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melbalalala
Little Lady
Member since 5/07 5015 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Nipple cracks/latching questions
DS is one week old today and I'm already petrified of being a BFing failure.
My nipples are cracked, blistery, and painful. DS doesn't seem to be doing the preferred wide-open mouth latch that I have watched video upon video about. He opens as wide as it seems he can but doesn't cover much ground. The LC worked with us on latching and we were successful in front of her but can't do it on our own.
He is getting milk, I can tell my breasts are "deflating" and he's pooping and peeing, but from what I read the painful nipples are an indication of something going wrong and that he's probably being inefficient in his nursing.
HOW do I get him to do that big open-mouth, fish-lipped, lower areola latch that he's supposed to do? His little mouth is the size of my nipple, how would he fit more in??
Help!
PS - Would also appreciate more "this is just how it is in the beginning" stories
Message edited 5/8/2013 5:22:41 PM.
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Posted 5/8/13 5:10 PM  |
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jams92
Member since 1/12 6105 total posts
Name:
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Nipple cracks/latching questions
I had the same problem and it was so painful...It got so bad my nipples were bleeding. i got madela nipple shields which saved my nipples and helped dd. it took me about two months to get her off of them though...but I couldn't Handkle the pain from the poor latch. If i didn't get them I probably would have given up bfing
http://www.toysrus.com/buy/maternity-clothes/breastfeeding/nursing-bra-pads-shields/medela-contact-nipple-shield-20mm-67218na-2901997
Message edited 5/8/2013 5:17:20 PM.
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| Posted 5/8/13 5:15 PM |
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cateyemm
Twins!
Member since 7/10 8027 total posts
Name:
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
your nipples are going to be incredibly painful in the very beginning, and it may not necessarily mean a latch issue. however, there is a method kind of like when you eat an apple. put his chin under your nipple (sort of to the side so you can see well) and as soon as he opens wide, bring your nipple into his mouth. it's a matter of catching him at the right time when he opens up.
congrats! if you can go to a LLL meeting, they can see if he's latching well. however, if he doestn seem hungry and he's wetting and dirtying enough diapers, i'd suspect that the pain is due to your nipples getting used to bfing.
eta the intense pain went away after about 2 weeks
Message edited 5/8/2013 5:20:41 PM.
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| Posted 5/8/13 5:17 PM |
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melbalalala
Little Lady
Member since 5/07 5015 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
Posted by cateyemm
if he doestn seem hungry and he's wetting and dirtying enough diapers, i'd suspect that the pain is due to your nipples getting used to bfing.
This is comforting, I'd rather it be my nipples getting used to breastfeeding than it be us both being a failure...
Message edited 5/8/2013 5:21:49 PM.
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| Posted 5/8/13 5:20 PM |
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babymakes3
Almost there!
Member since 7/06 7376 total posts
Name:
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
I've bf'd three kids now and my third has such a shallow latch or something but it was more painful with her. What helps is after latching to pull her bottom lip so it flays out more and push more of my boob into her mouth so she'd suck more of it in. Eventually, if she going on to just nipple, id pull back and tease her a bit so she opens wider, then shove it in. It was sore and painful for a good couple weeks but much easier now! Also, to heal the nipples, I expressed milk and rubbed it in my nipple and let them air dry for a while before tucking it away. Never put them away wet! Hope this helps!
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| Posted 5/8/13 5:31 PM |
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Leb
LIF Adult
Member since 12/09 4166 total posts
Name:
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
After a week a b-feeding it started to become painful for me. More so on one side than the other. From week 1-2.5 when dd would latch on I'd flex my feet back and forth as fast as I could to keep from screaming. It felt like knives cutting my nips!
Then like magic it completely went away and I haven't had any pain since. I also had cracked nips w little scabs. I used lanolin which didn't do much and rubbed expressed b-milk as well.
It will get better, just hang in there.
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| Posted 5/8/13 6:34 PM |
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MrsT809
LIF Adult
Member since 9/09 12167 total posts
Name:
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Nipple cracks/latching questions
If you're in suffolk, I think there is a LLL meeting tomorrow around 12. Not 100% sure of the time but it's at the patchogue-medford library. They 're still open so you can call and double check.
