I feel dumb for asking but....

cMichelle0423 · March 2014

Would it be beneficial at all to use nipple cream (like the kind with lanolin oil) before hand? I only breastfed DS1 for a couple weeks after he was born, but dry cracked nipples and lack of knowledge on breastfeeding really discouraged me from sucking it up and sticking with it, so I started EP. I've been doing a ton of research now to become better informed and this question came to mind when I remembered how bad my poor nips got. So, is there anything I can do to kind of "prep" my nips ahead of time? Or do I just have to deal with it when the time comes?
I'll add an apology ahead of time if this is a stupid question... but I really don't know! Lol

curlylocks3 · March 2014

This would be a perfect question for the Newbie Thread.....

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12300472/newbie-play-date-part-2#latest

cMichelle0423 · March 2014

curlylocks3 said:
This would be a perfect question for the Newbie Thread.....
https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12300472/newbie-play-date-part-2#latest

Fair enough... not even going to lie, I've never looked at these threads... plus since it's labeled "newbie" and I'm a STM I never thought to post there.

Unknown · March 2014

This content has been removed.

MrsKipper · March 2014

shiggybop said:
I tried it and it did nothing for me. Bf is unfortunately just painful at first. (

Yep. Not looking forward to the toe curling in the first week but it is what it is!

cMichelle0423 · March 2014

I was REALLY hoping I'd be clever and find a way around it! Dang!

MrsCase1 · March 2014

I actually found the cream to be very helpful. I splurged and got a pricey brand though I don't recall which one it was.

cMichelle0423 · March 2014

MrsCase1 said:
I actually found the cream to be very helpful. I splurged and got a pricey brand though I don't recall which one it was.

But did you use it BEFORE you started bf? Like while you were pregnant?

steprozz · March 2014

this is my second pregnancy and both times I use vitamin e oil on my nips after showers (specifically Burt's bees mama bee brand- reasonably priced and super awesome) and then a few weeks before the baby is due I start using lanolin and while it doesn't completely relieve cracks and pain it definitely helps more than if you don't do any nipple prep!

cMichelle0423 · March 2014

@stephross88 okay thanks for the info! I'm definitely going to try it!

allrightmeow · March 2014

Used before baby came and I feel like it helped. Outside of the discomfort of milk let down for the first couple of days nothing else happened to me. No cracking or bleeding at all.

MrsKipper · March 2014

I will add that I never had cracking or bleeding. I used lanolin after she was born, but not regularly. I don't think much can be done for just the initial rawness/pain that your nipples go through that first week. They just have to toughen up (and consequently, so do you...general you).

Mrs_D_in_KY · March 2014

I can't see why it wouldn't help. I've been applying cream to my nipples recently because they've been very dry.

I

katekat8721 · March 2014

Mrs_D_in_KY said:

I can't see why it wouldn't help. I've been applying cream to my nipples recently because they've been very dry. I

I have been too.

p.s. come to the newbie thread STMs! let us newbies learn from your knowledge!

BMaidPlanner · March 2014

Ok, this is going to sound ridiculous, but I have to. I dreamt I held my baby for the first time and put her to my breast and she started feeding immediately. I was SO shocked and happy at how easy it seemed...then she chewed a bit of my nipple clear off and ate it. I realized this was some sort of crazy anxiety dream, perhaps. Um.

The very next day I read a post where someone said their nipples were "all chewed up and bloody" while still in the hospital only a day after delivery. Ladies. Please give it to me straight. I'm tough. Might it be this bad this fast? Will anything help us?

MrsKipper · March 2014

@BMaidPlanner‌, it wasn't that bad that quickly for me. I didn't experience pain until day 3 or 4. Once again, I never bled or cracked really bad, either...just intense pain the first 30 seconds of each feeding. Everyone is different, though!

MrsKipper · March 2014

katekat8721 said:

Mrs_D_in_KY said:

I can't see why it wouldn't help. I've been applying cream to my nipples recently because they've been very dry.

I

I have been too.

p.s. come to the newbie thread STMs! let us newbies learn from your knowledge!

-------
I'm there and here. I put a small amount of regular coffee into my decaf this morning and I'm still wired! I'm posting all the things tonight!!!

steprozz · March 2014

BMaidPlanner said:
Ok, this is going to sound ridiculous, but I have to. I dreamt I held my baby for the first time and put her to my breast and she started feeding immediately. I was SO shocked and happy at how easy it seemed...then she chewed a bit of my nipple clear off and ate it. I realized this was some sort of crazy anxiety dream, perhaps. Um.

