Breastfeeding ?

Hi Ladies,

well I've been breastfeeding now for 13 days, I did take 2 days off and expressed as my nipples were just too darn sore, luckily Hope latched right back on the boob with no problems, she can eat for England! Question is how long before this gets really comfortable? I have one boob that has no problems at all and the other is still not completely healed from a pretty bad crack and still hurts when I feed. I'm bound and determined to do this, although there have been times that I've literally been in tears.... Your experiences would be helpful right now if you care to share..

Thanks..

Hi,
I'm breastfeeding our third child (boy in my avatar) and had quite a problem with sore nipples for the first 2 weeks. It took my son a while to latch on properly. He wouldn't open his mouth wide enough and was just using his lips to suck instead of his tongue. (ouch!) Never had it before with my two girls and didn't realise how much it could hurt! I found breastfeeding while lying down next to the baby was more comfortable than the usual cradling position. My midwife also told me to use white parrafin on the sore nipple. That helped a bit, as did keeping the nursing bra flaps open in between feeds. These are probably things your midwife has told you, though... Hope some of it helps.

Good luck to you and congratulations!

Cyndi

Wanted to add: In my experience it takes about 4-6 weeks until you feel like a pro!

Hiya... Mother of three here...
well first off it is always a bit sore when you start but you should be getting used to it by now...
I had that problem myself so don't feel bad... ok...
here are a few tips for you to make em feel better...

vitamin e oil...  after you nurse wash your self, dry with pats not rubs then apply the oil... it won't hurt the baby so you won't need to wash them before you nurse too...( you can confirm oil with your doc if your worried)

keep a clock near by when you nurse and only let the baby nurse from one side for 10 minutes at a time... sometimes the constant pull make it worse... baby might not like that at first but will get used to it

and  this (husbands favorite option)... walk around topless... I know your breasts are heavier than your used to and you may leak... but some times the bra can chafe a lil and you know a sore thats left to air heals quicker than one under wraps...

hope this helps...

I remember how it felt to hold and nurse my babies and the feelings of peace and well being it brought me... I think that memory is one of the things that makes me consider starting another family at the ripe old age of 42...
but I do want to tell you don't feel bad if you don't continue...  I only nursed my second child for a short time because she was one mighty sucker...(my nipples had blood blisters...I know... I know... TO MUCH INFORMATION...) plus I reasoned I could afford formula then so why go thru the pain..it doesn't make you a bad mum... I know thats a concern with some moms...  but if you get to the point that you cringe at the thought of your baby latching on yet again because it hurts so much, I think it's time to think again about continuing...   Jo

Hi,

As a mother of five exclusively breastfed children, including twins, and a former La Leche League leader, I think it is wonderful that you're giving your daughter the very best start possible! Breastfeeding is a learned art, so try not to get overly discouraged the first 6 weeks...after that most glitches have been smoothed out and it becomes a mutually beneficial relationship for both you and your baby.

In my experience, nipple soreness is caused by improper placement: makes sure your nipple is far enough into your daughter's mouth, (she should be depressing the areola) and if it is not, break the suction and get her to open her mouth wide enough to try it again. Also, proper alignment of her body to yours is important. Do not let her flop backwards away from you...her head should be in a straight line with the rest her body. That means her belly button to your belly button.

The other suggestions were spot on. Air dry your nipples, use a topical treatment called Lansinoh if you can find it: www.lansinoh.com  Also, sometimes it helps to express a bit of milk before feedings if your breasts are too full these first few weeks...it helps so that the baby can latch on properly.

You can pm me any questions if you want. I am usully online on and off most days. I used to be co-moderator of an online group for breastfeeding multiples, but stopped a few years ago when my twins were 2 1/2 and weaned. I still remember that wonderful feeling of gazing down at a contented child at breast!

Relax and enjoy eachother!

hiya

as a first time mom, i hope i can offer some advice to you as well as the others here. Calvin's now nearly 2 months old and its only been for about the last 3 weeks that we have really settled into the whole breastfeeding routine together. i had difficulties getting him to latch on properly in the beginning and suffered sore (but not cracked, luckily!) nipples. i asked my midwife several times to come around and help me. once you have proper latching on and you can get her on with no troubles, it will get easier! (a lot easier!) if she latches on and it hurts, break her suction gently with your small finger and reattach her.
if you are not comfortable going topless, you can get nursing pads to put inside your bra and not only do they absorb any milk that may leak, they also protect your nipples from rubbing against your bra. (most chemists/grocery stores sell them.) i was also advised not to use soap on my breasts while showering as it can wash away some of the protective oils on the breast. also, you may want to try different holding positions while feeding Hope, finding a position that worked well for me and Calvin make a lot of difference. make sure you are comfortable before you feed her, i spent quite a few times with a sore back because i was not comfortable before feeding Calvin. 
going on the guidance i have been given, let her feed as long as she wants on one side (most babies will 'come off' when they are done) with time and practice you'll know when she has emptied one breast and then if she still seems hungry, move her to the other side. the problem i would see with letting her feed one side for 10 minutes is that in the time, the baby might only get the foremilk and no hindmilk and she might very well be hungry again very soon.

i hope your have a midwife &/or health visitor that are willing to help you all they can. i was shy to call them a few times and ask them to come to the house, but don't be! they will come by daily if you need the help.
your determination will help you to keep it up and stick with it, and trust me, the nights when you cry in frustration will end     hang in there and best of luck to you and Hope.

