amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

JodiM · 08-21-2004, 12:34 AM

It is soo painful, I want to cry.

And my right breast looks like it has a blister on the nipple.

I've tried cool compress' and it didn't help.

Any ideas?? I can't imagine not breastfeeding him, but I am not sure how much longer I can keep it up.

Maiden Comfort · 08-21-2004, 12:39 AM

#1 Stop switching sides if you are. The initial latch on is going to be more painful - and it's stronger. Plus it will give each breast a longer break inbetween.

#2 the blisters (I've had them with every kid) will eventually go away. Go braless if you can, let air get to them so they heal faster. I never put anything on mine, but I'm sure that a herbal salve wouldn't hurt as long as it was either safe for baby or washed off before - otherwise lanolin is ok.

HTH and congratulations!!

spiritfreedom · 08-21-2004, 12:39 AM

I feel for you Jodi. I have so been there. Try re-checking the latch and be sure he has a mouth full of areola. I found at times I needed to use some breathing techniques from labor to get thru those first few days. Keep the faith!

doubleblessed · 08-21-2004, 12:45 AM

Lanolin? I'm sorry, Jodi, I remember both of my nips were swollen, red, blistery, and sometimes bloody... it was latch issues. Get better soon!

Sunflower_Momma · 08-21-2004, 12:45 AM

You can do it! You are doing an awesome job already. I promise that it will get easier. Just breathe, breathe, breathe. Hot showers can help a little, lanolin will help to, but mostly the best thing to do is try to keep nursing through it and I promise that in a few more days it will start to get easier and less owie.

BabyShopMama · 08-21-2004, 12:52 AM

Congrats Jodi! I've not posted in quite a while & haven't even seen your birth announcement yet, this is the first post I've read tonight, but I want to try & help.

Some ideas I have that may work:

~use a warm damp wash cloth before nursing, it will make let-down easier & helped ease my soreness some

~you said you'd tried cold compresses, what did you use? I used a bag of frozen veggies (peas are best). Put them straight on your nipples right before latching on. It helps to stimulate your nipple to pop out & helps numb it so the latch isn't so bad

~have you been using lanolin/Lansinoh after each nursing? If not I strongly recommend it, it will help soften your nipples & keep them from cracking.

~for the nipple that has a blister-is it possibly thrush? Does your breast hurt "inside"? Does the baby have anything white/cottage cheesy in his mouth or does he seem to have a blistery diaper rash? If so, try using some Gentian Violet (only a few $$'s at the drug store) on your nipples, in his mouth & even on the diaper rash area. You also need to get some Acidophilus or Bifidus. You take these orally & they kill the yeasties. You can even give him some of the powder. They also make a form of this just for babies, I've gotten it in powder form called "Baby Life", you just give them so much in their mouths.

~Does any part of your breast feel hot or feverish? Do you have aches/chills or feel like you have the flu? If so, you probably need to put a call in to your dr b/c it could be mastitis & if it is, I feel for you!!

~Is your main trouble with engorgement? If so, get a head of cabbage & tear off a leaf, cut into the big "vein" about 1/2 way through & put the cut side against your breast inside your bra. It will help alleviate the fullness & make it feel better. Use this method in moderation though, b/c if you do it all the time it can cause your milk production to slack.

I don't mean to sound like you don't know what you're doing, but I'm not sure what you do or don't know & wanted to get as much as I could think of right off the top of my head out there for you b/c I know how desperate I was for help in the beginning w/ ds, even after I had already nursed 2 dd's!

HTH's & good luck! BTW-I'll be online for a while, so if there's ANYTHING I can do for you, you can post here or PM me, I have a TON of bf'ing books I can look in for you!

~Denise~ · 08-21-2004, 01:03 AM

Hugs hon. I remember those days. The only way for it to get better is to check your latch, and if fine, allow the nipples to toughen up. I know it sucks, but take deeeeeep breaths when you latch him on and I swear, I promise you, it WILL resolve and go away soon....it will get better I promise you. (((HUGS))) Pretty soon he will be latching on with NO pain at all.....I promise.

Briannasmama · 08-21-2004, 02:03 AM

It will be better! Just one thing to watch for thrush. If your nipples are blanched looking after nursing (white colored like) it could be thrush. In that case don't use Lanolin, it will make it alot worse. I found that out the hard way and it took me 3 weeks to figure out I even had thrush, I just thought it was gonna hurt for awhile. lol By that point I had tons of blisters and scabs and they were bleeding too. Talk about pain!

I had to use the football hold on my one side until it healed alittle. It was so bad I had to bite a pillow for a couple seconds after he latched.

But it will get better! I promise! HTH!

dragonmama · 08-21-2004, 02:20 AM

Lansinoh, in the purple tube.
You can find it al Walmart in the nursing/formula section area.

Keep it up mama, this too shall pass.

Really!!

You're a trooper.

LifesaBeach · 08-21-2004, 02:47 AM

Curran was the only one I had long term pain...they say it should subside by day 10 and it did...hang in there! ONe thing he seemed to do is slurp the nipple in instead of opening wide and taking the whole thing in at once...

one nursing moment at a time...it really will pass...

arlene · 08-21-2004, 02:53 AM

Here are some good links to look at regarding latch.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/bas...resources.html

http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleade...ebMar04p3.html

Do you know your local La Leche League Leader? If not, you can go to www.lalecheleague.org to find one near you

.

My thoughts are with you. I know how difficult it can be to have breastfeeding difficulties.

Hang in there

.
Arlene

Linda · 08-21-2004, 02:57 AM

Definitely call your local LLL leader-and have them check the latch-OK? I suck at asking for help-but really-it is good to have someone check onlatch...OK...and if you are hurting it is difficult to do that yourself...

{{{HUGS}}}

nellebelle · 08-21-2004, 03:22 AM

You already have mountains of good advice... just wanted to add a

You can do it!!!!!

I've been incredibly sore with both my babes. DS had thrush and DD was just a super sucker

With dd, Lansinoh was my best friend.

Nelle

SnowWhite · 08-21-2004, 07:50 AM

oooo, ouchie. Now I am thinking, that's gonna be me in a few weeks, LOL. I had it just like that with ds #1, and it does go away quickly.

Ditto all the Lansinoh recommendations, plus air drying as much as possible. Lie around as much as you can, mama.

Ds nursed til he was 25 months, so you can be sure it didn't last, or I wouldn't have made it.

ashley · 08-21-2004, 09:05 AM

Hang in there Mama! It will get better. One thing that helped me was little a gel disc that you lay on the nipple between nursings. I think they are called Soothies. They are with the breastfeeding supplies (nursing pads, Lanolin). It helps air flow and just feels sooo good. You can even cool them in the fridge or warm them under running water. They really did help!

Ashley