Cracked Nipples - Gaithersburg,MD

I loved my nipple shield. Try it, they are so inexpensive and helped me a lot!!! Try some lanacane cream.
Good luck!

M.

http://www.WorkingGreenMoms.com

"Helping moms stay home with their babies!"

Oh I am so sorry for you. Been there and done that. I used lanolin of course and also if you can find these little gel packs I got that you can put on your nipples. They are called soothies I believe. They felt so good. I can't remember if you refrigerated them or not. I believe you did. I put those on there under my pad and it felt sooo good. Also your nipples will get tough. It just take time and patience and a lot of pain. Good luck. Also you may have your pump on way too high. You don't need it on real high. Your milk will still come out regardless of speed.

I'm glad you were able to get a pump. You may need to adjust the pressure on the pump and also the piece that attaches to your breasts may be too large or too small.

Cracked nipples are usually from a poor latch. There are nipple creams that can help you feel better. I've seen Lansinoh at Target.

With a premie, you need lots of support under the baby - more than just a breastfeeding pillow. It is important that you relax (I know, tough to do), with your feet up, leaning back (not hunched over to the baby), with pillows or towels under the baby so that the baby is stomach to stomach against you without you leaning forward. You can see great latch pictures on the La Leche League website, llli.org. I've heard that youtube has videos as well.

Nipple shields are good for flat or inverted nipples. Sometimes they are used to help babies latch. You might be better off with a supplemental nutrition system (the bottle and tube).

Keep trying!

Hi A.,
I too had problems with one of my nipples getting cracked and raw. Unforntunately it is normal to have pain when you start breastfeeding (pumping is definetly different than the real thing) and your nipples need to "toughen up" as horrible as it sounds. I also used Lansinoh after each feeding which REALLY helped and when it was really bad I used these nipple cooling pads that you put in the fridge, which I got from the hospital lactation people. My hospital had a lactation consultant who you could talk to even after you left the hospital which I highly recommend if it's available to you. I had asked them about the nipple shield and they sad that they are meant for women who have inverted nipples. They also said that the nipple shield is not meant to keep you from "toughening up" your nipples because you want that to happen. It took me about 2-3 weeks before I could handle the breastfeeding with no pain. Once your nipples are there, you shouldn't feel any pain anymore and if you do the baby hasn't latched correctly. (can you tell that I totally harrassed my lactation consultant :) Good Luck and it does get better, I swear!!

I really liked Motherlove Nipple Cream. I found it less sticky than the Lansinoh.

Use the lansinoh cream and don't give up. I nursed my son for a year all the while with thrush!! It was toe curling painful and I wouldn't advise anyone to do that because it was so awful. But what you are dealing with will pass soon!! I promise. You can take a little tylenol, I think, too, for the pain. Use bags of frozen vegetables...I would put some in sandwich size ziploc bag and shove them in my bra. Also walk around with a bra open some so that your breasts get air. And just really hang in there. Breastfeeding is so worth it especially for your preemie. God bless you and know that we are all sending you cyber hugs and positive energy to help you heal!!!!!

Yes any nipple cream with lanolin in it will be good. Try reducing the suction on the pump, you may have to sit longer but give it a go. Also express a drop of milk and let it dry on the tip of your nipple before replacing bra, don't just pull fabric up over damp nipple...sit naked a while if you can after nursing. If you are fair you are more likely to be sore but it will abate.

Hi A.,
Lansinoh makes a cream just for this type fo thing. It is in a deep lavender tube. It looks like Vaseline, but it is a little thicker. And it is safe for the baby. So you don't have to worry about washing it off before nursing. It wirked very well for me. I cannot remember the exact name of it but look in the baby department of your local local Target or drug store. All of Lansinoh's stuff is exclusively for breastfeeding mothers.

Lactation consultants here in Australia suggest you use your breast milk and massage into your nipple(s). IT does work. I found a product in Australia which is very similar to vaseline only much thicker consistency "Lanon". It helped when my nipples were cracked and bleeding.

The best advise I ever received was to hold your whole nipple, squeeze all of it including the areola as small as you can and pop into babies mouth this works wonders you will be amazed.

Good luck and congratulations on the birth of your little one :)

Put lanolin cream (Lansinoh or Medela brand) before you pump. It doesn't affect the milk at all (it's safe) and reduces the friction from them pump. You can also put in on prior to your daughter nursing.

Oh, that was agony! I remember reading that it will sting and burn for less than 30 seconds after the baby latches on. So if you can bear it that long it'll be over. Then you have the other side to endure. Then you get to look forward to it every 2 hours! It lasted maybe 4 or 5 days then it's smooth sailing.

I have used Lasinoh and it works wonders everytime to heal cracked nipples. Also, try to rub your own milk around the cracked area, it also helps!

Medela nipple cream is awesome. I always found pumping to be uncomfortable, sometimes painful. Its worse than just nursing. Put it on the lowest setting possible, and maybe don't do it for very long at a time. Use the nipple cream after every pumping or feeding.

A.,
Here's a few thoughts in addition to making sure the pump isn't too high:
1. I hope you got a good pump because all pumps are not created equally, I tend to prefer Medela and Ameda double electric pumps for long term users;
2. I hope you have the correct size flange (the suction part that goes on your breast), too small or too large and you'll end up with problems;
3. I hope you are using the pump properly, it seems simple enough but if your nipples aren't centered you can end up traumatizing them;
4. I hope you realize how great it is for you and your baby that you are doing what you can to breastfeed; kudos for not giving up!

Were you having any problems similar to the ones you describe when you were pumping before? If so, how long did it take to go away? If no, try to figure out what you're doing differently.

Slap on a boat load of lansinoh cream. It will not hurt baby and will save your boobies. Put it on after EVERY time you pump or feed. I litterally put a glob on each nipple after each time. You may want to wear breast pads (lansinoh makes good ones) to avoid ruining your bras because the stuff does stain. Hang in there....it will get better!

strange as it sounds, used tea bags work wonders. It doesn't matter which tea, just place your used tea bags in the fridge to cool and then place them on the nipple. I would use a bra liner as to not ruin your bra. Also use lanolin, this should give you some relief.

About the pumping. Try using a lower setting for a while. When I first started pumping I didn't see how anyone could stand to have it on the highest setting. Now that my daughter is 6 months old and I pump almost daily I think I could stand it to be a little higher than the highest setting. Just takes time to get used to.

Also, I'm not sure if your nipples are tender or if you actually have a sore from cracked nipples. I got a sore (skin actually cracked open) & it wouldn't heal with lanolin or breast milk. I had to apply polysporin and put a piece of gauze over it after each feeding. It took a few weeks to completely heal. Haven't had any problems since.