Bleeding nipples and sharp pains... Trying to stay onboard with my one week old and need advice

Erin0303 · August 2014

My milk has come in. DD is 7 days old today. I got a little help with lactation consultant in hospital for good latch but my nipples are beyond sore and I'm crying every time she feeds. I want to keep her breastfed exclusively but I feel like I can't do this anymore. I'm using lanolin after every feed and she drains one breast every feeding and I offer her the second but she usually doesn't take it, especially after I burp her in between (she had mega gas in hospital and spent a couple days in NICU due to large amounts of amniotic fluid in lungs). Any help you experienced ladies can pass my way I'd appreciate. My daughter is 5 and I BF her until 4 months... I remember extreme soreness but it resolved faster than this. Is there hope in sight?!

TheBorg7of9 · August 2014

She doesn't have to take both boobs each time. Don't know much about bleeding nipples, try putting breast milk on them, letting them airdry, then use lanolin.

ILMomma · August 2014

I walked around my house topless for a long time due to sore, bleeding nipples. It definitely helped. I saw a HUGE decrease in discomfort during nursing around 2 weeks. Stick with it, it will get better!

tahloulah10 · August 2014

I had excruciating pain for at least the first week because of a bad latch in the hospital, and then it started to get better once I did the following to help my nipples heal:
- checked latch every time. If it didn't feel right, I unlatched LO and tried again
- after each feeding, I'd express some breastmilk and rub all over my nipple and let it air dry
- after air drying, I would slather on Motherlove nipple cream. Lanolin did NOTHING for me but make a sticky mess.

I did compressions on my breast while feeding, too; concentrating on this seemed to take some of the pain away. I also did yoga breathing through the initial latch pain.

Keep going for a good, deep latch. I lurked on here a lot before DD arrived and learned a lot from kellymom.com. I watched all of the latching videos, read the articles, and studied the diagrams. It really helps to have a visual of what LO and your breast should look like.

Aliki · August 2014

I remember being sore for weeks.... I don't think I didn't mentally groan thinking about BFing until about 1 month, and I didn't enjoy BFing until 3 months.

Agree with the other PPs to "air out" your boobs in between, and make an appointment for a LC consult. Your insurance should cover it under ACA.

Erin0303 · August 2014

Thank you all for the advice. I will try several different things. I spoke with a lactation consultant this morning and am going to try the Soothies plus some nipple shields and focus on a deep latch. Why is this so hard sometimes...?!?

Dzejmij912 · August 2014

Coconut oil works wonders! Seeing another LC is also a great idea. Sometimes a little 'trick' or advice on a deeper latch will turn the tide from wanting to quit to feeling like you can continue on. They say not to quit on your worst day. It WILL get better!

Salemkitty13 · August 2014

It does get better. I went to a weekly breastfeeding group managed by LCs at my hospital. I used breastmilk on my nipples, and air dry. I had to use a nipple shield and I alternated between a cradle hold and football at each feeding (I find it easier to get a deeper latch with the football hold) I had to latch and relatch at each feeding to get a good latch. It was awful in the beginning for us but it does get better. All the pp had great suggestions. Good luck to you

Ksample89 · August 2014

I was having the same issue. My latch was fine though. LO ended up being tongue tied. Simple procedure to get it fixed. It was a breast feeding game changer after that. I'd have a LC come out and examine babies mouth.

Erin0303 · August 2014

Tongue tied... Is there anyway to figure out if that's happening or the pediatrician has to? I wonder. Regardless, I appreciate all of the suggestions you ladies have made. I had a better day today using the Soothies, air drying, and a nipple shield. Plus concentrating on a deeper latch. I actually has a good feeding with DD a few minutes ago and it gave me hope. My breasts are a mess, though! Lol

Juliamommyny · August 2014

Silverette!!!!! They changed my bf experience! I am giving them to all my pregmant friends! 100% natural and they do work! No more soreness! Goid luck!

Erin0303 · August 2014

My latching is always super painful.. still. Nips looking better and baby comfortable eating after initial latch but my GOSH does it have to hurt this much?

memcgee1 · August 2014

Erin0303 said:

My latching is always super painful.. still. Nips looking better and baby comfortable eating after initial latch but my GOSH does it have to hurt this much?

Is there only pain on the initial latch that lasts for a short while, but then goes away? I had really cracked and sore nipples for the first 6 weeks, and baby's latch was just fine, she just had a really vigorous suck. My LC had told me that as long as the pain resolves after the first 20-30 seconds of latching, then it usually isn't a latch problem. I do think that unfortunately for some of us, pain in the first few weeks is pretty normal. But it really does get better!!! What helped me was Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter applied after every feeding, and then Neosporin applied a couple of times per day. The Neosporin does have to be wiped off before baby feeds, but the nipple butter is safe just like Lanolin. You could also check with your doctor about APNO as well.

alimama33 · August 2014

Erin0303 said:
Tongue tied... Is there anyway to figure out if that's happening or the pediatrician has to? I wonder. Regardless, I appreciate all of the suggestions you ladies have made. I had a better day today using the Soothies, air drying, and a nipple shield. Plus concentrating on a deeper latch. I actually has a good feeding with DD a few minutes ago and it gave me hope. My breasts are a mess, though! Lol

Tongue tie was my problem and it was horribly painful. When baby cries check the strip of skin under their tongue to see if it's too tight. You'll know if baby can't move their tongue past their gums or lips. You can google image search to see what it looks like. Fwiw, my pediatrician had no idea about tongue ties and I had to diagnose it myself... Good luck mama!

Erin0303 · August 2014

Whew.. an update on this one is that both me and baby had thrush.. AND I was in the beginning stages of mastitis. Caught it likely on day 2.5. So, after a couple days of meds for both, I think I am on the upswing. I have been using nipple shields every time Im nursing and that has helped give me time to heal and rule out the possibility for reinfection. I was seriously about to give up, and even though Im not out of the woods yet, it's getting a little easier and feeling slightly better.

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Bleeding nipples and sharp pains... Trying to stay onboard with my one week old and need advice

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