Healing Cracked Nipples

OMG-my breasts were bad! AIR is the secret! No bra, no shirt. It may feel like your the poster child for National Geographic, but my breasts were hamburger and it took about 3 days to heal. FYI I tried the hard cups-awful, they were trapping moisure, and shields-baby wouldn't nurse. If you have to wear a top get something that's LOOSE and keeps you dry.

I experienced this pain with both of my children. Besides all these other great comments, I'm surprised that no one has suggested holding your baby differently each time you breastfeed, or use a combination of holds--regular, football, and laying down to feed your baby. It helps to ease the pain while nipples heal.
Best wishes.

Are you using breast shells and lanolin? Breast shells were a life saver for me!!

Breast Shells by Ameda designed to protect nipples and prevent soreness and irritation, priced right ready to ship. The Breast Shells by Ameda allow for air circulation while simultaneously preventing drip milk from leaking onto clothing when used with cotton rolls. The Ameda Breast Shells may also be used to help draw out flat or inverted nipples. The Breast Shells by Ameda item number 17231 includeds 2 aerated shells, 2 sets of backs, ( 1 pair for sore nipples and one pair form inverted or flat nipples).

It took me a few weeks after I stopped nursing (I only nursed our first child for 11 days, because it was the worst experience of my life.) My nipples still don't look the same and he's six!
Good luck! :)

Your lactation consultant is probably helping you with this, but what I found helpful was to make sure your baby is properly positioned during feedings. If she is stretching her neck to eat, she could be pulling on your nipple, not getting adequate suction, and promoting cracking. So make sure her tummy is against your tummy during feedings to prevent this from happening, as opposed to her lying on her back part way. Hope this helps!

I went through a long time of having trouble with sore nipples. OUCH. My heart goes out to you!

Here are the tricks that did work for me:

Express a little milk, spread it around your nipple and go sit out in the sun somewhere where you can be topless for a chunk of time.

Make an ointment (I usually don't do conventional treatment but this really worked) Combine triple antibiotic ointment with yeast treatment cream (like mystatin) and hemrhoid cream (cortisone type cream). Make a mix in your palm of a weensy bit of each and apply right after you stop nursing and not when you are about to nurse more. It really isn't dangerous to them -- but I didn't want to give my baby anything so I tried to avoid treatments that would effect her. I used to think I was getting yeast and of course the toughest part with that is you can't treat your baby very easily..but the important thing to know is what might be keeping the wound open and irritated, even if yeast is around is the staph bacteria. Ultimately you can get mastitis if this gets established into your ducts. DOUBLE OUCH.

Hope this helps.

M.

I never had cracked nipples, but my LC advised me to use just plain old olive oil in between feedings since I had lots of clogged ducts. That might be a better choice for you. It's cheap, and easily absorbed by the body and edible for baby.

Can you supplement with formula or pumped milk in a bottle every other feeding to give your nipples a break until they heal?

I had the same problem with my second. Definetly use Purelin after everyfeeding. Next buy a nipple shield. You wear it while she is nursing. they are availble at Target. Then you will heal and you can still feed, and she will not crack the nipple while the shield is on. It took about 2 days to recover once i started using the shield.

L.

M.,
You can get Lanisoh cream, it is pure lanolin and it is safe for the baby. that is what I used and it worked like a charm. The baby might be latching on wrong, I know that can be painful. Time. That will heal you for sure. YOu can get the cream at Target, it is in a lavander color box.

Good luck!
M.

Are you air drying your breasts between feedings? It'll get better. They shouldn't be re-cracking but just re-opening. That's fine. You should be back in perfect order after 6 weeks. That means 2 more weeks. Make sure you fully air dry your breasts before putting them away. Use a hairdryer on low, cool if you need to .

You already have some great suggestions! For me lanolin just didn't work well enough. I had better success with Motherlove nipple cream!! After I expressed and rubbed breast milk on my nipples first and let them air dry! It's organic and completely safe! Of course, I too needed to work on the latch and used nipple sheilds when needed. Really the latch is THE most important!

Good luck!!

My sister used a nipple shield during feedings to help her heal. Baby doesn't get quite as much milk that way but hopefully you will heal faster. I think the amount difference is negligible. I know you can get shields at Target. Hope you heal fast!

Hi M....Oh, how I feel for you...I think while nursing my son, I was sore or cracked for 16 months!!! I finally tried the nipple guards. I got mine at babies-r-us. They have 2-3 sizes, and it seemed like smaller worked best for me, but everyone is different. It took a while for him to get used to them, since I didn't get them til he was 8 months...teething. He finally bite me once on each side during the same feeding, and I bled...and I cut him off cold turkey. I guess it was a good time, since neither one of us had any problems with it...he was 16 months. Now he's almost 3, still snuggled and curles my hair when I hold him, and very healthy and independent.

