Effing milk bleb (BFing woes)

ChuggingWater · February 2014

Who names this stuff??

@Soozerella - I seem to remember you having one. Care to share you experience? Anyone else?

I've read on Kellymom, and met with the LC. The first one opened, but now I have a tiny second one.

I'm still waiting, at seven weeks, for that miracle magic moment where breastfeeding is painless and easier than formula feeding. It isn't happening.

I will say it is significantly less painful on my right than left and less than what it was three weeks ago. I wonder if it is because the left is still inverted and he literally pulls it out? It is still more cracked, too.

Saline soaks, apno, lanolin, nipple butter, coconut oil, air dry. Etc etc. Nothing is making it 100% better. His latch looks good. We go to the BFing clinic twice a week (well, now that I start work it will be once).

We met with an ENT to discuss his slight tongue tie, and he didn't feel it was significant enough to clip (and I felt comfortable with this).

I'm discouraged.

Feel free to vent, too.

cnctf · February 2014

My nipples are killing me. I've started to dread the first couple minutes of breast feeding. Are you washing your breasts with soap when you shower?

ChuggingWater · February 2014

cnctf said:
My nipples are killing me. I've started to dread the first couple minutes of breast feeding. Are you washing your breasts with soap when you shower?

Nope. Fffc I rarely use soap BC of my severe eczema.

cnctf · February 2014

I know how you feel. The only reason I found out last night that we shouldn't be soaping our breasts, since it can cause it to dry out and crack was because I was complaining to my Bff about my painful nipples. I'm hoping that eliminating soap will help mines. Did you try those gel pads for the breasts? I hope you find a solution soon.

ChuggingWater · February 2014

I struggle with Raynaud's phenomenon with hands and feet, so I'm leery of putting anything cooling on my nips BC they could be susceptible to it, too.

emilytippett · February 2014

I am in the same boat! I have tried seemingly everything to get rid of a bleb the size of the tip of my nipple. It has been there for over a week now and does not appear to be healing. The only thing I found helps was a nipple shield (madela and ameda make them) and it takes the stingy pain away slightly. Would love to hear what else helps because I would love for BFing to be easier at this point!

MindyBadger1 · February 2014

I went to medical school and never heard the term milk bleb until a week ago. No advice, just wanted to say I'm sorry and BFing is atleast 100 Times harder than I thought it would be. J is 8 weeks Monday, I'm hoping this is the week I dont have some new problem that makes me cry. I think I'm *finally* over the worst.

A phrase I coined: "new day, new titties, new problems. "

SunflowersBride · February 2014

I'm not sure if I have a bleb, but basically the top of my right nipple looks like it has been chewed off, and it burns like hell for about 10 seconds when DS latches. My other nipple is cracked. Both are a result of DS's shallow latch, which if believe has improved, but I have also tried everything to heal my nips and they have only gotten slightly better.

ChuggingWater · February 2014

@sunflowersbride ! Yes! I feel like they won't heal. It might be my autoimmune issues.

thelittlepear · February 2014

We have a great latch, and so far no pain feeding, I just still can't keep up with her. I've been taking the max dose of domperidone, blessed thistle, and fenugreek. I drink the milkmaid tea, eat oatmeal, and pump like a crazy lady. I'm beginning to think I'll never be able to make enough for her, which is quite discouraging. I know her being healthy is most important , but BFing is something I was really looking forward to, and do really enjoy.

SunflowersBride · February 2014

ChuggingWater said:

@sunflowersbride ! Yes! I feel like they won't heal. It might be my autoimmune issues.

It could be, but I also think it's hard to heal everything up when the baby is on the boob every few hours. Plus, my baby likes to suck his way on, and pull off randomly, which does not help matters!

Roses87 · February 2014

@chuggingwater have you tried neumans nipple cream? It is a prescription and is pricey, but totally worth it!

jwp325 · February 2014

@thelittlepear judging by your ticker your LO is probably hitting the three week growth spurt. I just came out of the six week one and was feeding DD all the time and I have to supplement too due to low supply issues. However when I did a weighted feed with the hospital's LC yesterday DD got almost two ounces from me. She got just under an ounce six weeks ago. Totally think all the time at the breast during her growth spurt helped my supply.If you're concerned go get a weighted feed and then you'll have an idea of what she's getting from you.

