Help!! Nipple cracked all the way through, very painful!!

[x Helen x]

Need some advice...

My nipples have been cracked and sore since my little boy was born 9 days ago. He had a severe tongue-tie which caused major latch issues and nipple damage in the first few days, this was snipped at three days old and latch instantly improved but the nipple damage was still present. One of the cracks on my right nipple (around the edge where it joins the areola) has now gone all the way through the skin and is exposing pink tissue underneath. It's extremely painful, agonising during feeds. It has been like this for about three days now, I have been applying Lansinoh after every feed but no improvement.

Can anyone advise??

 

[AnonymousCAT]

Maybe see your doctor for medicated cream?

 

[AnonymousCAT]

Also apply breast milk and leave exposed to air as much as possible

 

[Peardrop]

I had a similar problem at a similar age. Lactation Consultant suggested resting that side for a couple of days - I was getting enough milk from the other side to do this. Its important to pump which was less painful than latching to ensure milk supply stays up. Even 24 hours off makes a huge difference. Hugs. I know the pain.

 

[sandilion]

Check bubs for lip and tongue ties.

Get a healing gel pad like "Rite Aid" they are amazing and the ONLY thing that worked for me

My cracks were that bad due to my bub having lip tie that applying just BM and leaving to air dry made them worse, a LOT worse. The pain was pretty well unbearable by the time i fed next and i could feel the crack crack open more...

The gel pads sooth, seem to numb the areas and heal it fast.

 

[Lemonade]

I had a similar issue when my LO was a week old. I fed her on the other side and pumped on the cracked side for a day or so (I gave her a bottle of the expressed milk, but you could store it). It healed quickly and never happened again.

 

[x Helen x]

Thanks ladies, sorry not been on here to check updates in a while! It has healed now thank goodness. Carried on nursing through the pain just in different positions until it had healed up a bit.

Annoyingly now though I am battling a very nasty bout of mastitis in the other breast. It's one thing after another!!

Sandilion - I'm really interested to read your comment as I've literally just come on now to post about lip tie as I think my son may have this! I read somewhere that this can affect latch so off I popped to take a look and sure enough I think it looks like lip tie. I'm trying to figure out how to upload a pic on this stupid phone to show you. What is the resolution for lip tie? Do they cut it like with the tongue tie or is it just a case of working on different latch positions?