i have been breastfeeding for a week now and my nipples still really hurt, what can i do so they dont hurt anymore? so it doesnt hurt me to breastfeed?

Deborah - posted on 01/29/2009

Hi there,

ive been breastfeeding now for almost 3 weeks and a week ago posted a very similar question to yours. I was in so much pain that I dreaded every feed and it would bring me to tears.

Breastfeeding now is still not exactly what I expect it will be, but it is certainly alot better now, much more bearable and certainly not the same pain that I was experiencing before.

This is what I did.

1) expressed for a day to give my sore and very badly cracked nipples a little bit of time to heal

2) got a lactation consultant to come to my house and help me refine my latching technique (this helped majorly!)- Often councils will have free consultants so give them a call. Mine was private and charged $60Australian per hour and was worth every penny!

3) started only expressing breast milk on my nipples to heal the cracks. After expressing the milk onto them and rubbing in, I dry with my hair dryer for 5-10secs (at arms length so as not to burn them!) My consultant said that the lanolin creams are excellent for soothing nipples etc, but, if your nipples have bad cracks/grazes like mine did then keeping them moist will not let them heal as quickly. The milk and then drying them (air drying would be fine too) is best until they are totally healed

4) my left nipple was still feeling quite sore and not healing as well so I just fed off the right breast for about half a day and expressed on the other side to give it a chance to rest and feel a little better. This really helped and I'm not back feeding on both sides.

I still have a little way to go before they are totally healed and everything feels really normal, but trust me when I say things have totally improved and that I'm so glad I stuck with it.

I'm sure you can do it to. Good luck!

Christa - posted on 01/28/2009

http://www.breastfeedingmadesimple.com/b...

Also, see these other reasons for nipple pain.

Christa - posted on 01/28/2009

Oh - if you get soothies, stick them in the fridge while you nurse - they feel so good afterward! They're good for 3 days as long as you're not saturating them. They're a little expensive (I think $10 or $11), but it's worth it to get you through the first couple of days.

Christa - posted on 01/28/2009

Proper latch is the key, and sometimes an asymetrical latch will do it - the baby takes more breast in on the lower jaw than the top. If you can get someone to show it what it is - it's awesome http://redir.ameda.donet.com/community/v... shows a video of a good latch. Also http://www.breastfeedingmadesimple.com/b... awesome animation of asymmetrical latch. If you're cracked, bleeding, etc. apply breastmilk and let air dry. I also loved using Soothies (hydrogel pads). you can get them at CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid...

Crystal - posted on 01/28/2009

lanolin cream was the best thing in the world for me, and time.... it gets better, I  PROMISE

Kimberley - posted on 01/27/2009

Hi ashley my name is Kim i have a nine month old daughter when i fist started breast feeding i was cracked a sore beacuse she did not have a proper latch so my friend who is a mom of twins gave me PURLAN 100 it comes in a yellow tube with black writting o it it costs about 8.00 but will last forever you can get it anywhere just scezze it out rub between fingers and appy to area it is tottelly safe for the baby and works great hope this helps

Amy - posted on 01/26/2009

I found the soothies at wallgreens and nipple shield at target.

Amy - posted on 01/26/2009

2 things: First get SOOTHIES from the drug store, they are awesome pad that will help the soreness. Second, buy a NIPPLE SHIELD. It is a small plastic shield that goes over the nipple , it is like the baby is drinking from a bottle. I was so sore/bleeding, that I had to stop and pump. The nipple shield solved it in a day. Also, if you can contact a lactation consultant. They can see if you are latching on correctly. I was breastfeeding my fourth child and did not realize he was not sucking properly.

Junko - posted on 01/26/2009

I agree with the mom here...I used Lanolin (Lansinoh brand since you can put them on and don't have to rinse them off coz its super safe for babies--I got it from the hospital) and also using your breastmilk also helps in healing cracked/sore nipples. You could also try using nipple shield/adapter. Hang in there and sooner you'll be fine :)

Emily - posted on 01/26/2009

I agree with the breastmilk on the nipples. I also used Lansinoh, though only a teeny bit overall. I bought a tube of it with my first, and ended up only using all the free samples I got from the hospital.

