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Nipple Damage

aehamilton13aehamilton13 member
in Breastfeeding
Hello! I've been away from TB for quite awhile, but I now have a newborn again and some pretty damaged nipples. Well, actually just one. There's a big crater and it's pretty raw. Feeding is painful, at least initially, until my milk lets down. I've been using the Jack Newman's cream faithfully, but it doesn't seem to be helping. Her latch has been checked and is perfect. Any tips for getting this healed up? Will it heal even as I continue to nurse on that side? It doesn't look any better to me.
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Re: Nipple Damage

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    SmallyMcSmallSmallyMcSmall member
    Plenty of lanolin and have you tried using a nipple shield for the time being? I haven't had to use one myself but from what I've read from other moms on here, it could add an extra bit of protection while you heal up. Good luck!
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    aehamilton13aehamilton13 member
    I haven't but I've been debating trying one. I just don't want to be stuck using it forever.
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    SmallyMcSmallSmallyMcSmall member
    If it's only on the one side, and you're switching between both breasts I don't think there will be a problem. I've heard of plenty of moms here who used shields exclusively out of necessity (latching issues etc) for months even and then one day out of the blue they tried nursing without and had no issues. Im still learning that babies can be very surprising in that way. So hopefully since you'd be using it on one side only your LO will be able to adjust and go back and forth between with and without.
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    missphilmissphil member
    I just wanted to say that a latch may seem perfect from the outside (even to a IBCLC) but can still be shallow due to various reasons (tongue tie, etc). If there is pain and damage, I would say either the latch is still shallow or perhaps your baby has some tension resulting from birth. In that case I would consult a cranial sacral therapist.

    When I had damaged nipples, I would offer one breast and pump the other one until it healed. A breast can still heal while nursing but maybe not as much if a baby nurses often on that side. Also a nipple cream with calendula will work well. Good luck!
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    orangecurlsorangecurls member
    My LC recommends  Lansinoh® Soothies® Gel Pads
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    srecupidosrecupido member
    missphil said:
    I just wanted to say that a latch may seem perfect from the outside (even to a IBCLC) but can still be shallow due to various reasons (tongue tie, etc). If there is pain and damage, I would say either the latch is still shallow or perhaps your baby has some tension resulting from birth. In that case I would consult a cranial sacral therapist.

    When I had damaged nipples, I would offer one breast and pump the other one until it healed. A breast can still heal while nursing but maybe not as much if a baby nurses often on that side. Also a nipple cream with calendula will work well. Good luck!
    All of this!! :) my lo 'looked' perfect but wasn't and it caused more pain than needed. My crater eventually healed but if I had taken him to a Chiro sooner it might haved saved us both some trouble 
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