T'smom Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 If I have very, VERY sore cracked/bleeding nipples (to the point where today I just quit nursing, pumped and gave him a bottle), would using a nipple shield help? I have been using the hydrogel pads and I bought some lanoline. I have tried putting a few drops of milk on them and letting them air dry. Baby is only 6 days old, my milk just came in yesterday, I am pretty sure there is nothing wrong with his latch. He's my 3rd and I've nursed my others for more than a year each. A lactation consultant in the hospital said that his latch looked great- but that was before the cracks and bleeding started. Anyway....nipple shield, will it help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilma Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Yes!! A thousand times yes!! (And bless your heart.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 It can but I was never able to get them to work right. I found switching positions every feeding and using lanolin ointment helped the most. Sorry you are going through this. It is very painful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 dp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Make sure baby is opening nice and wide every time, making sure he isn't slipping off. Did the LC check for tongue tie? Have someone look to see if his tongue is getting between his lip and your nipple (it should). Make sure you are tummy to tummy, that he isn't turning away from you. Make sure you are holding him nice and high when in a cradle hold, do you have a nursing pillow? I had more latch issues with my third than with my other two because I had gotten lazy about going through all of the steps while nursing older babies who knew what they were doing. ;) Nipple shields can help, but can also be a sort of double edged sword. Have you tried holding him in different positions? Sometimes it is easier to see how well they are latching on in the football hold. ((HUGS)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Are you sure the latch is correct? The only time I had cracks/bleeding was when his latch was funky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I loved my nipple shield. Try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MollyAnn Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I never used a shield, but I say try it. Lanolin never helped me. I used vitamin E oil, I just popped a capsule open and put it on. It healed everything very nicely and I did not wipe it off before nursing. If you are going to try it make sure it is d-alpha. You do NOT want dl-alpha as it is synthetic. So NO L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Ditto being absolutely sure about the latch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 It happens to me every time. Nipple shields do help for me, as does air exposure and lanolin. I used a shield for several months with my son (I'd keep it tucked in my bra), but I only needed a couple of weeks with my current youngest. She is still nursing and I'm due in a few weeks, so I'm hoping hoping hoping for less pain with this baby! It totally sucks. :grouphug: Breast shells: http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/category/breast-shells Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I found nipple shields awful, but your mileage may vary. Can you afford to see a lactation consultant? We spent our last $50 on one after 6 weeks of such painful nursing with my first that I cried every time I nursed her; she fixed the problem right away (not a wide enough latch). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 go ahead and try shields. there are different ones, so if you don't have success with the first one, try another. also, make sure the latch is correct. 1ds loved to nurse. he was a "gourmet" and enjoyed every drop. I thought he was latched correctly (I had nursed two babies previously). he wasn't. I was in so much pain, I was seriously considering quitting. I had to practically shove my nipple down his throat (it felt like) to get the message to him he actually had to latch. dudeling wouldn't latch (not even from a bottle). for two months I had to use a nipple shield filled with milk just to get him to start sucking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Oh, and in my experience the lactation consultants in the hospital are not helpful at all; mine with my first told me everything was fine and that the pain was normal (it wasn't). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I'll jump on the bandwagon about the latch. When dd was born, I had been a card carrying member of LLL, had trained in peer counseling - you name it. Well, I started to get cracked, bleeding nipples with her. The latch LOOKED fine, but it wasn't, She was a "nipple walker." She didn't like a very deep latch and would gradually push the nipple out until it was too shallow and her tongue would be flicking the nipple causing irritation. I had to do some "tongue walking" exercises to help her get used to something further back in her mouth. Jack Newman MD has some excellent videos on latch techniques to help improve difficult breastfeeding situations. Assymetrical Latch When I was teaching childbirth classes, I had a Board Certified Lactation Consultant teach my class. One technique she taught was to use the cross-cuddle hold where the arm away from the breast is used to support the baby's body and the hand