Raw Nipples

I have the answers you need! The same thing happened to me! I hope your not modest, and if you are you have to get over it for a bit : ) AIR, is the answer! Stop putting creams on, it locks in moisture and run around topless. Nursing tanks and nursing pads also lock in moisture. So, close the curtains and let the girls breath! I was missing chunks off of my nipples (sorry for the raw honesty)and in days they were healed!
The popping/clicking is your baby trying to wrap her mouth an engorged breast or gulping,which is good. For a proper latch, think of how a plane lands. Angle your nipple towards her nose, you want the lower part of your aureole in her mouth.
You don't have thrush. What your experiencing is very common. In a couple of days you will be back on track. Don't give up!

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Hi C.. Well, clearly you're not alone, and I really just wanted to add my support. I went through the same thing with my son. My nipples did crack and even bleed a little, and it was excruciating. The creams did not help me....I know it sounds crazy, but someone else mentioned this, too. Get a nice cabbage from the store and put it in the fridge. Once it's cold, take off 2 leaves (washed), and put them in your bra. I don't know why this works, I just know that it does. It took a few days, and the pain was gone, truly. We haven't had a problem since. And definitely work on the latch until you guys get it down. La Leche is great. Hang in there, it's going to pass!!

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Hi C. I think the number one thing you can do to make this so much more enjoyable is getting the latch down good. If you need to get someone to help you, the nurses at the hospital taught me. The other thing I would say is "let em hang out!" lol no but honestly try to go topless as much as you can there is something about the air hitting the nipple that just really helps, just remember to lock the doors = ) Good luck to you I hope you find what works for you.

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Hi C.,
Congratulations mama on a new little one to love . I'm so sorry you've been in pain while trying to do the best for your baby. I want to share that Mother Love Nipple Cream worked wonderfully for me, very healing and okay for baby to ingest a little when it's on your nipples. I experienced pain that brought me to tears when we started due to a bad latch so I feel for you. Now I can say breastfeeding is the best thing (and easiest) thing I do for my baby. We both love it! With the right latch and a little time It will get better!! ~ S.

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you are going to hate my answer.... You just need to keep breastfeeding her until your nipples get use to it. I can relate with both my girls it was sooooooo painful, I describe it as "someone holding a match to my nipples", It will get better I promise. It will just take a few weeks.... I tried everything, nothing helped.

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Have you tried Lanolin cream by Lanisoh (they also made great breast pads!) Also, it may be that the latch is not quite right. I would try a lactation consulatant just to make sure. That would solve everything!

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When I was nursing my doctor told me to apply cream to my nipples to keep them soft for the baby to nurse. I could have kicked him as it hurt like you wouldn't believe. Actually YOU would believe. What I did and yes it was painful for the first while but what I did was to use a rough washcloth dry and rub my nipples until they toughened up to handle the baby nursing again. It did work. Hope this helps. R.

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Dear C.,
My name is L. and I have just had my second child and I still had raw nipples. What I did was pump and give them a break, but also I'm not sure how they told you to latch her on, but I was told to have the bottom of the areola not to show at all and hold her close to you. Make sure your arm goes (the arm opposite from the breast your feeding on) along her back. When I started to do it this way it really helped. You still might feel raw for a liitle longer, but not much.

My son also made the clicking sound, but that was because he wasn't latched on correctly. That might be what your daughter is doing. Hope I am of some help.

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Hi C.!

I may be one of the few to say this, so here goes...

If nursing is that painful, stop. I had the same problem with my son. We worked on latch on, I used the shield, I pumped, I talked with lactation consultants, the whole shebang. When I learned he was sucking blood along with the milk because I was constantly told to endure the agony, I decided that that was hogwash and my baby deserved more than blood flavored milk. So, I quit nursing. I pumped for another 8 weeks, supplementing with formula and then switched solely to formula in bottles.

Feeding went from enduring excruciating pain, where we were both fussy and upset, to something that was a true bonding session. Plus, bonus!, my husband got to share the joy of feeding from a very young age, something that has benefitted all of us in the long run.

So, C., I say to you: TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS! If your instincts say that nursing isn't working for you, count your blessings that we have alternatives to nursing, and use them GUILT FREE. If your instincts say that you need more nursing training or that your baby has a medical concern, go with solutions from that front. As long as your baby is growing, happy and healthy, I wouldn't waste time with doubt or guilt.