Other than that, whether you have a good latch or not, breastfeeding can be quite uncomfortable for a couple of weeks, until your milk officially comes in, your body gets the "let-down" response (takes a few days for me), and your milk supply regulates. For me, things start feeling totally natural and comfortable around 6 weeks.

Sherry - posted on 01/26/2009

Quoting Mary:

First, yay for you! BFing is great. We had a rough go of things for about 2 weeks, until I enlisted the help of a Lactation Consultant and a BFing friend. It is true that sore and cracked nipples are normal, but I would call your local LLL and get someone out, just to see if they can help with the latch or anything.

What helped me with my sore nipples the most is using the gel soothies. They go in your bra in between feeds, and I would put them in the fridge while feeding. Oh the sweet relief when the cold soothie hit my nipple, ah! I used lanolin (Lansinoh brand) and expressing my own milk. Both were great. I didnt exclusively use my own milk because sometimes I just didn't want to squeeze my very sore nipple, so I would use the lanolin. Also, my hubby was great about reminding me to relax my shoulders while BFing and that helped with the let down. If you can have someone reminding you to relax and not tense up, that could really help!

No matter how sore nipples are, it doesn't hurt to squeeze a little milk from them, as you can do it without actually touching the nipple itself. with both hands cupped around the breast, slowly massage in a downwards movement  (upwards with the underneath hand) towards the nipple. there will be plenty to rub in. make sure your baby is close by at the time as this helps with the let down process... this can also help to soothe engorged breasts between feeds.

Leeann - posted on 01/26/2009

I just started breastfeeding my second, (born almost a week ago)and am doing awsome with it this time around. With my first my nipples were dried and cracked, i would cry every time I fed him. This time around at the beginning I had the same problem, but after each feeding i express a little breastmilk on them let it dry, then I put on the lanolin cream. Seems to be working awsome so far, they're pretty much all healed up!

Sharon - posted on 01/26/2009

I'm a firm believer that breast milk is a cure-all. If your nipples are cracked and irritated, express some breast milk on them after each feed, rub it in and let air dry. BUT I would also try to correct the latch since that seems to be the root of your problems. Contact La Leche or a lactation consultant if you need help. Good luck and congrats on sticking to the BFing!

Mary - posted on 01/25/2009

First, yay for you! BFing is great. We had a rough go of things for about 2 weeks, until I enlisted the help of a Lactation Consultant and a BFing friend. It is true that sore and cracked nipples are normal, but I would call your local LLL and get someone out, just to see if they can help with the latch or anything.

What helped me with my sore nipples the most is using the gel soothies. They go in your bra in between feeds, and I would put them in the fridge while feeding. Oh the sweet relief when the cold soothie hit my nipple, ah! I used lanolin (Lansinoh brand) and expressing my own milk. Both were great. I didnt exclusively use my own milk because sometimes I just didn't want to squeeze my very sore nipple, so I would use the lanolin. Also, my hubby was great about reminding me to relax my shoulders while BFing and that helped with the let down. If you can have someone reminding you to relax and not tense up, that could really help!

Vanessa - posted on 01/25/2009

I got blisters on my nipples the first couple days after my baby was born. It was excruciating. The lactation consultant helped me figure out what was going wrong with the nursing (he wasn't opening his mouth wide enough to latch properly) and I used medela lanolin (chemical-free) and breast milk as mentioned in other posts to help them heal. It won't do you any good to smear breast milk or creams if the problem is with the latch. Don't be afraid to find a lactation consultant (someone already mentioned calling La Leche League to find a local one) to make sure you're getting it right. My insurance covered visits, but if yours doesn't, check to see if there are meetings at your hospital -- sort of a support group for breastfeeding moms. Usually a nurse would be there. Good luck!