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| Posted 5/8/13 7:16 PM |
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petvet
LIF Adult
Member since 5/08 1238 total posts
Name:
Meredith
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
My best advice is don't beat yourself up for not getting a "perfect latch", you don't need it to be successfu! As long as baby is wetting diapers/pooping etc don't worry about how its getting the job done just know that IT IS getting it done hehe. Also it seems no matter how perfect the latch is there is pain in the beginning that will get better. My sons top lip always tucks in when he BF's and it used to drive me nuts that he didn't have tons of areola in his mouth and only his lower lip flared out, I kept striving for the perfect latch on and it never happened. At 11 months he is still doing just fine with his crummy latch and the discomfort resolved on its own after 3 weeks. Also as they grow the mouth will get bigger and they will naturally be able to get more breast tissue in. Newborns just have tiny mouths hehe. Good luck!
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| Posted 5/8/13 8:49 PM |
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Bridex100
Two Under Two Mommy
Member since 3/08 10420 total posts
Name:
Momx100
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
If you are deflating and baby is peeing/pooping, he must be getting your milk. I think once they are raw, cracked, bleeding, the nipples need time to heal.
I used to pump and bottle feed to give my nipples a break. No one warned me about how painful BFing would be. I think it took me about 3-4 weeks to get the hang of it. It was a lot easier with DS#2. I would pull him off instantly if it hurt even a little. With DS#1, I would not know any better so I just let him suck even if I had a bad latch and it was very painful.
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| Posted 5/8/13 8:52 PM |
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cateyemm
Twins!
Member since 7/10 8027 total posts
Name:
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
Posted by melbalalala
Posted by cateyemm
if he doestn seem hungry and he's wetting and dirtying enough diapers, i'd suspect that the pain is due to your nipples getting used to bfing.
This is comforting, I'd rather it be my nipples getting used to breastfeeding than it be us both being a failure...
Either way neither of you are failures!! No matter what happens!! Hang in there
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| Posted 5/8/13 9:24 PM |
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Puppy-Love
LIF Adult
Member since 7/10 1394 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
Posted by Leb
After a week a b-feeding it started to become painful for me. More so on one side than the other. From week 1-2.5 when dd would latch on I'd flex my feet back and forth as fast as I could to keep from screaming. It felt like knives cutting my nips!
Then like magic it completely went away and I haven't had any pain since. I also had cracked nips w little scabs. I used lanolin which didn't do much and rubbed expressed b-milk as well.
It will get better, just hang in there.
This was me. Everything was fine and dandy and then all of a sudden - BAM - PAIN!!! UGH! I would curl my toes and gasp for air. IT. HURT. SO. BAD. I kept waiting for the pain to subside, week after week after week. It finally got better around 8-9 weeks. It took so long but I stuck with it.
I tried every remedy under the sun to get them better. Everything. Aired out, used breast shells, Lanolin like crazy, cold tea bags, whatever. I even asked my OB at my 6 week check up and said something must be wrong and he said some women's nipples just take longer to toughen up. I saw a LC at 2 weeks and she assured me the latch was ok. She did say she was concerned it could be thrush but there were no other signs or symptons so we dismissed it.
Anyway if you need a break I would do this - pump for a day. I never did it because I was too anal about putting the baby to breast to establish the milk supply. But looking back, maybe I should have. Or I should have got nipple shields but I was scared it would be hard to wean her off them. Again looking back maybe I should have just got them.
Lastly - I used antibiotic ointment sparingly on my nips with a disposable breast pad. You have to wash it off before feeding the baby (ouch) but I think it helped. I would put it on during her long stretch of sleep (4-6 hours) and then wash lightly with soap. I think it helped a tiny bit.
Hang in there - it does get easier. The pain WILL end. It is ALL worth it - breastfeeding is amazing!
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| Posted 5/8/13 11:25 PM |
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melbalalala
Little Lady
Member since 5/07 5015 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
Posted by Puppy-Love
Posted by Leb
After a week a b-feeding it started to become painful for me. More so on one side than the other. From week 1-2.5 when dd would latch on I'd flex my feet back and forth as fast as I could to keep from screaming. It felt like knives cutting my nips!
Then like magic it completely went away and I haven't had any pain since. I also had cracked nips w little scabs. I used lanolin which didn't do much and rubbed expressed b-milk as well.
It will get better, just hang in there.