Good luck

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I remember when I first started breast feeding and I went through the same thing. My nipples were raw and red and eventually even cracked and bled a bit. They do toughen up after awhile. I've been breast feeding now for over 16 months. Anyway, I just let them heal on their own and it didn't take too long. If you are looking for comfort however they do have cool gel breast pads. That should give you some relief. Keep applying the nipple cream as well so they don't chap too much. In between feedings you can use the breast pads. I hope this helps but please remember that it does get better. I feel your pain but keep up the good work. Us moms can do anything!!!!!

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if you can send someone to Whole Foods - they have homeopathic remedy Phytolacca 30C. even though homeopathic remedies have to selected on individual bases and Phytolacca is not the only one, it seems to fit your description of pain. take it every 3 hours for the first day but stop AS soon AS you see improvement.
Good Luck
V

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C.. I had the same problem when nursing my daughter. I tried creams, shields and nothing worked except my own breast milk. Squeeze some of your own milk onto your nipples and air dry. Try to be topless as much as possible and keep applying the milk. Worked wonders. Takes time to heal, but it works. I got to the point of cracked nipples and bleeding. I would cry when I fed her. (I was adamant about exclusive breast feeding, but I think it would have been a better idea if I would have used some bottle feeding to allow some time for healing) She would latch on and I could feel the pain shoot all the way to my back. I saw a lactation consultant who told me that if she was latched on properly, it would heal, but if she continued to latch on improperly, it would just make it worse. Hang in there, see if you can talk to a lactation consultant if you haven't already. Make sure she's latched on properly and do the milk thing. It'll get better.

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Call Le leche league!! I went through the same thing with both girls Lucy (5) weaned at 2 and Ava (2 1/2) weaned at 2. It sounds like she has a high palit. Some tradional latches will not work intil she is older. I am so sorry please call them they are free and they will help you. I have been a mamber for 4 years. Don't give up breast milk is natural but learn to breast feed you need to be taught.You can call me. ###-###-#### J. Bugay

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Hi C.,

My sympathy to you....I know how it hurts! Try Bag Balm. You can find it at Long's Drug Store. You may have to ask pharmacist. It's usually in a green tin square can...looks like it should be a candle. This is used on Cows Utters when they are chapped. It is like an ointment, odorless and will not harm baby, so you can apply and feed. It really really works....but as I had my last child (17months old now) it was hard to find. I found it at Longs. Last time I used it was 13 years ago. If Longs doesn't have it, try a pet store.

Hope this helps...

E.

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Just hang in there and keep on going, even if you cry while feeding her. Maybe you can find something to distract yourself from the pain while you are breastfeeding. Be shirtless if possible if you are at home alone. Your nipples will get tougher and less sensitive after a while. The important thing is not to quit. God bless you and your baby girl.

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Use coconut oil. You'll have to put breast pads in your bra but it's worth it - the coconut oil really works.

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I was completely in your same boat. I am now on my 7 month breast feeding and it was SOOO painful at first. For me, my nipples needed to toughen up. I was religious about the lansinol and put it on all the time. In fact every shirt and bra I had was stained with grease rings. Its was the only thing that helped. I teared up for the 1st 6 weeks or so every time he latched. BUT it got better and better and then was totally pain free and got so easy.
Stick to it. I had no idea what anyone was talking about when in my class they said it was great and didnt hurt. It did and it is harder then anyone says. You don't know to look for a latch problem and many times it is even hard to figure out on the first time.

Stick with it. I went through the same, it does get better I promise.

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Something that helped me a lot was those gel pads (one brand is called "Soothies") and I found them at Rite Aid and I saw something similar at Target. They are just round soft gel pads that you put on top of your breasts/nipple area in between feedings. I bought 2 packs and would refrigerate one pair while using the other, then switch them and stick the other pair in the refrigerate. You don't need to refrigerate them, but the cold felt really good. I also applied lanolin as well. It eventually got better and I didn't need either. Hope this helps...good luck!!!!

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Not all nipple creams are created equally. This one is magic.

http://www.motherlove.com/product_nipple_cream.php

Seriously, it's amazing.

