My LO is 15 weeks old and has been receiving exclusively breastmilk since birth with the exception of a couple ounces of formula via a SNS in the hospital due to excessive weight loss. She had trouble latching immediately after birth and I was given a nipple shield to use for the first 36 hours until she was able to latch directly. Until approximately 4 weeks ago she was exclusively breastfed but due to pain and severe nipple damage, I turned to exclusively pumping in an attempt to allow myself to heal.
From the beginning,when she would latch i almost always had a "pinched" look to the nipple or it came out of her mouth looking like a new tube of lipstick. I worked with 2 LC's in the hospital who both felt her latch looked OK but thought she was moving her tongue incorrectly. As one LC put it, it was going up and down instead of like a "wave" motion. She found no other problem and felt time would improve the situation. Two weeks later things were no better and I was still in pain at every feeding and I sought out another IBCLC. At that point we corrected a few minor things with her latch but was told that her latch really looked pretty good. I also saw a breastfeeding medicine doc about 1 week later since things were no better and was again told her latch looked good and it was probably a situation that her mouth was too small for my nipple and it would just take time.
Some time later, I was still having severe pain at every feed and sought out an independent IBCLC who again said the latch looked ok but determined that she was tongue-tied. At 5 weeks we had her tongue clipped but unfortunately saw no improvement. We then treated for thrush with 2 rounds of Diflucan, Nystatin for her, grapefruit seed extract, probiotics, APNO, and 2 rounds of gentian violet.
Unfortunately I continued to not heal and have severe pain at every feeding. I sought out another breastfeeding medicine physician who treated me for a bacterial infection as I had drainage coming from the more severe nipple. After a week of antibiotics and antibiotic ointment, i was still not healing and decided to go to exclusively pumping.
I am now beginning to heal and have begun intermittently putting LO to the breast. Thankfully she latches on well still but I continue to have the "lipstick"nipple or a pinched appearing nipple when it comes out of her mouth. We have reevaluated for the persistence of a tongue tie and nobody feels that this is the problem. She has always transferred milk well and is in the 75th percentile in all categories.
I apologize for the length of this post but am reaching out to anyone and everyone that might be able to give me some guidance about where to go from here. I am starting to feel that I may be at the end of the road and that I will be pumping for the next year which doesn't sound like fun. I would appreciate it if you have any ideas or suggestions about options I might have. I thank you for taking the time to read this post and hope that you might have some ideas.
Kristen
Re: LC-Any other options left?
Kristen, your post sounds really familiar. Did we talk last week? These are significant issues and I can't answer now, I have to end for the day. But if you want to email me I'd be happy to review this time line with you and see if you're addressed all the issues and if I have anything to add.
Best ~
DeirdreIBCLC
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I am sorry my post was near the end of the chat session. We did not talk last week but I did post this same question to AmyG on this board last week and maybe you saw it at that point. I actually attempted to email you my story but for some reason it got kicked back to me. I will try again. Thank you
Kristen