I didn't cry in frustration from breastfeeding, I cried from horrible pain!  She was latched on properly but I've frankly never liked having my nipples messed with anyway-they cracked and bled and scabbed before I'd even left the hospital.  I didn't make enough milk anyway, and after dealing with depression as well was pleased to give the whole thing up after 2 weeks.

And here's something-everyone mentioned inserting a fingertip to break the suction.  Didn't anyone else find this to be excruciatingly painful?  I have fingernails and trying to get a fingertip into her mouth without slicing myself or her was terrifying.

And-the best part-when I first tried bfing her I was, of course, in the hospital.  The nurse showed me the "football hold" because of my c-section, and we were fairly comfortable.  The lactation lady came in to check on me and said, "Are you comfortable like that?"  I said yes.  She sort of raised her eyebrows and replied, "Usually that position only works for women with larger breasts."
 

And-the best part-when I first tried bfing her I was, of course, in the hospital. The nurse showed me the "football hold" because of my c-section, and we were fairly comfortable. The lactation lady came in to check on me and said, "Are you comfortable like that?" I said yes. She sort of raised her eyebrows and replied, "Usually that position only works for women with larger breasts."
 

Oh, Saf, do you mind if I  at this?  I used the "football hold," too and I certainly am not a woman "with larger breasts" - even when pregnant/breastfeeding! 

Laugh away!  It's funny to me, now, too...but at the time I wanted to cry.

It is sad the amount of "training" health care professionals received concerning breastfeeding management. I was a La Leche League leader back with my first batch of children (lactation consultants were just starting to catch on in metropolitan areas but I was in a small "city" of 16,000) and was called into the hospital repeatedly to consult with new moms. The nursing supervisor was open to this...the regular nurses sometimes made snide comments behind my back (like I was stepping on their turf.) I had my twins four years ago at a large hospital in Maine and one spent 28 days in the NICU. I noticed that the information had improved a lot since my older children were born, but still I got a lot of "bad advice."

Whatever works, works...big breasts or not. I used the football hold a lot with the twins. I think many times women feel like they're not doing it "right" based on whatever a healthcare person says. We're so conditioned to thinking they know everything there is to know about our bodies.

One thing I had to do that my mother suggested; when one nipple is sore and the other isn't (or isn't as sore).  Start on the side that doesn't hurt , feed for 10 min and then switch.  That way the baby isn't starving and doesn't suck as hard on the sore breast.  After a day or two, my sorn nipple had healed to the point that I could start on that side everyother time again. 

Also washing off the baby's saliva after every feeding helps to keep them from drying out.

Hi Fellow Mummys,

first of all I appreciate all of the time and effort you have put into writing these posts full of wonderful, valuable information for me, it's great to know you all care   Well I've hit the 2 wk mark and still miracles happening yet, I'm doing everything suggested in the posts and it is getting slightly better. I do still have that toe curling pain with the initial latch on but soon after it is completely gone. Just a note I couldn't find Lansinoh anywhere!! Eventually Boots chemist ordered it for me to pick up the next day, I love the stuff!!! I still have a pretty good size chunk missing off my right nipple that is really slow to heal as the scab keeps coming off, sorry if thats TMI    I'm not giving up though, I'm determined to see this thing through as I do believe the pain will eventually all go away  

Thanks Again Guys You're The Best!!!

Still living in Hope.... literally!

Wow, what a nice chemist! Hope you're completely healed soon. "Toe curling pain," ugh...I'm feeling for you!

I do still have that toe curling pain with the initial latch on...

Ouch I remember that pain. With my first I felt like I was breastfeeding a shark rather than a baby.

I'm glad things are getting better for you and the lansinoh is helping.

With my first I felt like I was breastfeeding a shark rather than a baby.

I had one of those moments while feeding Calvin at 6am this morning! gah. ouch.


glad things seem to be improving for you, ukmisgirl

I think all the suggestions are great. I'm singling out the 'start on the unsore breast first' idea to add another point. When one breast is flowing, the other tends to milk up as well. Because I worked and needed to store milk for the day care during the day, I found it quite easy to feed on one breast while the other was extracting milk in a bottle. It could work that you feed the same side for a few days while extracting the other side just to keep it milked up while it's healing at the nipple.