The very next day I read a post where someone said their nipples were "all chewed up and bloody" while still in the hospital only a day after delivery. Ladies. Please give it to me straight. I'm tough. Might it be this bad this fast? Will anything help us?

I won't tell you it isn't going to hurt because it is. whether you will have bleeding is unknown. some do and some don't. you will most likely at least having cracking. I wouldn't describe it as "chewed up" but they definitely take a beating those first few days while you and LO get the hang of things. I promise it gets better though and don't give up!! it took a solid two weeks to get everything under control for us but it's so worth it.

MrsKipper · March 2014

stephross88 said:

BMaidPlanner said:
Ok, this is going to sound ridiculous, but I have to. I dreamt I held my baby for the first time and put her to my breast and she started feeding immediately. I was SO shocked and happy at how easy it seemed...then she chewed a bit of my nipple clear off and ate it. I realized this was some sort of crazy anxiety dream, perhaps. Um.

The very next day I read a post where someone said their nipples were "all chewed up and bloody" while still in the hospital only a day after delivery. Ladies. Please give it to me straight. I'm tough. Might it be this bad this fast? Will anything help us?
I won't tell you it isn't going to hurt because it is. whether you will have bleeding is unknown. some do and some don't. you will most likely at least having cracking. I wouldn't describe it as "chewed up" but they definitely take a beating those first few days while you and LO get the hang of things. I promise it gets better though and don't give up!! it took a solid two weeks to get everything under control for us but it's so worth it.

Yes, don't give up just because it hurts! If the pain doesn't go away, then you can see a lactation consultant to see if baby is latching properly! A proper latch is key to reducing the pain, cracking and bleeding!

dmizak · March 2014

I didn't ever use cream. I think I was lucky and my little buddy was good at latching. I do remember getting sore, but I never cracked or bleed, so I never used any cream.

Now I'm wondering if it will be different this time...

Verstej2 · March 2014

I never really had any pain either but if I thought they might be getting a bit tender or dry I would rub the excess breast milk into them after every feeding and them air dry (only takes a few seconds). This was done on advice of my midwife and it really seemed to help.

jshrop · March 2014

I read something about "roughing up" the nipples for the last couple months before birth. Ie, get out of the shower and rub a towel over them roughly to kind of callous them. Anyone tried this? Worth it or not?

jshrop · March 2014

Thanks @mullenem‌, I'll save myself the pain lol

Read247 · March 2014

I didn't use the nipple creams because it made my nipples more sensitive. I rubbed breast milk on them and let them air dry.

I think of it like this: when you work with your hands and they start to get calluses they hurt, right? You can put lotion on but they'll be more sensitive, or you can let them "toughen up" and eventually they won't hurt any more. I know it's not the same for everyone, but that's just my personal experience.

dimitjm1 · March 2014

I have no tips for prevention, but am following for tips. I will be honest in that I had nipple cracking and bleeding for about 3 months. It was not fun. Lanolin and other combos of creams suggested by my LC for common problems like thrush didn't seem to help. I sought help from an LC right away, and even had my son's tongue tie clipped at 11 days old. I thought he had a pretty good latch and LC didn't see any obvious issues besides the tongue tie. Maybe my nipples were just very sensitive? I will say that I toughed it out and nursed until my son was 13 months old. Things seemed to get better when I went back to work and had to do a combo of pumping and nursing. That seemed to allow my nipples to heal. I'm hoping that prior nursing experience will help prevent the prolonged cracking and bleeding this time. My nipples have never really went back to the size and appearance of prior to my son's birth.

MSUMands · March 2014

jshrop said:
I read something about "roughing up" the nipples for the last couple months before birth. Ie, get out of the shower and rub a towel over them roughly to kind of callous them. Anyone tried this? Worth it or not?

Holy shit please don't do that to yourself! That give me goosebumps just reading it. Ouch.

ElTrain5 · March 2014

I read somewhere that the whole "toughening up your nipples" thing was a total old wives tale and did more harm than good.

quinnlucas6118 · March 2014

I didn't experience problems during that I needed to use any for but lately right now mine have been very dry so I've been using a natural moisturizer.

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