Best of luck to you, and ask about nipple guards...

Is it a fizzure or a crack..? The cracks are on the nipple a fizzure is at the base.. I had fizzures and it was as if my whole nipple was going to just break off it was so bad. I used a nipple sheild on and off.. it only took about a week and a half to heal and they were really bad and extremely painful as well. Hope you don't have to deal with it for too much longer.

Hey M.,

I had the same problem with my son, now 3 1/2 weeks old! I have 2 daushters (1-12 and 1 15 months) and my son was born on Aug. 11! My nipples weren't just sore and cracked, they were RAW! I never had this with either of my girls but it got really bad with this baby! They were so bad he wouldn't even nurse and I got completely frusterated and upset, called the lactation specialist out (who actually frusterated me more because hse said to keep trying and be persistens, meanwhile he's screaming because he's hungry and won't except my nipples). I thought all was over but honesty things are great now! I got great advice from a fmaily member who said to pump for a few days while using some neosporin to heal my nipples (lanolin wasn't cutting it) and I just had to wash them really good before pumping! I did this for 3 days (and still tried to give him my breast at least everynight before bed to keep him familiar with it) and they healed beautifully...and he bagan nursing again full time and my nipples have no major pain or soreness, just the usual! Hope this helps!

oh i feel so bad for you. I used nipple shields made by medela. They saved me, I only used them until my nipples healed and then I took them off. I hope they get better.

I also agree with the Lanolin advice. Make sure you are putting it on after EVERY time you nurse your daughter because it keeps the nipple moist so it doesn't re-open the sore each time it dries out. But Lanolin leaves stains so I'd be sure to use breast pads as well so as to not ruin your bras or clothing. Good luck - it really doesn't last forever (as frustrating as it is at the time).

I pumped and bottle fed for a few day, maybe 4 or 4 and then my nipples were able to heal enough for them not to re-open during feedings. After that, I was able to breastfeed again with no problems.

Try Lansinoh ointment after feedings. It comes in a purple box and at the time I used it, the only place to find it was at Target. I know how painful it can be so I hope this helps. Good luck!

What is the lactation nurse telling you to do? I have had cracked nipples with each of my babies. This last time how ever it has been worse. A lot of it has to do with the way she likes to latch on. Instead of opening her mouth real big she likes to suck it in like she is on a straw. Now that she is five months old it is easier to tell her no and to open wider. With my first two the nipples just cracked at the tip. With her she not olny cracked the tip but cause the nipple to split at the base. It was very painful. It cleared up with nipple cream and position changes. Just be careful as a women told me she had the same problem with her last baby and to this day if she washes to hard in the shower they start to bleed. Her longest is eight years old now. Good Luck and God Bless you for sticking with it. Not many would.

Hi M.,

Have you tried using Lansinoh Medela lanolin on your nipples? I had this same problem, and it is initially hard really with a newborn, but if you put lanolin on after each time you nurse, change your breast pads frequently and don't use any sorts of soaps on your breasts, it shouldn't take too long.

Congrats on your new little one and hang in there! You're doing a great thing by nursing your little girl.

M.

Hi
I definately recommend Lanoshin after every feeding. It is natural so it wont affect the baby. You could also try nipple shields. They are little plastic shields that keep your bra and clothing from rubbing, and making the situation worse. They also keep the moisturizer in and on. You can probably find them at Target
Good luck

You are almost there! I think it took about 5-6 weeks for mine to heal. I have four kids and with each one I was in pain the whole first month or so. It's weird how it is so bad and then one day it is just better. Good luck!

It took me 8 weeks with my first one and 6 with my second but they are only 14 months apart. After each feeding I would glop on the lansinal but that would hurt unless I worked it until it was warm and gooy before putting it on. Most of it comes off on your breast pad anyways before the next feeding also keeping the pads dry was a big part of the healing process. I hope this helps.

M.,
I feel your pain! I pumped and then bottle fed the breast milk until my nipples healed. It seemed easier on my breasts than my son's nursing. I used Lanolin to soothe them and as soon as they healed I went bact to nursing and was fine. It took about 4 to 5 days I think. Good luck. I know it's a pain, but it's so worth it in the end. The bonding is great and something you'll treasure forever!

