastfeeding. Make sure you are putting nipple cream (I liked Lansinoh) on after EVERY single nursing session. Warm showers also helped soothed it somewhat. Hang in there.

tokenhoser · July 2011

If your instincts are saying that something isn't right, keep looking for answers. Some pain is normal - it hurt when he latched on for me every time for the first couple weeks. It only hurt for a couple seconds, though, not the whole time.

Has baby been evaluated for a tongue tie? That's pretty common and can result in a latch that looks good on the outside but isn't working on the inside. Is your nipple squished when it comes out of the mouth?

https://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/bfhelp-tonguetie.html#basic

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipplehealing.html

autumnmichele · July 2011

Try using regular (not decaff) tea bags soaked in warm water. One of the nurses at the hospital recommended that for me and it took some of the pain away. After a few days of scabbed nipples, my LC told me to use Neosporin (Sp?) AFTER feeling LO (apparently it wears off before the next feeding). Good luck...it will get better!

Chicwed · July 2011

ALY1981:
This is a really tough phase to get through but STICK WITH IT! I was in so much pain, my nipples were so sore even though he was "latching just fine". TO be honest, it just takes some time for both of you to get it down pat and for your nipples to toughen up. It took me about 4-5 weeks for me to really get the hang of nursing and I am onto month 6 of breastfeeding. Make sure you are putting nipple cream (I liked Lansinoh) on after EVERY single nursing session. Warm showers also helped soothed it somewhat. Hang in there.

Ditto this. My nipples were cracked, sore & bleeding after the first couple days. I was in sooooo much pain, I didn't know if I could continue. All the nurses, LCs at the hospital said the LO was latching "fine," but it wasn't until I went & PAID to see a LC where she really showed me how to get LO latched on. You want a deep latch so that most of LO isn't just sucking on the nipple. But it did take about 4 weeks for me to get the hang of it and for my milk to fully come in. If you're comfortable with this, get some nipple shields. That'll give your nipples some time to heal too. Do you also have "Soothies?" They're gel pads that you can put in the fridge and put on your sore nipples.

Good luck! You'll find out that many women are going through exactly what you are so don't give up!!!

DucatiLeah · August 2011

Hang in there! I put ice packs on my nipples when it was really bad and tried the tea bags. If you're comfortable with it, give lo a pacifier to give yourself a break.

CarlaAndJames · August 2011

My LC was very clear that soreness is normal, cracked and bleeding is NOT! I was cracked and bleeding and it ended up being just because of the angle of LO's body.

I use a cross cradle hold, and in the beginning I had her butt way below the rest of her body, or she was turned up a little bit instead of being parallell with me. Both of these things caused her to pull on my nipples even though her latch was great, and tore up my nipples. No amount of lanolin could have cured them until we got the positioning right and stopped making the problem worse!

emmyann52 · August 2011

Soothies in the refridgerator! I had two sets that I would swap in and out of the fridge each feeding. They are wonderful! My LO is 14 weeks and I still occasionally put a soothie on if she decided to change her latch or get lazy and it is awesome!

Medela makes a soothie also and they are cheaper then the soothie brand.

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