is use to support the head. The hand closest to the breast does a slight compression about an inch and a half behind the nipple in a U-shaped hold. This is similar to how you would squeeze a large sandwich to get the bread on the top and bottom and everything in between. You want a U rather than a C so that the compression is in the same direction as the baby's lips go. Line the baby up so that the nipple points to the baby's nose or upper lip. This way, the baby has to open wide to get to the nipple. This is similar to the video above, but with more description. I think nipple shells can be helpful for keeping fabric off of the nipple so that it can air dry. However, shields can interfere with milk supply since they can reduce stimulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I found nipple shields awful, but your mileage may vary. Can you afford to see a lactation consultant? We spent our last $50 on one after 6 weeks of such painful nursing with my first that I cried every time I nursed her; she fixed the problem right away (not a wide enough latch). A good LC may be helpful! I finally found one who told me the latch was fine, but the shape and density of the breast was the problem, which is why the shield helped. Are you red-headed by any chance? She (and another hospital LC) told me that made things worse. Anyway, I believe LC visits may be covered by insurance now under the ACA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 When I was teaching childbirth classes, I had a Board Certified Lactation Consultant teach my class. One technique she taught was to use the cross-cuddle hold where the arm away from the breast is used to support the baby's body and the hand is use to support the head. The hand closest to the breast does a slight compression about an inch and a half behind the nipple in a U-shaped hold. This is similar to how you would squeeze a large sandwich to get the bread on the top and bottom and everything in between. You want a U rather than a C so that the compression is in the same direction as the baby's lips go. Line the baby up so that the nipple points to the baby's nose or upper lip. This way, the baby has to open wide to get to the nipple. This is similar to the video above, but with more description. Yes, this exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 A nipple shield is the only reason I didn't give up on nursing younger ds. He had tongue tie (which was just finally corrected at 19months) and it caused a lot of problems with latching. Everyone said the tongue tie was mild and his latch looked great and we shouldn't have any problems, but we did. Not only was I in a lot of pain, he wasn't getting enough to eat because I was unconsciously pulling away. The nipple shield helped tremendously. I used it for about 6 weeks, nursing at least once a day without it to see how he did - dh's aunt suggested that because she had two kids who had trouble latching early on because they were small and couldn't open wide enough to get a good latch, but later when they had grown a bit they did fine. And suddenly around 6 weeks he was latching fine, just as dear aunt said. We had some supply issues related to the latch problems too, but frequent nursing and fenugreek fixed those, and ds nursed until he was 18 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 i was very surprised to find myself sitting in a lactation consultants office when baby #4 was 7 weeks old. I breastfed my older 3 with no problems. My latch was OK, but she gave me some careful tips which helped. She also picked up the nipple thrush which I had never experienced before! It turned out to be a vicious feeder (my DS!) causing damage and thrush preventing any healing... I don't do nipple shields. I tried once with my first but I have flat nipples so it was impossible to get the position just right and so it hurt like razors! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I've had this happen with both of my kids. It wasn't a latch issue with either of them. It was just my body needing to toughen up I guess. I used a shield when it was unbearable until things toughened up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clpretzel Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I've had this happen with all 5 of mine. Days 6-8 are the worst. By day 10 I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. One thing I would add to the list of to dos: cold compresses. Bleeding sucks, but bleeding plus inflammation is the worst. Also days 6-8 are the worst for me in terms of hormones and emotions. It took until my 4th to anticipate the day 6 deluge of tears and to realize it won't last long. Hugs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftymama Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I never had luck with them, but my lactation consultant had me make a mix of creams that worked wonders. If you want I can get you the ingredients. She became my best friend, so it'd be super easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2myboys Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I am so sorry you are in so much pain. ((hugs)) If you are cracked and bleeding, something is not right with the latch. It can look perfectly fine on the outside and not be fine on the inside. There are types of tongue-tie that are not easily visible to the naked eye and it is very common. This link is helpful for determining if tongue-tie is an issue. My youngest