Ok so my baby is just over 3 weeks old and i haven't had any trouble breastfeeding her until the last couple days. She is latching fine but my nipples and all around them feel raw and my breasts hurt so bad. They don't feel like they have any clogged ducts but they hurt so bad i dont even want to breastfeed because of it. I have continued even when they hurt, but the whole time she is nursing it is so painful. I have been using the lansinoh cream, but can any of you moms give me any other ideas to relieve the pain? I really want to nurse her as long as possible, please help. Thanks in advance.
Thanks moms for all the tips. I went to my doc and she says that baby has thrush and i have an infection. Baby and i are being treated now and i am still pumping because that seems to be less painful then nursing. Thanks again moms you always have the best advice.
I have a 5 week old and had the same problem and I was given a prescription by my midwife for a nipple cream. (The bottle says it is a compound made up of Mupiroc/Nystat/Betame/Clotrima) She told me that I had fungal infection (my baby had thrush) and it cleared up in a matter of a couple of days. I hope this helps!
If you are just sore from latching you can do the Earth Mama's nipple cream or just use Olive Oil (you can use olive oil to treat cradle cap too). It is ok for the baby to ingest.
If you are in the beginnings of an infection, Jack Newman's is by far the best nipple cream out there. It is also "ok" for the baby to ingest unlike nystatin, where you have to wash off before you nurse. Certain pharmacies will make the Jack Newman's nipple cream, so you have to call ahead. Walgreens seems to know how to make it, it is an Rx you have to ask your doc for it. Or as one said, find a lactation consultant. If you live in or near the city, www.artofbreastfeeding.com is wonderful.
Good Luck,
J. W. MPH
Maternal and Child Health Educator
Chicago Examiner Family Health Expert
http://www.examiner.com/x-7158-Chicago-Family-Health-Exam...
Stop using the cream and just rub some of the milk on your nipples after a feeding --Dr. Newman says the creams dry you out and make it worse.
Just hang in there, it took my daughter and I a good 8 weeks to really get the hang of the breastfeeding thing with no problems.
Soreness usually means there is a problem- either a bad latch or thrush.
If you had antibiotics during your labor you are at higher risk for thrush, but if the pain lasts the whole time I think that is more suggestive of bad latch. Check out www.kellymom.com
I would see a lactation consultant or if you can't find one your OB (usually they aren't quite as skilled at breastfeeding problem-solving). Jeanne Cygnus is great www.cygnuslactation.com in Mundelein.
R.:
you can find a local board certified lactation consultant at www.ilca.org or wwww.birthlink.com
I hope you get this resolved quickly,
warmly,
P., RLC, IBCLC
Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions
I hate the lanolin - try Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter instead. I had some soreness and a little cracked skin and within 24 hours of using this I felt amazingly better. Babies R Us carries it.
Of course, talking to a lactation consultant or going to a La Leche League meeting will provide you with a great pool of resources and be of much help! Hang in there - it will get better! Good luck!
I am going to tell you everything our-PRO Breastfeeding pediatrician shared with me: Get rid of the Lansinoh -- it can contribute to getting a yeast infection on your nipples by keeping them moist. Let your nipples air dry after a feeding after rubbing a little expressed milk on them. Make sure you alternate positions (like cross cradle and football holds) to have a different pressure point on your nipples at times. Don't let the baby comfort nurse for now since you are in pain -- 20 minutes MAX per side, not more often than every 2-3 hours. If these things don't work, call a lactation consultant -- we used Carol Chamblain http://www.breastbabyproducts.com/carol.html with our first (she is now 25 mos) and I am currently breastfeeding our 9 month old. Despite everything I told you, I did quit breastfeeding my first at a few weeks and pumped for her till 4 months. She never did latch right -- defective latch (even with retraining done by me) where she would get a ton of milk but HURT ME HORRIBLY! Turns out I had an overactive supply and she was trying to slow the flow. I learned from our errors and had no problems at all with my new little one. I was still sore in the beginning for a few weeks but eventually it all worked itself out. No cracking, no bleeding this time.
I wish you the best of luck!
PS - I am so pro-breastfeeding because our little girl (the 25 mos old) has 4 food allergies, including anaphylactic peanut and milk so I have guilt over quitting so soon with her and not trying harder. I had my son tested at 6 mos and so far, no allergies :) Keeping my fingers crossed.
My lactation consultant told me to "rest my breast," and to pump for a day or 2 and that helped. The lansinoh cream did not seem to help me either and my lactation nurse said that it was like chap stick and would not cure the problem. She told me to use a thin layer of hydrocortizone OINTMENT (not cream) and that it was ok to leave it on when feeding my son. That was a lifesaver. Hope this helps and hang in there, it gets better!!
