Sore from Breast Feeding, What Will Help?

I had a horrible time with breastfeeding my son. I tried everything they had on the market, even the shield, and nothing worked. I was too proud at the time to ask for help, and I was determined to do it on my own. It turns out that he was latching incorrectly and I was in pain for 8 weeks. I finally came across a website that told me another way to get him to latch: start out with the nipple pointed up toward the baby's nose with her bottom lip resting on the under side of the breast, then rotate the nipple down into the baby's mouth, getting as much of the areola as you can into the baby's mouth. Does that make sense? I can picture it in my mind, but it's hard to put it into words. After we got the latching down, it was a piece of cake! Then when I had my daughter, I remembered the latching technique and only had 2 weeks of pain with her. All of the "experts" say that you shouldn't have any pain at all, which is why I was so frustrated. But every mom I talk to now say that they all had pain in the very beginning, usually lasting up to 4 weeks. Some women just have really sensitive breasts. Good luck to your daughter and congratulations!

The breast shield was what helped me get through it. Also, I would reccomend her keeping her nipples dry so that they can toughen up. Keeping them moist kept the wounds from healing and once I started letting them air out, things took a turn for the better. I quit using the lanolin, used ultra thin breastpads by NUK that have no plastic liner inside to keep the moisture in, and would just let them air dry. Then I used the shield when the pain was totally unbearable. The gel pads and freezer pads didn't help me at all.

Also a breast pump can be a real lifesaver, and the Avent ISIS is an awesome manual pump! (You can search past questions to see what people have to say about it). She can pump a bottle here or there when she needs a break.

Good luck, it's so worth it once you get over the hump! And tell her it can be a loooong hump, but it's still worth it!! :)

Congratulations on your new grandbaby!

You are doing the right things. The only thing that helped me was the Medela breastshield. There are a few sizes, so it may be hard to get the right one, but it is worth it. I had cracked and bleeding nipples from day 2 and BFing was agony. That shield stopped the chaffing so I could heal and then I was able to nurse without it. Not right away, it took time to get used to that and the baby resisted the change too. But after many times of offering, she eventually was willing to nurse without it and I was able to stand it. It does get better, but never let anyone say "oh you are doing it right - it shouldn't hurt." Sometimes it does! One last thing could be to have a lactation consultant or La Leche League leader watch your daughter nurse to make sure baby is really latching correctly. Different positions can help too - cradle hold, football hold, lying on her side, etc...

Your very sweet to want to make this a painless start to breastfeeding for your daughter, but it just isn't possible. No matter what, those first few weeks are going to HURT! Between the cramps you get while your uterus is contracting (which come on more when you nurse) and the pain of them just latching on, you just suffer through for the first few weeks and then it's all good. She can take motrin for the cramping if she's experiencing that, but unless her nipples are cracked, the pain she's going through is just normal, but it does go away.

Congrats!

Congrats! The first thing she should do is have a lactation consultant check her latch. The baby is probably not latching on correctly and that's likely causing the pain.

Also, rather than lanolin, I used a cream called "Mother's Love" that worked really, really well.

Do you have any breastfeeding stores near you? I know of one in Hollywood and one in South OC, but neither of those is terribly close for you. The stores usually sell the cream and they have consultants on hand, as well as breastfeeding classes & support groups to help in the first few months.

K.
http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/karenchao

I loved a product from Mothers Love called Nipple cream.

Good luck!

First of all, congratulations on your granddaughter. And I'm sorry that she's having a rough time. I had trouble with both my boys. The breast shields are great! I highly recommend them. But also, what I learned the second time around is to use a lactation consultant. they cost a bit of money, but are worth every penny. I wish I would have done that with my first son. They have specialty stores that provide these services (I went to milkalicious in Aliso Viejo) but the hospital should also have something. Just the one our visit helped me tremendously and they were able to tell me what was wrong and how to fix it. Good luck, hope it gets easier.

There is an awesome breast feeding clinic in Upland. It is free and the nurses are very knowledgeable. The baby maybe latching on wrong....then all of those compresses will not work. If you call San Antonio Hospital they will give you the number for the breast feeding clinic. They also weigh the babies before and after, so you know how much milk they are getting. They know all the tricks in the book:) Good Luck!

The first few weeks can be really painful, but I know that after 2 weeks I felt much better, the pain lessened after the first week. I actually went through it twice with my son (stopped breastfeeding at 2 weeks and then relacted a month later), and it hurt just as much the second time. It will go away, but sometimes there is really nothing you can do but what she is already doing.