Hi M.,

I had a horrible case of cracked nipples with my first, and not as bad with my second. With my second, I religiously used 'Lansinoh' ointment, and saw a huge improvement. Be sure to use nursing pads with the ointment, or it will stain your bra and shirt (leaves an 'oily' looking stain). Also, I think medela makes a new product called either hygrogel or hydropads. These nursding pads are made with the same material used on burn victims. I think they are wet/ sticky/ gooey pads that will allow your nipples to heal without creating a scab. When a scab forms, it will be ripped off when your baby nurses, re-opening the crack. These pads are supposed to prevent the scab while healing. Somewhere between 4 and 6 weeks, I was healed.

Are you using lanolin cream? That's what was recommended to me. It was soothing and helped with healing. Your nipples have to get toughened in. I don't think mine took much more than a month for great improvement.

I've been there! I'm so sorry you have to go through that- it is terrible! I dealt with mine for about a month as well.
I second the use of the hydrogel pads. I tried everything and what worked was alternating hydrogel pads and triple antibiotic ointment after feedings. Be sure to wash off the area before nursing. That helped but it still wasn't completely healing, so I ended up pumping on that side for a week and still nursing on the other side. My husband would then give my son the bottle while I pumped. It was completely healed after a week.

Good luck!

Put pure lanolin on your nipples after every feeding and you will be healed in a day or two. I'm surprised your lactation consultant didn't already mention this! Pure lanolin works miracles.

Good luck!

It took mine weeks and then my mother-in-law, who is a lactation consultant, told me to use 1% Hydro cortison and it worked almost instantly. Just wipe it off before feedings.

My sister had the same problem and she would rub some of her breast milk on her nipples and she said it would clear in a few days. Personally, I used the breast cream from lansinoh and it cleared in 3 days

Oh, the pain! I remember it well. My first two babies were gentle nursers, but #3 was a power sucker from day one! He came 13 years after the first kids, so my 38 year old nipples were not prepared. They cracked after week one, and nursing was a very painful experience until he was about 3 months old. I was in Switzerland at the time he was born and the doctor gave me a pure lanolin cream that really helped. Still, it hurt for 3 months and I considered stopping often. I'm so glad I didn't!!! Stick to it and you will never regret it. I found that what helped the most was the lanolin, keeping my nursing pads as dry as possible, airing them out and sun-drying them several times a day, and being creative with nursing positions. I alternated positions regularly and that really seemed to help. Sitting, laying down, football hold, sitting, laying down, football hold. Don't worry about your daughter swallowing any blood. We moved back from Switzerland when my baby was 2 months old, and both our pediatricians, Swiss and American, said the same thing - the blood was nothing to be concerned about. Hang in there and good luck! It will get better.

Hi M.,

I sure do feel for you! Have you been using Lansinoh ointment on your nipples? Lansinoh works wonders! Keep them moisturized as often as possible.

-Char

http://www.lansinoh.com/index.php?src=directory&view=...

This is recommended by La Leche League ... I used it, and it worked wonders, and lasts forever! I believe you can get it at any drugstore in the baby isle!

Good luck!

-Jenn

I only saw one mention of the latch-on as a possible cause of the problem, so I thought I'd just reiterate that, though I'm sure the lactation consultant went over that already. My daughter latched on differently every time, and I learned to take her off and have her re-latch each time it hurt. The nipple shields are designed not actually to protect the nipple but to teach the baby how to latch on properly, and that was a huge life-saver for me when I was first nursing. I had a certified nurse/lactation consultant suggest it to me with this caveat: DO NOT OVERUSE IT. Once the baby starts opening her mouth wider, stop using it, otherwise she will learn to only nurse using that, and it slows down the milk flow. I used for about a week and was fine after that.

As for the soreness: I also vouch for using some of your own breast milk -- just put it on and let it air dry after each feeding. But also use the lanolin to protect the nipples when you are feeding. That stuff is a miracle for cracked skin on any part of the body. Use it as often as you need to -- keep the nipples covered. It's totally plant-based and totally safe for the baby, so you can even put it on right before you nurse. That helped my sores heal up pretty quickly. Also put it on before AND after you shower, and remember not to wash that area with soap.

Good luck, I feel for you, and congrats on nursing (again?) It won't last forever!

I went through this as well with both my boys (didn't happen with my daughter, the oldest). Make sure your nipples are completely dry after a feeding, change out breast pads often, expose your nipples to u/v light (either the sun or a lamp) and you can use A & D on them! I know it sounds strange but it works! Just make sure you wipe it off when you nurse because baby won't like it. It's been a while so not sure how long it took to heal. Take care!

Go to a local health food store and get Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter - it is the best stuff EVER!!! A galpal of mine had the problem you do, she cried during all feedings and called me to see if I had the same thing (we are 2-1/2 wks apart) I, luckily did not!!!! I had a jar of the Nipple Butter and gave it to her to try, within a week she was healed and happy!!! She has purchased more since then and uses it religiously. good luck