SunflowersBride · February 2014

tarajeannette said:

@subflowersbride @chuggingwater I have same raw, rubbed off nipple tips. I started getting a better latch on the right side, but the left just kept being excruciating (I think my nip is shorter/wider on that side) so I started pumping on the left to give it time to heal. Problem with this is that the right nipple is now facing the brunt of comfort nursing, when her latch gets shallower over time, and it's now getting damaged again. There's no winning.

Yup, i tried a nipple shield on the advice of an LC in the hopes that it would help clear things up, but DS hated it and it was frustrating to use for too long, so I eventually just gave up. I also think comfort nursing is a big issue for us. DS wants to be on my boob whenever he is awake, and doesn't really take a pacifier. So I guess I just gotta suck it up with the sore nips for now!

thegosiers · February 2014

I use motherlove nipple cream every night, then wear fuzzibuns breast pads in my sleep. That has really seemed to help (same concept as using heavy duty foot lotion then wearing socks to bed).

cnwilbur1030 · February 2014

thegosiers said:
I use motherlove nipple cream every night, then wear fuzzibuns breast pads in my sleep. That has really seemed to help (same concept as using heavy duty foot lotion then wearing socks to bed).

Those names made me chuckle

jblank03 · February 2014

I had a bleb at 2 weeks, they are the worst! I had to go to pumping on that side for awhile because the pain was too much. Have you tried putting olive oil on a cotton ball and wearing that on the bleb in your bra? That eventually made mine go away but it took a good 2 weeks. However, I swear that now my nipple on that side is still harder for LO to latch on to, 2 weeks after the bleb is gone.

One LC and online said something about trying to pop it with a sterilized needle. I personally didn't have any luck with this and just ended up with more pain and a scab.

joshsmandy · February 2014

@ChuggingWater

I also have a bad case of Raynauds... I use soothes on my nips, you can use them refrigerated and at room temp. They seem to be helping some and they don't have an effect as far as my Raynauds. I was leery about them at first but I'm so glad I have them a try.

ChuggingWater · February 2014

@joshsmandy good to know!!!

Momto1goofball · February 2014

MindyBadger1 said:

I went to medical school and never heard the term milk bleb until a week ago. No advice, just wanted to say I'm sorry and BFing is atleast 100 Times harder than I thought it would be. J is 8 weeks Monday, I'm hoping this is the week I dont have some new problem that makes me cry. I think I'm *finally* over the worst. A phrase I coined: "new day, new titties, new problems.

This is what's it's like at my house.
I'm sorry. I don't have a blew so no advice here. I do want to say that I'm sorry you are having to deal with it. It sounds more painful than an extremely cracked nipple with a shallow latch.
We have finally gotten a good latch (most of the time) on the right but my left is still badly cracked. Though it's half healed. The only thing that has helped me is to use breast milk and let it air dry when DD feeds frequently and lanolin when she sleeps in longer stretches. Right now I'm fighting to get her to stop backing off my nipple once we get a good latch. She dies it on either side which leads to having to relatch several times in a feeding. After 3 attempts, DR has gotten enough of a snack to be satisfied for 2 minutes and watch nothing to do with my breast.

ChuggingWater · February 2014

@soozerella He no longer has issues with latching,thank goodness. The blebs have resolved, but there is a small hole where one was (lovely).

The right side has basically been pain free nursing yesterday! We did football hold the entire day, and that seemed to help.

Now I have what looks like baby acne on my areaola. Wtf. Even the LC is a little stumped

BrittNR · February 2014

My LO will only latch on the left side. Wants absolutely nothing to do with the right... So I pump the right and cringe through EVERY feeding on the left. As a result, my right breast supply is dwindling.
So basically, I'm lopsided.
Grrreeeaaaattttt.

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