Breastfeeding question?

Question

I have a 3 day old baby who I am currently breastfeeding, only my nipples are quite sore and it hurts quite a lot when he latches on. I bought a pack of nipples shields but am unsure of when I can start using them. Do you have to wait for a certain amount of time before you can use them?

Answer 1

Hi congratulations to you .please try not to use the shields yet try putting olive oil on the nipple just before you feed bring the baby's mouth to the nipple squeeze a little milk out so your baby can smell the milk and hopefully will latch on.Yes my dear it will be painful but try to do it when baby is not starving .Also do ask your midwife to come and help that is what they are paid for .Mine stayed 2 hrs to get my boy to latch on well.They are g8 for any problems .please keep trying grit your teeth when baby grips breath gently and eventually your baby will feed happily with no pain at all for you.i fed my two boys for 2 years.best thing .However if things do become very difficult and painful do the bottle but please ask help from your midwife first .telephone and tell them whats wrong .hope you feel better soon hang in there it will get better i promise .take care

Answer 2

It's normal to have some pain starting out. When the baby first latches on you get that 'toe curling' pain, but it should subside in a few moments. If you are having pain throughout the nursing session chances are the baby is not latched on correctly. The baby is only 3 days old so your body is still getting used to breastfeeding. One other thing, when removing baby from the breast don't just pull him off, be sure to insert your finger at the side between baby's lip and the breast to break the suction first. It's fine to use the nipple shields right away. There are also ointments specifically for the nipples, they are usually lanolin based and don't have to be wiped off before baby feeds. You can also use just plain olive oil. I suggest you call your doctor or maternity ward and ask to be put in touch with a lactation consultant. They can help you get the baby latched on correctly and spot any problems you may be having. You can also contact your local branch of the La Leche League for help.
Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I would speak to your midwife or Breastfeeding Counsellor about this.

Not just about the nipple shields but about your sore nipples.

It can be a little uncomfortable when you are first getting used to breastfeeding because your baby has to draw the nipple to the back of his mouth and its an unusual feeling.

But SORE nipples are NOT a "normal" part of breastfeeding and are a sign that your baby may not be latching on properly. you need to get your Midwife or Breastfeeding Advisor to watch you latch your baby on and make sure he is attaching to the breast properly. He might look as if he is and actually might not be and it can take a trained eye to see this.

When you latch your baby onto your breast, is he opening his mouth really wide? Does he take in a good portion of the areola and breast or is he just sucking on the nipple? If he just sucks the nipple not only will you get sore but he won't be able to get at your milk properly.

I've breastfed my 9 week old son right from the start and haven't had sore nipples at all so I'm not sure about the nipple shields but I think its important you get your breastfeeding checked now. Otherwise, your nipples will carry on being sore and you and your baby won't get on with breastfeeding and you'll end changing to formula, which is a great shame.

Answer 4

Nipple shields are not used to ease pain they are for inverted nipples. I know the pain you are talking about, I have 3 children and for the first 2-3 weeks of breastfeeding I would almost come out of my seat as the baby was latching on. The good news is that it gets better as your nipples toughen up, soon it will not hurt at all. You can use a product called Lansinoh, you can get it at the drug store, it does help a lot. Good luck.

Answer 5

you can use them asap. Also, get some lanolin cream...it will help soothe the pain a little. The severe soreness should only last for a week or so and then it will start to get a bit better. As long as he is latching on correctly then you shoud notice some improvement soon. When your milk comes in..if it hasnt already, it will be more difficult for your baby to latch on...use warm washcloths on your breasts to help with the engorgement. If you are going to use a breast pump at all...wait a few weeks. They are pretty hard on your nipples. My youngest child is now 4 weeks old and I haven't had ANY pain for at least two weeks.
Whatever you do....DONT GIVE UP! The rewards are far worth it!
Good luck and congrats!

Answer 6

My 5 month old daughter had trouble latching on at first and my nipples also became really cracked and sore, they even started to bleed at one point.
It hurt so bad but i just gritted my teeth and got on with it, i never used nipple shields at all and my nipples healed fine after about three weeks, no more pain for me.
Also i found that expressing a little milk onto the nipple and allowing it to soak in after a feed helps to reduce the dryness and cracking.
Although now my daughter is starting to teethe and is now biting me.
Stick with it though its worth all the pain in the end! Its free, easy and always the right temperature lol!

Answer 7

You can use the shields as soon as you like! It will hurt for the first few days. Just make sure you are really shoving the breast far into the baby's mouth so he's not just sucking on the nipple, but as much of the areola as possible (of course, not so far you're choking him!). Consider getting some lanolin sort of lotion, too, to avoid cracking (after your nipples harden up in about a week, the pain will subside). I read that you can also just spread a little breast milk on the nipples and let them dry to help keep them protected. Good luck, and enjoy breastfeeding! It gets easier, I swear!

Answer 8

Congratulations on the birth of you baby! I had my 3rd baby 8 months ago and had the same problem with sore nipples though I hadnt suffered from this with my first two.

I personally wouldnt use the nipple shields with correct positioning the soreness will disapper before your babies second week as you get used to the breastfeeding again, just try and persevere with it.

Answer 9

I would double check he's latching on right, nip back to the Unit where you had him and they will be glad to do a bit of guidance for half an hour. With our first, I was back at the hospital the night I got home 'cos of this and it was just down to my freaking out about breastfeeding and being too stressed (I breastfed till 13 months). I would say it takes a good couple of weeks before you feel half confident about feeding. Stick at it though, it's well worth it and much easier when you go out and about.

Answer 10

You can use the shields straight away, although I wasn't particular;y keen on them. It does make it more difficult for most babies though. For you, try to 'air' your nipples as much as poss, and wipe a little of your milk on them after feeds. I found Kamillosan was a godsend in those early days and wish someone had told me about it sooner!! Its a lanolin ointment, like the one the midwives recommend, only easier to use, cheaper and more effective!

Congratulations on your new arrival and your decision to breastfeed - remember if you want help, you have to ask for it (try La Leche League or your local breastfeeding support group), but it is there.