Will nipple blanching happen again? Second Baby

[cupcakemomma]

Hello all!

Can't believe it's about time for me to be coming back around this board again already - I remember all the help and support I got here with my first baby, now I'm back for round 2. Baby is due in the next few weeks so I'm mentally preparing myself!

Little backround: Breastfeeding was a NIGHTMARE for me until DD was about 8 weeks old. I had it all, bleeding cracking nipples, mastisis (sp?), low milk supply, clogged ducts, and the worst was nipple blanching. I had wanted to pump to help increase my supply, but it was near impossible with the blanching. I would pump for an hour and get mayyybe an ounce. I stuck with it for months, but it never got better. And because of my low supply, around 3 months I ended up to resorting to giving DD one bottle of formula in the evening. (I seriously tried EVERYTHING. Teas, supplements, eating the foods that are supposed to increase supply. I still can hardly look at oatmeal )

So anyway the point of all this is, is the blanching pretty much a thing that if you have it, you have it with each baby? Or is there hope that I may miraculously become a dairy cow with no problems? LOL. I'd love to hear other people's experiences. Thank you for reading this!

 

[MommyJogger]

By blanching, do you mean vasospasms?
https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/nipple-blanching/

Or do you mean blanching as described in the first part of the article? If you were also blanching for your pump and you're planning on pumping again, I would be prepared to experiment with different-sized flanges, maybe try some larger ones and adjust the suck strength of the pump until blanching stops, because the pump really shouldn't be cutting off circulation.

Vasospasms tend to re-occur if you're prone to it, is my understanding. But just blanching is really an indication that you should seek out professional latch advice. If there's nipple damage, then there is a latch problem. Everyone says that it will hurt (and yes, it will likely be uncomfortable or a little painful unless you're one of a lucky few), but severe pain or any damage is a sign that the latch needs some attention.
Some women just can't pump very much, period. The best way to increase supply is to let the baby suck. Let them pacify, let them take naps latched on, anything to get a baby's mouth on your nipple as much as possible. And be proactive about fixing latch problems before you get to the point that having the baby on your nipple isn't bearable.

 

[cupcakemomma]

I want to say both, actually. I know my poor nipples went through a lot of trauma (It took DD and I a while to get a good latch going, hence the bleeding and cracking). But I'm pretty certain I had the vasospasms also. Out of the blue, when I wasn't even pumping or nursing I would start to feel them seize up. If I was able to, I'd look at them and they'd be hard and whitened. So painful.

I remember it was right around 8 weeks when things started to get a lot better, so maybe that's when the nipples began to heal from trauma? I nursed her (still with her evening bottle) until she self weaned around 13 months so it was worth it all the pain and struggle, I'm just hoping not to have to go through it again.

Thank you for your response and that article!