Sore nipples

Kyra - posted on 03/05/2009

lansinoh works wonders!!! At 9 months my daughter every once in a while willl nip me a little and I will rub that stuff on my sore nipple and the next day it is fine! Try it it may work for you!! Good Luck!

Michelle - posted on 03/05/2009

I used PureLan 100 (lanolin ointment by Medela) and found that even only using it once a day (in the morning after my shower) was enough to soothe my sore nipples.

Gillian - posted on 03/05/2009

I also tried those gel things, and if your nipples get beyond just being sore, and end up cracking, I would not use those, as they can keep the moisture in and cause more damage. Otherwise, the cool of those or cabbage leaves, or even an ice pack AFTER feeding can feel really nice. You also may want to try some reusable breast pads instead of the disposable.

Gillian - posted on 03/05/2009

Are your breasts hard, and it is difficult for him to keep the latch, or is he just getting lazy with it? If he is just lazy with it, try to keep his head tucked closer to you so that he can't slide off. If your breasts are pretty firm, try pumping a bit first, or a warm compress to soften them for him.

As far as the nipples themselves...let them air dry for as long as possible. There is a great Nipple Cream from Motherlove that has saved me. It is olive oil based and doesn't have to be washed off and made all the difference to me.

Also, call your hospital's lactation consultant and ask for an appointment ASAP. They should be able to help "diagnose" and give you further suggestions when they can see this in person.

Michele - posted on 03/05/2009

The first 2 weeks i found were the hardest, but  lansinoh and cold cabbage leaves helped a lot! expressing seemed only make things worse for me, but others seem say it help them

Shawnell - posted on 03/05/2009

Man, I am sorry< I know haw you feel. I have a 5 month old and i was going through that same thing. I tried different oitments and finally just bought the expensive lansinoh, that did it. be dedicated putting it on after every feeding and you will start to feel better

Cindy - posted on 03/05/2009

I agree with Michelle, the first 2-3 weeks are the hardest. I promise it will get better after that though. Along with the ideas she already said, you can also try lanolin cream or some gel pads called "Soothies." The Soothies you can even put in the fridge so they are a little cool. Just don't use the lanolin and the Soothies at the same time because they can break each other down and then neither one works. These are the 2 things we offer to people on the OB unit I work on and they seem to do wonders. I know when I had my son I used the expressed milk and the lanolin and it was a godsend. I hope that helps!

Michelle - posted on 03/05/2009

Yeah the first few weeks are the hardest while your establashing bf but dont give up as it will get better, there isnt much you can do. I used to hand express some milk and rub it on my nipple, that works a treat. I also put salt water on my nipple but make sure you clean the nipple before your baby feeds from it.