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I agree that it is hard at first, but it does get better, and like some others said, you'll just realize the pain is gone one day. It does sound like you do have some other issue, since you do know you have a bad latch, it really could be that. I also know that my latch was pretty good after the first couple of days, and I still had some pretty bad nipple pain for a while, so it could just be you adjusting.

One thing, I went around bra less and tried to protect myself, and my nipples stayed sensitive for quite a while. Then I went on a week long trip (about 6 weeks after I started breastfeeding), and something was touching them every day (except at night), after a few days, the pain was gone. I couldn't stand the water pressure from my shower hitting me before I left, and after, it didn't bother me at all. I think protecting them too much might make it harder for them to finish healing and get over that extra sensitive time. Although I was somewhat uncomfortable at first with the contact, it was great getting over that, and I never would have thought that my bra/clothing would actually help me feel better.

Good luck and don't give up! It's a lot harder to relactate because you stopped (I know from experience), then it is to just make it through the first time.

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AloeLife Aloe - it can actually be ingested and coconut oil were great.

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If your nipples are raw and red you may have thrush. I got it and it is quite painful. I had symptoms before dd, you could not even see hers. I knew she had it because I got it. Look up "pictures of thrush on nipples" on google and see if it looks similar. I self diagnosed that way and confirmed with a doc. If you do and need help with recovery pm me. We fought a long hard battle that could have been prevented and I would love to help if I could so you don't got throught the agony I did. : )

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C.,

It sounds like thrush to me. If I were you, I'd start treating for thrush (www.kellymom.com has great info) to see if it helps.

One thing that really helped me when I first started nursing was someone pointing out that your baby doesn't really nurse off your nipple. Their as much of your boob as possible should be in her mouth. She should be latched on around and behind the nipple. If only your nipple is in her mouth, it will be very painful. My boobs are big (and hard) while nursing especially in the beginning. So I would need to pinch my boob and "pancake" it to stuff as much of it as possible in my baby's mouth. I'd basically take my nipple and rub it from my baby's nose to his chin to get him to open wide and then I'd stuff it in. I'd also recommend seeing a lactation consultant or contact La Leche for some help. Breastfeeding sucks when it is painful. If your baby is tongue tied or has a high palate an LC may be able to help you adjust your babe's latch so it isn't so painful.

Avoid the nipple shield if at all possible. It can KILL your milk supply in no time at all because it will further compromise your baby's latch.

The clicking sound would indicate that she isn't latched properly. If you've been doing this for 4 weeks, get some help. I can't imagine having sore nipples for that long.

T.

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please get checked by your ob -- it sounds a lot like thrush.

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I had the same trouble 60 years ago and I just stopped nursing! To me nursing is no big thing, it's the time you spend with your baby that counts, so I always held them while feeding (until my 4th, his bottle got propped up a lot, but he still turned out fine) and sang to them and talked to them. My breasts were like yours, so sore I just couldn't stand it and then they started bleeding and my little girl was getting more blood than milk and I still remember that pain and I feel for you. I went to formula and didn't even try to pump...Tillie

Hi C.,
Honestly, this is one of the biggest things that no one tells us about! I so know what you're going through!
Getting the latch right will take care of this. If you've got a bad latch, then that will cause this. I used Lansinoh lanolin creme and it worked great.
Really, get help with the latch. That will make all the difference in the world in your breast feeding ventures!
What I remember is making sure that my son had his mouth open wide enough, and really getting a lot of breast in his mouth. If we didn't, then I would move him off and do it again. Otherwise, if the baby just sucks on the tip, then it's going to hurt, and it's going to effect milk flow too.
It might be worth it to find a lactation consultant. You can try La Leche League too.
Gosh, I sure remember how much this hurts, but really, this too shall pass! Good for you for hanging in there! It's so worth it!

Look for a Le Leche League meeting in your area. They will help you with the latch. I had the same problem with my last baby. She refused to latch on right and it made my nipples so sore. It hurt so bad I would cry when she first latched on. Her problem was that she was latching on more to the nipple than the breast. Also, if it has been hurting really bad for such a long time you may have an infection. You may want to see your doctor to rule out infection.

Good luck and hang in there. Breastfeeding can be so hard, but it will be so rewarding!!

