feeding on one side due to cracked/bleeding nipple?

[numb3rthree]

my right nipple is so painful right now feeding has been sore for 2-3 days on this breast (the let down pain doesnt ease)


i carried on feeding from it despite the pain but this morning its started to bleed

ive been feeding all day from the left breast and have pumped 2ozs out of right breast (was painful but not as painfull as feeding) he had this in a breastflow bottle fine

my son is currently feeding every 1-2 hours in the day and 3 hourly at night he is 2 weeks old and mw said he is having a growth spurt

im at breaking point ive nearly reached for the formula several times and really dont want to

how long will this growth spurt last? i was ok feeding from the sore side when it was only every 6 odd hours...

im alo worried my left breast will empty and he wont get enough milk is this possible?

sorry for the ramble i really dont want to give up

 

[MelanieAnn]

You poor thing! This stage is so hard, so very hard. Establishing a milk supply is really tough. But if the latch isn't as deep as can be, then the milk transfer isn't great and the milk supply might not be fully established.

Has the midwife double checked for tongue tie?

If your nipples are sore, and esp if they are bleeding, then it isn't "normal" and it isn't just a growth spurt. The baby isn't well latched. https://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/12...m_source=facebook&utm_content=natural_fanpage might really help.

When the latch is right - it is unbelieveable - the pain disappears, the milk flows, the baby is satisfied, and all is right with the world. It's so easy to sound smug, even though it can still be really tough and gruelling at times. But if the positioning isn't quite 100%, it can go wrong, and very quickly.

 

[Rose_bud]

I had that too, I used nipple shields and kamillosan ointment and it healed within a week. It sucks but it does get better, like PP said just make sure the latch is right and if you can keep going on both sides so your milk supply keeps up.
If it doesn't improve or gets worse see your midwife or GP though. Just remember soon you'll be breastfeeding like a pro and you'll have comPletely forgot about your sore cracked nipple. I had forgot about mine until I saw this thread!

 

[Rmar]

My nipples were so sore in the early days and then the left one felt fine but the right one hurt so bad that I winced throughout the whole feed. If your nipples have healed after the initial getting used to it period and only one has started to hurt again, it most likely is a latch issue. My midwife told me that the most common issue is feeding from the side that is your dominant side (say for me I am right handed and my right nipple hurt) because it is harder to naturally get the latch right and it takes a bit of practice. It could be the other side to your dominant side but apparently it is less common.

Keep it up unless it is just so unbearable. I did have to skip a fe w feeds from that side because it was just too much. If it is a latch thing, try your hardest to get in a good position each time and find the best latch and things will gradually get better to the point where you will forget all about it. Our best latch ended up being with me holding my breast like a hamburger going into her mouth. Thumb on the side with her chin and fingers where her nose went. Then let go when she was on. After lots of practice, I now get her on without thinking too much about it.

As for the growth spurt, no two nights have ever been the same for us. I do remember her having a particularly fussy night with feeding every hour but then the next night she slept for 4 hours straight. 3 hours at night sounds perfect. I know it doesn't seem that way when you have to get up for it but it all works out in the end.

 

[Rose_bud]

Try different positions, the 'rugby hold' worked well for me. It was the only way I could feed him off my left without crying!