One helpful tip for after the pain lessens. I went around for the first couple of months with pretty much nothing touching my nipples (I would use breast shields at home, or a really loose shirt), and would be very irritated when I was out and had my bra touching. Then I went on vacation and had something touching 24/7, which bothered me for the first few days, but after that, I had no problems. So if she remains tender after the first couple of weeks (not in pain, if it lasts that long she should see a lactation consultant), but just irritated by clothing/bra, have her wear something at all times, and it will go away.

I had twins and breastfed for 8 months. Ugh. My nipples were sooooo sore at the beginning. A nurse that was helping me said my nipples needed air to heal. As a result, she had me take a T-shirt/sweatshirt and cut holes in it right where my nipples would stick out. Believe it or not, that is how I had to walk around the house between feedings so my nipples could get the air they needed to heal. It was weird. I felt beyond strange. But, it worked. I can't remember how long it took to heal, but I believe it was in the first few weeks.

If the latch is right (check with a lactation consultant) and she is still having pain she should have baby checked for tongue tie. Not being able to thrust the tongue out of the mouth (it should cover the teeth and bottom lip when suckling) will tear the nipple up. A very simple procedure can save the nipples and years of speach therapy if this is the problem.
Also, she should not be washing her nipples and areolas with any soap. They have special glands that keep them clean. Any extra. Leaning will be drying and irritating and will affect the taste for baby.
Some people speak of toughening up the nipples but it is not necessary like previously thought. Case in point: I've been nursing for over three years straight now and my nipples are not calloused. They are softer than before I had kids.
One big tip I must relay to you is to have a supportive pediatrician. If at any point he suggests supplementing with formula (unless there is clearly a gaining problem and baby isn't getting wet and poppy diapers through the day) your daughter should switch to someone who is supportive. Supplementing is mainly linked to early weaning. If babies were meant to be weaned at less than a year (more if you check with several organizations, like the World Health Organization) then we wouldn't need to switch to formula. Longer breastfeeding is beneficial for mom and baby and should be encouraged for as long as mom and baby are happy doing so.

I had a lactation consultant tell me not to use cream because it can hold in moisture if not 110% dry first. I would air dry as long as possible. Have her be absolutely certain the baby is latching right, because although it may be slightly irritated or annoying feeling for the first few wks, it SHOULD NOT HURT, be cracked or bleeding if it's done right! The bottom lip has to be pursed out as well as the top, and not just nipple, but alot of areola must be in mouth for there to be a proper latch. Also, breastmilk is supposed to be a great healer, so maybe she could rub some in in place of cream? Sounds weird, but works! Overall, don't be afraid to ask for help from a professional!! Good luck! It took me about 2 1/2 wks with my first before I learned how to do it RIGHT!!!!

I had HORRIBLE problems breastfeeding at first, but ended up going for over 15 months because of the following solutions: first of all, have her see a certified lactation consultant. This was a lifesaver for me on so many levels. They can diagnose the problem, whether it be the latch, the nipples themselves (mine were inverted, which caused lots of problems but no one told me this beforehand), products she's using, etc. I also really liked a natural product I found at the lactation store--it was called Mother's something and made with olive oil and all natural ingredients. For me, the breast shells for inverted nipples really helped, and I had to use neosporin and wash it off before each feeding, but that was because of my inverted nipple issue. I recommend you have your daughter see the lactation consultant to find out what's going on with her specifically. Good luck and congrats!

The breast shield it totally not necessary. They make gel pads that you can get in the breast feeding aisle. You put them in the fridge or freezer and then put them in your bra. The are AMAZING! LOL! Seriously, I couldn't have lived with out them. Other than that all you can really do is take a deep breath and wince until the baby gets latched. She won't be sore for much longer if the baby has the proper latch. The soreness will go away in a week or so.

Congrats on your new grand baby! And congrats to your daughter too! :D

My best advice is to let her nipples air dry. That was the best advice that was given to me. The lanolin didn't work for me. I would just let my boobs hang out to air dry after each nursing.

I breastfed all three of my children for over two years each and had an infection with my boys (my last two). Make sure she is latching on properly so baby is taking the whole areola (it may seem that it's smushing the baby's face and can't breathe but they can). Have her talk to a lactation consultant at the hospital (most have them) or check for support groups (they are great!). You can also suggest cabbage leaves in her bra when she's not nursing for relief. It's totally worth it!

She needs to see a lactation consultant. I was told not to use the lanolin but to express a little milk and rub into the nipple afterwards. It shouldn't hurt and sounds like she needs to get the latch down, that was soooo hard for me. Banner Gateway meets once a week on Thursday's at 10am for a free support group ( although no group tomorrow May 13.) Baby Mother and More at Gilbert and Southern has one that you can make an appointment with and get in fast. I was fine for 2 days and then had latch problems and didn't know it. All I knew was it HURT and wasn't suppose to. My lactation consultant set me on the right path and I nursed for 20 months. Good luck!