All I can really tell you is I can relate!! I had the exact same problem. The good news is it does get better. It becomes painless after awhile, I just can't remember how long that while was :) I did the same thing, I used lanolin and went without a bra and wore my husbands button-up shirts wide open, so nothing rubbed. As I am sure you will hear, everyone seems to experience that and I don't know that there is a remedy out there, but the all too common theme of motherhood...'keep pushing' forward and eventually the pain will pass! I wish I had some trade secret, but I don't. It will get better. Good luck.

It's possible you baby is tongue tied. You should have the doctor check this out. My baby had this and though we had her frenulum snipped, my nipples were in pain for at least a few months.

Basically, the nipples built up a resistance and she got better at it as well as older/larger mouth. I would ditch the shield if you can, it will cause more problems than it's worth.

When i was in the hospital they gave me some Vigilon, i guess it is actually considered a wound dressing. It is sorta a thin rubbery piece that you place over your nipple. The nurse told me i could even refridgerate them to make them cool. I used them all the time for the first month or two! They were great. I still have an unopened pack here that has not expired that you are more then welcome to have so you can "try before you buy". I am not sure if you are in the Oside area. Keep up the good work! Be encouraged!

I'm nursing my 3rd child right now, and I have to tell you to keep on nursing, it is sooo worth the discomfort you go through for the first few weeks! It will get better. Check with the hospital or birth center where you gave birth, to see if they have some sort of breast-feeding support group. I went to one with my 2nd child, because I was experiencing terrible pain when nursing. The support group helped me so much, it turns out that he was latched on incorrectly, once we got the hang of it, I ended up nursing him for almost 3 years! I know you can do it! P.S. I used a product called soothies after each nursing session. They are a gel pad that you put in the refrigerator, then place them inside your bra onto the nipple. They use this same gel for burn victims, and they really work.

You poor baby, try some aloe and wash it off (gently) before you feed.
That is what I did for my twins.

I was having that problem from the very beginning. I went to Mama's Pump in Carlsbad and they said I needed to rent the professional grade Medela, the home one wasn't good enough. And only pump for 24 hours, she said I needed to let my nipples heal up. It worked and I made it.
Another thing on the nipple cream, the brands you find out at places like Target tend to be thick and tacky, they hurt as you rub them on. Jimbo's (and other places) have a brand called Mother Love that really helped. It is organic too! http://www.motherlove.com/product_nipple_cream.php

I get thrush fairly often and my DD never gets any symptoms. No spots, no rash, no nothing. It sounds like thrush to me. Are they really red? Almost hot pink? It might be worth it to get some nystatin cream from your Dr and see if that helps. If it is thrush, you should feel relief fairly quickly.

Please stay away from that nipple shield. That will interfere with her latch, cause more damage to the nipple, and screw up your supply. TRUST me on this! I speak from experience. A nipple shield should ONLY be used under the guidance of a certified LC. They are NOT intended to be used to help with sore nipples, rather, they are for women with flat/inverted nipples. I strongly reccomend throwing that in the trash because it will cause more harm than good in the long run.

Finally, can you get in with a good LC to work out your latch issues? A bad latch (clicking is indicative of this) can really cause a lot of pain.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Gerber makes this stuff called Breast Therapy...i found that it worked better than lanolin..it comes in a big chapstick type tube...you should try that..i also would bf more on the breast that wasn't hurting as much to give the other one a breaka and little it heal a bit then i would switch the next day..good luck..we all go through that..ouch!

When i breast fed(not too long I got a bad flu and couldn't continue) an old wives tale that kept the hurting down was 10 to 15 minutes befor I fed and right after I would lay frozen cabbage leaves on my breast. I think it numbed them a bit but something in the leaves seemed to help. some people told me that romaine lettuce leaves worked too. good luck. My son never had thrash though I thought he did.

It's probably yeast. If the baby has thrush (white spots on tongue or mouth) you need to get thrush medicine for you and the baby.

I had a similiar experience -- the first month of breastfeeding was hell -- like putting my breasts in a cuisinart! I truly had never experienced anything so consistently painful. One side turned out to have a laceration that was excruciating (I thought it was just raw, but it was apparently cut and possibly had an infection). I was advised to just nurse on one side and pump the lacerated side while I let it completely heal for several weeks (I think I also may have used an antibiotic ointment on the one side and did some pump and dump on that side for a few days while using the ointment). When it was healed it was definitely better. But I always nursed more on one side after that .