had a posterior tongue-tie and upper lip-tie. Nursing him was excruciating. I was cracked and bleeding. His latch looked fine on the outside. His tongue-tie was not visible with just looking under the tongue. Please get help right away. Everyone insisted that my son's latch was fine, but it was not. It caused me pain and cost me my milk supply. It was a much more painful ordeal than it needed to be. Insist that the LC look further or see someone else. Maybe contact a LLL Leader as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I had that with my twins. :grouphug: The thing that helped the most in those early weeks was Dr Newman's All Purpose Nipple Ointment that my OB prescribed and had the hospital pharmacy compound before we left. It was brilliant. I also second (third, fourth?) the recommendation to call your local LLL leader. You're not bothering her and she may have a lot more experiential knowledge than the LC at the hospital. http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-CP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted May 2, 2014 Author Share Posted May 2, 2014 Thanks everyone. I'm going to try the shield tonight. The hospital has a whole breastfeeding center and they are supposed to be really good. (They are the same ones that saw me in the hospital.) I went there several times with my second because I was worried about my supply and she wasn't gaining weight. Today though we already had to go to the lab for a bilirubin check and the pediatrician and I just couldn't go to another place. I'm still in pain from the c-section. And of course, they are only open M-F. I will go on Monday if I haven't figured it out by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Thanks everyone. I'm going to try the shield tonight. The hospital has a whole breastfeeding center and they are supposed to be really good. (They are the same ones that saw me in the hospital.) I went there several times with my second because I was worried about my supply and she wasn't gaining weight. Today though we already had to go to the lab for a bilirubin check and the pediatrician and I just couldn't go to another place. I'm still in pain from the c-section. And of course, they are only open M-F. I will go on Monday if I haven't figured it out by then. I'm glad you're going to try it. I heard that nipple shields were a bad idea for years (I don't even know why!) and I finally tried one with my 4th. Oh. My. Word. Such a nice break from the wetness and pressure of nursing without it. I didn't use it for long (just long enough to heal) but I thanked God for it every time I used it. I had terrible cracking/bleeding once and I was told to spray my nipples with a saline solution. It stung but healed them FAST. Lanolin is great for preventing injury but once you're injured, you may need to do more to get them healed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Yes! I called them Hobbit shields. And tons of lanolin. Spread that on like you're avoiding a killer sunburn. It can take awhile, but stick with it, it will get better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted May 3, 2014 Author Share Posted May 3, 2014 I'm glad you're going to try it. I heard that nipple shields were a bad idea for years (I don't even know why!) and I finally tried one with my 4th. Oh. My. Word. Such a nice break from the wetness and pressure of nursing without it. I didn't use it for long (just long enough to heal) but I thanked God for it every time I used it. I had terrible cracking/bleeding once and I was told to spray my nipples with a saline solution. It stung but healed them FAST. Lanolin is great for preventing injury but once you're injured, you may need to do more to get them healed up. Saline? If I wanted to go buy that, what exactly would I be looking for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Saline? If I wanted to go buy that, what exactly would I be looking for? You can get it near the allergy stuff, sometimes near the contact stuff. Make sure it is just saline though, no meds or cleaning solution or anything like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 If I have very, VERY sore cracked/bleeding nipples (to the point where today I just quit nursing, pumped and gave him a bottle), would using a nipple shield help? I have been using the hydrogel pads and I bought some lanoline. I have tried putting a few drops of milk on them and letting them air dry. Baby is only 6 days old, my milk just came in yesterday, I am pretty sure there is nothing wrong with his latch. He's my 3rd and I've nursed my others for more than a year each. A lactation consultant in the hospital said that his latch looked great- but that was before the cracks and bleeding started. Anyway....nipple shield, will it help? yes, they might, but can effect milk supply. If you are cracked and bleeding then by definition something is wrong. You need help. I can say that with my third I had a lot of pain, and it turned out the latch was good, but my positioning was not. I was used to a bigger toddler nursing, and was holding him wrong, too close to my arm pit if that makes sense, and he was having to tuck his chin oddly to nurse. 