How long until my poor nipples get used to BF?

[sun]

Please could someone help me. I have been breastfeeding Daisy on demand since she was born on 23rd December. She latches on really well and has really taken to it. She feeds every 2 to 3 hours at the moment but also sometimes seemes to want to suck for comfort even if she is not hungry. I love feeding her, love feeling so close and so bonded and am very determined to persevere and the midwives say I'm doing great but my nipples hurt SOOOO much!

How long will it take until they toughen up and get used to it? They are so cracked and bleeding and it is agony when she first latches on and it actually takes my breath away for a moment. They feel like they are throbbing and if I brush against anything it is so painful.

I keep thinking that maybe I'll try expressing and see if that helps or whether to just keep going as I am and hope it will be less painful in a few days. What do you guys think?

I was in a similar situation and had to give my nipples a rest. I have a double electric pump so was able to express exclusively for a day and a half. I absolutely piled on the Lanisoh cream in that time and also put nipple shells on so that my bra wasn't pressing on my nips. I found out after that these are only supposed to be used for 40 mins but I had them on permanently. Well, the day and a half off really helped. My nipples stopped being cracked and I was able to resume BF. Don't get me wrong, it still hurts but it's not from cracked nipples. More from general tug. It has got less painful since then. I really recommend lots of paracetamol. This is safe to take when BF.

I am having a break for a couple of days too due to sore nipples and a blocked duct/mastitis.
How did you feed the expressed milk - I am feeding with a tiny cup I have from when my first daughter had feeding problems. Is this the best way do you think or is there something better I could do??

I also cupfed at the beginning when LO was having feeding problems. I didn't want to feed more than absolutely necessary from a bottle - esp. since I wanted him to bf and he had been getting bottles t the hospital due to low blood sugar. OH actually got very good at cupfeeding!!! I never really mastered it. We would sometimes supplement with cupfeeding until bf got well established.
xx

 

[sun]

it took me about three weeks to get used breast feeding my lo again

I second this!!! I thought it would never get better, then suddenly it did (with the help of lots of lansinoh) at around 3 weeks. Now a 7 weeks, it is second nature!!! It does get better, I promise!!!
xx

 

[pointerfan]

Thanks Sun, it's great to here that someone else has done it! I was so upset last night but today has been a bit better. Me and LO are both pretty tired as we were up most of the night but have managed to get her to take quite a bit from the cup. I fed first daughter from cup too (2 years ago) but you forget!! Hoping that a couple of days rest will get my nipples back to normal!!
Thanks again.

 

[Jchihuahua]

thanks for this thread.
im on day 4 of bf now and i thought i was getting a good latch but it is hurting so thought i poss wasnt.

but after reading this sounds like we are doing ok and just need to work through the pain.

Yes, I agree. I'm on day 9 now and even though its still painful it is slightly less painful than it has been so hopefully I'm slowly getting there. My breasts being engorged is now my latest painful problem.

how's it going hun? mine don't seem any better today?

Well, I've got mastitis in one breast which is horrible ( I had fevers where I'd be freezing then shortly later drenched in sweat, a temp of 39 and spent a day in tears) and the only thing that eases that pain is her emptying that breast but that breast is the one where my nipple is most painful when she latches on so I really can't win. My right nipple is feeling quite a lot better and only hurts for a few seconds but the left one in still terribly sore.

 

[pointerfan]

My midwife thinks I possibly have mastitis in my left breast, I've been expressing today to try to empty it which is providing some releif - I was in tears most of last night though and this morning. Aaaargh. Also after being up all night Anna has been really sleepy today so it's hard to get her to take anything! Any ideas to make her more alert for a feed?
I'll probably be up all night again so maybe we can give each other a bit of support.

 

[sun]

My midwife thinks I possibly have mastitis in my left breast, I've been expressing today to try to empty it which is providing some releif - I was in tears most of last night though and this morning. Aaaargh. Also after being up all night Anna has been really sleepy today so it's hard to get her to take anything! Any ideas to make her more alert for a feed?
I'll probably be up all night again so maybe we can give each other a bit of support.

My LO had really low blood sugar and was born early so even when his blood sugar was back up he would fall asleep easily and was hard to rouse. I found that straightening his arm above his head while he was on the breast would help (alternately straighten/bend arm up and down) I would also make sure he wasn't too warm - I fed him in the early days naked and at the hospital when he was really sleepy the mw would use a wet washcloth on him to keep him awake.
xx

 

[pointerfan]

Just been to the Out of Hours nurse - I do have mastitis and have been given a weeks course of antibiotics - feel better already just knowing I have some help.

 

[Soph&Bump]

This is safe to take when BF.[/QUOTE]

I am having a break for a couple of days too due to sore nipples and a blocked duct/mastitis.
How did you feed the expressed milk - I am feeding with a tiny cup I have from when my first daughter had feeding problems. Is this the best way do you think or is there something better I could do??[/QUOTE]

Hi pointerfan

At first I was giving it in a cup as I hated the idea of using bottles. In the end, with the support of an NCT breastfeeding counsellor who said there won't be a problem, I ended up using bottles. So, for that day and a half I used bottles (a cup would have taken ages and there was always a lot of spillage when I was using a cup before that). Now I'm doing a combination of BF, expressed milk in a bottle and 1 or maybe 2 formula feeds. I have got my nipples to a point where they can cope and I can't do exclusive BF. LO switches between bottle and breast. Sometimes her latch on isn't perfect but I know it's my position and me not being comfortable.

Depending on how much milk you're giving, you could use the cup still or maybe think about a bottle. It's a personal thing. I hated the idea totally but realised something had to give and I gave into it.

 

[chuck]

Blub...I feel awful if you guys could get through the pain why cant I??

It hurt so much having him on the breast that it made me scream out on numerous occasions.

 

[FemmeEnceinte]

Don't feel bad, it's honestly hideously agonising at times. It made me cry, bite down on things and shout out plenty... god knows what the women in the room next to me must have thought was going on. The only reason I pushed through is because I'm stubborn

 

[Jchihuahua]

I bite down on my clothes every single time she latches and shout out quite frequently. I feel awful when I shout out in case it scares her but it is a totally involuntary reaction. Mastitis is HORRENDOUS too. Now the doctors is open hopefully I will have antibiotics by the end of today and it will start to clear up. This is such hard work!

 

[pointerfan]

I bite down on my clothes every single time she latches and shout out quite frequently. I feel awful when I shout out in case it scares her but it is a totally involuntary reaction. Mastitis is HORRENDOUS too. Now the doctors is open hopefully I will have antibiotics by the end of today and it will start to clear up. This is such hard work!

I bite down on my clothes too and even my Lansinoh tube!! My 2 year old keeps pointing at my nipples and saying 'ouch mummy'!!
I started my antibiotics last night and can honestly say I feel better already!
You're right though it's very hard work but we'll get there - I feel a lot more positive today!