Emily - posted on 01/25/2009

I know it hurts but keep it up!  Make sure that your latch is correct.  It probably is, but it will probably be more sore if it isn't.  I have used the Mother Love brand nipple cream and SWEAR by it.  It is really awesome and isn't as greasy as some of the other lanolin.  You can usually find it at Whole Foods or someplace like that.  My nipples were sore for over a month with my first baby and several weeks with the second.  It gets better!  Keep up the good work!

Stephanie - posted on 01/25/2009

My doctor gave me Jack Newman's Nipple Ointment, which is similar to Lansinoh. I loved it, BUT no one told me breastfeeding really HURTS until you get the "let down response". For me it was 3 weeks before it stopped hurting. Hang in there-it's worth it.

Krystal - posted on 01/25/2009

I found that my daughter wouldn't nurse when i used the creams (even if i wiped them off).

I know it may not work for everyone but if it helps even one new mom stick with it for a little while longer i'm glad to share the info!

Kristee-Lea - posted on 01/25/2009

Quoting Krystal:

i agree with the breastmilk helping.

I also used to soak teabags while i nursed in warm water, and then put them on my nipples for about 5 minutes after each feeding. It seemed to help "toughen" them up.

Good luck and congrats!

WOW thats one i havent heard before will keep it in mind for friends and maybe for my own future reference!!!!!!!!!!

Krystal - posted on 01/25/2009

i agree with the breastmilk helping.

I also used to soak teabags while i nursed in warm water, and then put them on my nipples for about 5 minutes after each feeding. It seemed to help "toughen" them up.

Good luck and congrats!

Jade - posted on 01/25/2009

hey. congrats on BF, hope you keep it up. Iv ebeen breats feeding for a month now and the first couple weeks my nipples were pretty sore, but it is normal dont worry, just try and keep them from drying out and cracking, like heather said is Lanolin the Lasinoh brand. its recommended by La Leche and rly isthe bets. you dont need to clean it off before breastfeeding or anytig either, in fct itll help keep your baies lips from cgetting dry and craking too :). if it continues to hurt longer then like 2 weeks the baby could not be laching on properly so just make sure that e is laching on good :)

Kristee-Lea - posted on 01/25/2009

Oh just to add that if its really painful that can actually have an effect on your 'let down' so i would get it checked sooner rather than later

Kristee-Lea - posted on 01/25/2009

I went through the same thing and y nipples were so sore for the first 2 weeks and just let it go thinking it was normal. Then they started cracking/bleeding and i persisted through that but finally went and saw a LC and he was not latching properly hence the pain......she said was also didnt help me was he had a really small mouth and i have a large nipple but i persisted am glad i did have been breast feeding for over 4mnths now. Big improvement on my daughter only lasted 6 days :(

As for what to use- i tried all the creams and that got quite epensive and none worked as well as just plain breastmilk put on them!!!!!

Marie - posted on 01/25/2009

It will hurt a little for just a few days while your nipples are getting used to it....BUT, my lactation consultant was mad when she found out that my nipples were almost falling off and yet I was told to just stick with it and it will go away. By the time I got the guts to call someone for help, it was just in time and when she made a home visit she found out that my boy was slightly tongue tied.... it is VERY common yet not all doc's can catch it if it is a small tie. That was why my nipple was almost falling off, my son's tongue was literally ripping at the nipple when he sucked not wrapping around it like a normal tongue should. She said that if breastfeeding ever hurts that it is NOT NORMAL and something is usually not right. And ALMOST ALWAYS, it's that the baby isn't latching on correctly even when it looks like it. Hope this helps. Contact your local lactation consultant to see if the two of you can solve the problem, and let me tell you....after the pain stopped for me, the money for the lactation consultant was well worth it.

Charlene - posted on 01/25/2009

Hey,

What i was told to make sure is that he is latching on correctly... yes it will hurt until u get used to it or have a lactation specialist by you at all times. Also try the lay on the bed method. Lay on your side and pull your baby close to you I found that the easiet way for me to breastfeed. Use Lanolin and express breastmilk on sore nipples it helps.

