my daughter is 3 weeks old and i breastfreed but my breast is sore.?

Question

well my baby girl mallory is 3 weeks old but i breastfeed and my breast are sore do you no what i can used so they wont be sore thank you

Answer 1

Your breasts? Or your nipples? If it's your nipples there are creams and ointments to cure that and it won't harm your baby.

Make sure you don't have any lumps.

If you have lumps or hardness in your breasts this could be that you have clogged milk ducts and if they are not taken care of it could cause infection or worse problems.

YOu need to massage the area and try a hand breast-pump to pump the milk out. I got one free from my doctor or the hospital.

When your breasts are empty you should not have much soreness in them, if you do, talk to your doc.

There are also special nurses who will come out to your house to help you breastfeed. This would be good to do just to make sure you are doing everything right. You can find out more info from your doctor or call the hospital.

Answer 2

Are they red or irratated? Soreness is not normal. Do you have any hard areas in your breasts that feel like rocks? You really need to call the doc tomorrow and make sure you are not trying to get mastitis or a yeast infection etc. Continue to breastfeed and/or pump.

Engorgement can also make your breasts full sore when they are extremely full. A blocked duct feels like a tender (or sore) lump in your breast. If your breast gets inflamed (hot) and sore you may have mastitis. There is usually a red, sore, lumpy area in the breast while the mother feels as if she has the flu and may have a fever. Many mothers have sore nipples when they start breastfeeding but this should get better quickly. If soreness goes on, or lasts through the whole feed or if there are cracks in the nipple, help is needed. See your doctor or child health nurse.

Have you tried the Lanolin Cream that is in the purple tube? This does help...Lanolin cream has been a lifesaver for just about every mom who has suffered from dry, cracked nipples. It is common to experience tenderness (and not soreness) nipples during the first few days and weeks of breastfeeding. Your breasts are not used to the constant attention. Severe or prolonged pain when breastfeeding is neither necessary nor normal.

Thrush is an infection which sometimes affects the baby's mouth and nappy area and the mother's skin in and around the nipples.
Thrush infection may be the cause of sore nipples which don't get better.
There may be an itchy pink rash on the nipples.

Hope this little bit of info helps..

Answer 3

If your nipples are sore you can use lanolin or these things called Soothies (from the drug store) or Ameda Comfort Gels (I prefer these). These will give you temporary relief, but to get long lasting relief you need to make sure you baby has a good latch. This means that her mouth is in the best postition to get the milk out of your breast. Find a lactation consultant in your area (ask your doc/pediatrician/the hospital), find a post partum doula (www.dona.com) or find a La Leche League leader in your area to get help with the latch and other breastfeeding issues.

If your nipples are very sore, and it feels like cut glass when your daughter eats, you might have thrush. If that's the case, you definitely want to see a lactation consultant.

If your actual breast is sore, and it feels hot or lumpy, you might have a blocked milk duct or mastitis (and infection resulting from a blocked duct). This can be very painful, but the best thing to do is to nurse your baby often. This will help move the blockage out of the duct. If you're in a lot of pain you can use Tylenol or Motrin, and if it doesn't go away and keeps getting worse, call your doctor - she can prescribe antibiotics. However, the antibiotics can cause thrush, so its best to avoid them if you can.

Congratulations on your baby! You're doing the right thing by breastfeeding. It can be rough for the first few weeks, but once you get all the kinks out, it's wonderful. It's definitly worth finding some support be it a IBCLC (lactation consultant), La Leche League meeting, or a post partum doula.

Answer 4

You may need to undo what was started in the hospital. The sucking done on a bottle nipple uses different muscles and technique (and is easier) than suckling on the breast. It sounds like you have a bad latch which is why your nipples will be sore. Breastfeeding is "natural" but it is a learned process for both baby and mom. I would avoid feeding her with a bottle. Of course she needs to eat to continue putting her on your breast. If she is really hungry and you want to give her formula, do so with a spoon or medicine cup or dropper so she doesn't get confused by an artificial nipple. There is much you can do. I highly recommend contacting your nearest Le Leche League for advise or getting a referral for a lactation consultant. One home visit from a consultant can make a huge difference. Yes, it costs money, depending on where you live maybe $100/visit or even an hour. But it beats the cost of formula for a year not to mention the medical costs that may be incurred by illness your baby get because she is not breastfed. It took me 4 weeks to really get into the swing of it. Hang tight and only have supportive people around.

Answer 5

LANSINOH! it comes in a purple box, you can find it at Walmart for about 8 dollars but it last a few months, it has the consistency of Vaseline, you don't have to clean it out before you feed the baby it is tasteless and safe for the baby, I had the same problem and mine were bleeding too but that made me feel SO good every time I used it, trust me, you will love it too (now I use it to protect my babies bottom from getting diaper rush, you just rub a little bit , my daughter is 2 and has never had a diaper rush)

Answer 6

is the nipple sore? this is often from not pushing the nipple far enough into the baby's mouth.

is the whole breast sore? this could be a blockage.

call la leche league. they are awesome. they have meetings and phone volunteers and they are breathtakingly informed and non-judgemental.

basically, breastfeeding doesn't hurt if it's done right. you probably just need a little help getting on track.

Call them, you'll never regret making this nursing relationship work.

Answer 7

if just the nipple is sore there are nipple guards available. A warm shower helps. You could try a heating pad or an ice pack, whichever feels better. Also Tylenol. Best wishes to you.

Answer 8

i would tell your dr. or call the hospital's labor and delivery, they should have a lactation consultant. if you are on wic they can help you also. it's usually becasue the baby isn't latching on right. try some lanolin for now. but you should seek help. the baby should not be just sucking nipple, but have a good portion of the area surrounding it also.

Answer 9

This is normal...sore and tender.
Ask your Doctor, about a cream for them that will not harm your baby girl.

Answer 10

bag balm. rum it on the area that is sore and it should help. Be sure to clean it off before your next feeding though.