This was me. Everything was fine and dandy and then all of a sudden - BAM - PAIN!!! UGH! I would curl my toes and gasp for air. IT. HURT. SO. BAD. I kept waiting for the pain to subside, week after week after week. It finally got better around 8-9 weeks. It took so long but I stuck with it.
I tried every remedy under the sun to get them better. Everything. Aired out, used breast shells, Lanolin like crazy, cold tea bags, whatever. I even asked my OB at my 6 week check up and said something must be wrong and he said some women's nipples just take longer to toughen up. I saw a LC at 2 weeks and she assured me the latch was ok. She did say she was concerned it could be thrush but there were no other signs or symptons so we dismissed it.
Anyway if you need a break I would do this - pump for a day. I never did it because I was too anal about putting the baby to breast to establish the milk supply. But looking back, maybe I should have. Or I should have got nipple shields but I was scared it would be hard to wean her off them. Again looking back maybe I should have just got them.
Lastly - I used antibiotic ointment sparingly on my nips with a disposable breast pad. You have to wash it off before feeding the baby (ouch) but I think it helped. I would put it on during her long stretch of sleep (4-6 hours) and then wash lightly with soap. I think it helped a tiny bit.
Hang in there - it does get easier. The pain WILL end. It is ALL worth it - breastfeeding is amazing!
Thank you, these are some great tips, I thought about pumping for a feeding or two but was petrified of ruining my supply (I EPed with DD and had terrible supply problems).
I need to get his latch right I just dont have the patience and feel bad when he's struggling to eat.
It really DOES HURT SO BAD!
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| Posted 5/9/13 10:51 PM |
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jlk51496
Mom of 3 - YIKES! =)
Member since 10/09 6758 total posts
Name:
Katie
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
Ok ready here is what you do:
Buy saline wash spray...saturate gauze pads with the saline....then put in a breast pad so you don't leak in your bra and wear them in between all feedings. Make sure they stay saturated...re-wet if they start to dry out. Change after every feeding.
I had three children and felt this with each of them...and a lactation consultant in the hospital for my THIRD kid taught me this....it was like MAGIC I saw/felt a difference after only the first application...with the other two kids I tried creams, shields, pads, etc and nothing worked...my 2nd even couched up blood and I thought it was his!  
I did the saline wash trick for about a week or two and it was AMAZING!!!!!!! I wish I knew this with my firt two kids! Te blood and cracks seemed to disappear with each application!
Just know it is completely normal...your nips aren't used to this much action  it will get better I PROMISE!!!!
Good luck!
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| Posted 5/9/13 11:12 PM |
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Waste06
Waste not, want not
Member since 6/06 7219 total posts
Name:
Lois Mom Mommy Mama Ma
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
Have you tried holding the baby in different positions?
My daughter latched very well and was a great eater. But she had slight torticolis, and her neck muscles were a bit stiff, and she preferred to keep her head tilted to one side. I could feed her quite comfortably on one side using a cross-body hold, but on the other breast I switched to the football hold until her neck got stronger.
If I tried the cross body hold on her weaker side (my right breast) it hurt like a mother-f-er. I knew that wasn't how it was supposed to be, so I tried different positions until I found one that worked.
It sounds like you are approaching the latch correctly, coming from under the breast and below the nipple. Also remember to bring the baby to you and insert your nipple into his mouth. Don't lean over the baby and bring yourself to the baby. You need to be able to sit back and be comfortable. That way there wont be a tug of war going on with your breast and you'll save yourself some back pain.
Good luck!
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| Posted 5/10/13 10:42 AM |
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Jenny614
LIF Adult
Member since 1/11 1065 total posts
Name:
Jen
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
I had a similar experience as other posters have explained and I have scars to prove it, lol. I would cry and flex my feet every time DD nursed too. The breast shields worked the best for me too, but that saline idea sounds interesting...
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| Posted 5/10/13 11:03 AM |
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Tiggeruth
I am a mom :-)
Member since 6/06 3433 total posts
Name:
Heidi
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Re: Nipple cracks/latching questions
I had similar problems nursing DD and the LC was actually shocked at the damage she did at the time (its all since healed).
I used the nipple shields, which helped, the saline solution was amazing and there are also these cooling healing discs that you can buy that help heal when you aren't nursing. They are expensive but a lifesaver. Pumping once a day also helped give them a break.
On top of that i was battling supply issues so we only lasted 6 weeks.
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| Posted 5/10/13 11:51 AM |
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