Madison - posted on 01/25/2009

il keep that in mind lol

Sherry - posted on 01/25/2009

and for yourself hun... if it dont work i'll let u tell me off lol x

Madison - posted on 01/25/2009

if my nipples get sore again il try that one sounds alot healthier for my son

Sherry - posted on 01/25/2009

thats a shame, cos i swear by it! breast fed both of mine, one of them for 14 months, through teething as well and omg that hurt lol... just hope the message gets out there that it really does work, cos its expensive enough being a new mum without spending money on creams...

Madison - posted on 01/25/2009

my sister surgested the cream to me and my nipples dont hurt anymore, no one ever told me to use my own breastmilk

Sherry - posted on 01/25/2009

have to say im shocked... are the midwives and health visitors telling you all to use creams? have to say it scares me a little...

Madison - posted on 01/25/2009

iv been breast feeding for 2 weeks now my nipples hurt for the first week 2 i was using kamillisan that does wonders plus u can use it as a nappy rash cream, good luck

Amie - posted on 01/25/2009

Olive oil if they are dry and breastmilk for redness and soreness. Remember not to use soap on your nipples and HANG IN THERE, it WILL get better!

Sherry - posted on 01/25/2009

first of all well done!!! if u get sore or cracked nipples, FORGET THE CREAMS. after every feed, and a bit inbetween (if u get chance) squeeze a little milk out with your hand and rub it in. the natural healing and antiseptic qualities in breast milk will heal and soothe.

Alexis - posted on 01/25/2009

Have you tried lanolin after you feed?  That helped me for the first couple of weeks until we both got the hang of it. 

Jasmine - posted on 01/25/2009

Oh yeah...Also, my advisor told me to allow the baby to suck on my finger right before she latched on.  It helped calm her down before latching on which was quite intense.  And of course, wash your hands first! 

Jasmine - posted on 01/25/2009

By the end of my first week I had scabs on my nipples...As Heather stated the lanolin cream will help alot.  I put it on before I got into the shower which kept the soap from touching my nipples which I believe added to my problem.  Just try and make sure you keep them dry and moisturized.  Also, putting some of your own breastmilk on your nipples will help them out alot!  Good luck hun!

Laura - posted on 01/25/2009

Lots of places do nipple creams, Boots Expert one is pretty good, rubbing breast milk into them after each feed can help to, and some people swear by cabbge leaves in your bra lol ... or that might be for engorgment rather than nipples.

Any how, keep going ... it gets loads easier, all it takes is patience and persistence. Good luck x

Heather - posted on 01/25/2009

Quoting Julianna:

 

Also try Vitamin E oil. That really works for me and it is completely safe for baby. Lanolin is good too but be sure to completely wash it off before nursing because it is not good for baby.

 

Pure lanolin is safe for the baby. (Lansinoh is safe...you don't have to wash it off.)

Julianna - posted on 01/25/2009

Also try Vitamin E oil. That really works for me and it is completely safe for baby. Lanolin is good too but be sure to completely wash it off before nursing because it is not good for baby.

Unfortunately my nipples hurt for almost 3 weeks, but it does eventually get easier, just stay with it.

Angela - posted on 01/25/2009

Hi Ashley-

The first few weeks of breastfeeding can be tough. Besides the lanolin, you can try rubbing a little breast milk into the nipple after each feeding. Also, make sure that your baby has a proper latch. Poor latch is often the reason for soreness. You also want to try to switch latch positions. I had two to three different holds that I would rotate to prevent soreness. If you need help, contact a local La Leche League leader or lactation consultant. Like I said, the first few weeks are quite the adjustment, but it does get easier! Good luck!

Heather - posted on 01/25/2009

Congrats on breastfeeding! I used lanolin (Lansinoh brand) for the first few weeks...apply after each feeding. You can also try air drying your nipples after each feeding. Eventually, your nipples won't hurt. It really hurt me at first too, but just keep at it.