5 minutes fixed the issue with an IBLC. Please please please go to a good lactation counselor right away. Also, antibiotic ointment is a very good idea until then....staph infections are not uncommon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted May 3, 2014 Author Share Posted May 3, 2014 yes, they might, but can effect milk supply. If you are cracked and bleeding then by definition something is wrong. You need help. I can say that with my third I had a lot of pain, and it turned out the latch was good, but my positioning was not. I was used to a bigger toddler nursing, and was holding him wrong, too close to my arm pit if that makes sense, and he was having to tuck his chin oddly to nurse. 5 minutes fixed the issue with an IBLC. Please please please go to a good lactation counselor right away. Also, antibiotic ointment is a very good idea until then....staph infections are not uncommon. I just got out of the hospital on Tuesday where more than one LC told me that everything (latch, positioning, etc.) looked good. That was before my milk came in. The pain started when my milk came in. I'm not opposed to going to the breastfeeding center, but they won't be open again until Monday. I hate that problems always happen on the weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Well, I started to get cracked, bleeding nipples with her. The latch LOOKED fine, but it wasn't, She was a "nipple walker." She didn't like a very deep latch and would gradually push the nipple out until it was too shallow and her tongue would be flicking the nipple causing irritation. I had to do some "tongue walking" exercises to help her get used to something further back in her mouth. This is pretty much what my son did, and it was my first nursing experience. I had a side to side crease in my nipple after every nursing session, and then it would crack. However, I've since read about lip ties, and he definitely had one. The lactation consultants had checked for tongue ties, but no one mentioned or looked at lip tie. My son's labial frenulum extended all the way to the top of his teeth (once he had teeth come in) until he clipped it himself as a toddler when he fell flat on his face. I've heard that lip tie can contribute to this kind of nursing. I have no advice that hasn't been offered--I would contact LLL and get a referral to a good LC. Some hospitals have them, but they are usually REALLY busy and overburdened. Hang in there! Best wishes finding the help you need to continue nursing your little one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 :grouphug: DD is 15, and I have a very clear memory of sitting in bed with my back against the wall feeding her. When she latched on, it hurt so much that in my effort to avoid screaming I flung my head back...and into the wall - BAM! I was so miserable I just started weeping...sat there and cried during the whole feeding...I never felt that pitiful... It was her latch, btw... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Latch can be fine, but if the baby has a tongue tie, lip tie, or bubble palate, that could make it painful (and they're commonly seen together). Can he stick his tongue out all the way? If you stick a finger in his mouth, nail down, does his tongue cup your finger (indicating mobility), and can you tell if he has a high palate? Does he break suction a lot? I also suggest seeing an IBCLC, but your local LLL group would help too, and they may be able to advise you on finding someone to address a lip or tongue tie. An ENT and/or SLP may also be helpful with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 LC is not good enough. You need IBCLC and even then some are better than others. :iagree: Anybody can call themselves an LC. It is not a protected title. Definitely look for an IBCLC and get recommendations. Any improvement in the situation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoseInABook Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Check for a tongue tie. My fourth had a lip tie and a posterior tongue tie that no one caught until an online friend pointed it out to me. Google Kotlow's breastfeeding pdf. It's awesome for figuring out if there is an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I had to use mine for 9 months (the entire length of time dd nursed). Any time I would try a session or 2 without it I would be in severe pain the next day. I used it as a last resort. I got through the first month or 2 (I think?) just curling my toes, crying, and praying. At last, it was either the shield or give up. I chose the shield, but I wasn't ever able to get rid of it. Nobody was ever able to figure out what was going wrong despite me seeing many "experts". DD ended up back in the hosiptal shortly after she was born due to jaundice and weight loss. I never felt like she was getting enough milk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Hope things are getting better :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 If it all started when your milk came in, I'd suspect that you are engorged & flatter, making it tough to latch. If that is the case, pumping just a little before nursing will help. Just enough to soften a bit. There are 2 types of shields, one you wear during feedings and one you wear between feedings. Avoid wearing anything during a feeding - that's LAST resort w/ help of an IBCLC. Do try the kind you wear between feedings b/c they will protect your skin from irritation AND will help shape things for a better latch. Also, demand feed but unlatch when baby falls asleep. Don't be a human, bleeding pacifier. Give the girls time to heal. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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