I used the cooling shields inside my bra when I wasn't nursing (I forget what they're called) -- it definitely helped make them feel less raw (having clothes rub against my nipples was irritating), but I was advised by a lactation consultant not to use the shields they nurse through -- as it throws off their latch -- but friends of mine have used the shields with the nipple that protudes, and have had no problem

Bottom line, when the nipples healed from giving them a rest -- it was a big improvement. But amazingly, after maybe the 2nd month -- the whole breastfeeding thing changed -- and no longer hurt. And I can assure you it was not because I "got used to it" as some people suggested (you do not get "used" to excruciating pain!). And I think it wasn't about a specific latch (and believe me, I had lactation consultants positioning me and the child every which way)-- I think that there is just a change in either how the milk comes out, or how the baby extracts the milk -- that just naturally occured -- and suddenly -- THERE WAS NO PAIN, and it didn't matter what position I had the baby in -- it just didn't hurt at all! I ended up nursing about 18 months! And I never thought I'd get past the first few weeks -- and it wasn't because I was a trouper -- it just stopped hurting!

But the key is to let the breasts heal (mine were truly traumatized) and see if mother nature kicks in and things start adjusting naturally .. Be patient,and I hope your experience is similiar to mine -- and good luck!

C. H.

I was told to use lanolin cream, however in between feedings I used vaseline intensive care lotion allowing the lotion to heal the raw spots. The rawness will pass, just try using the intensive care between feedings and wash off your nipples before feeding your baby. I hope this helps, it did me when I nursed two of my three children. Good Luck!

It WILL go away but I remember the pain!! Get some "Soothies" at pretty much any Rite-Aid or CVS. They are reusable gel pads that you can put on between nursings. About $10. Also Lansinoh lanolin cream?? I'm not sure if they have it at the drugstore but I know they have it at Pump Station, BabiesRUs, Target...Oh, boy, hang in there - it will get better!!!!!

Do you think that maybe YOU have a yeast infection on your nipples? Since they are so raw, and nipples creams are not helping.
Here is a link:
http://life.familyeducation.com/nursing/postpartum/36050....

Make sure you do not get an infection in/on your nipples. I would ask your Doctor, about what you can do.

And yes, a bad latch can just exacerbate the pain...
Have you checked back with a Lactation Consultant about your baby's latch? I would. It should not hurt like that.
And PLUS, you also want to make sure your baby IS getting enough intake, since her latch is not ideal....and she is so young.

Take care,
Susan

I swear the exact same thing happened to me! You can read my earlier request for advice! It became excruciatingly painful at about one month, I got all kinds of advice, and not much helped. Keep using the cream, and go braless in a really soft, loose t-shirt to llet them "dry out". Those are the only things that seemed to help. Hang in there! It started getting better for me by the sixth week, and by eight weeks I was completely pain free. My son is three months old now, and nursing is a pleasure. Trust me, I know waiting a couple of weeks for relief seems like forever (especially when you have to deal with terrible pain every 2-3 hours) but it will get better soon...don't give up yet!

there really is nothing you can do , I went through that with my first child and I tried everything ! I even went to go see a nurse because they said maybe I wasnt doing it right but that didnt work eather because I did everything she told me to do. so I just kept breastfeeding until it just doesnt hurt

I had the same problem with my first daughter. The first 9 weeks were agony! The Lansinoh lanolin was no help. The consistency was too hard and it hurt to spread it around. What saved me was MotherLove Nipple cream. It's 100% certified organic and made for exactly what you're experiencing. I put it on after every time i nursed and the results were amazing. I give a jar to all my friends who are expecting so they can use it from the beginning. I ended up nursing my daughter pain free for 20 months. Don't give up! You can buy it at The Pump Station, Whole Foods or online here http://www.motherlove.com/product_nipple_cream.php
I also occasionally used the Ameda Comfort Gel Pads that others have recommended. They really help with the pain too.
Good luck and hang in there!!

Sounds like she's not getting a good latch on. Make sure she has not only the nipple but the areola as well. It may seem like she would be smothered but there is space between your breast and her nose she she'll be able to breathe. Make sure your nipples are dry after you nurse (I've been through two breast infections so I know how painful it can be). You can also put neosporin on them and then wipe your nipples before she nurses. It'll pass but it takes time and it's worth it. Hang in there!