My daughter is a week old today. I've read several books on breastfeeding, my pediatrician has seen her latch on properly. Yet every time I nurse I'm in soo much pain Ibite my lip to keep from screaming, I have large breasts and proportioned to them nipples. Football hold is easiest, I watch for "fish lips" what am I doing wrong? Does anyone else have this problem?
Suggestions appreciated
Thank You in advance for any help.
Using lanolin, tried ice packs and tea bags, nipples lightly bleeding, but I really want this to work!
2007-05-18 04:03:28 · 21 answers · asked by Rogueanjell 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Besides the fish lips - can you tell if she is using her tongue properly? While nursing, it should come out over her lower gumline.
Make sure she is taking in a good portion of your areola and not just your nipple. You can help with this if you make a "nipple sandwich" when you are latching her on. Compressing the breast tissue as if you were going to take a bite out of a big sandwich can help her to take in more areola and may make you more comfortable. Also, make sure you are aligning your hand properly to her mouth when you support the breast. In the football hold, your hand will resemble a "C" on your breast. In cradle or cross cradle your hand will form a "U" on the breast.
Make sure you are supporting her head well so she isn't pulling down on the nipple. Both football hold and cross cradle are good for this.
Make sure you are keeping the lanolin on there all the time. Give them a few mins to air dry after feeding.
Check out the links below. Consider calling your local LLL Leader for help. She will help for FREE and with such a young baby may be willing to visit you at home.
2007-05-18 04:13:15 · answer #1 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
From what I can read, it appears you are doing everything properly, but just like new shoes might give your feet a blister or two from the rubbing, so will breast-feeding, but the good news is it won't be this painful that much longer. No matter what you do, there will be some pain involved until your breasts get used to nursing. I know there is information out there that suggests cold compresses, but I got relief from very warm compresses after breast-feeding, and then I would apply the breast cream. Keep doing what you can to alleviate the pain, and continue to put lanolin on your nipples. Since your breasts are bleeding a little, make sure you keep them clean so you do not get an infection. It's tough, but just one more week and you'll get past all of this and it will be great, I promise.
2007-05-18 04:16:38 · answer #2 · answered by julesl68 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Same problem. My girl is now 10 weeks old and we're doing great. But for the first 11/2 months my lactation consultant had me roll a small towel or blanket, anything and place under my breast to lift them into a better position for latching on. Within a few days my bleeding nipples healed. Of course I used the lanolin ointment. Haven't had any problems since and no longer have to use the prop or the lanolin.
And the pain at first would just be when she first latched on. Now it hardly ever hurts. Unless I'm just engorged and she has a problem latching on, which very seldom happens.
Don't give up, trust me; getting the hang of breast feeding isn't as natural as one may think. You both have to learn how to do it, just the same as everything else, when you have a new baby in your life.
2007-05-18 04:12:12 · answer #3 · answered by gypsy g 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you are doing many of the right things, and I am glad to hear that you don't want to give up just because things are taking some time to get coordinated. Typically nursing shouldn't hurt that much without an underlying issue. I would suggest attempting some more positions. Try laying in bed. To me it helps get the breast and the baby's head on the same level without having to get hands, pillows, breast, and head all aligned and coordinated at the same time which is really hard in the very, very beginning. Another less common nursing position you could experiment with is laying the baby on her back and hovering over her to let her nurse. Are you getting engorged? Sometimes nursing is painful when your breasts are tender from engorgement, and it can be harder for a newborn to get a proper latch when your breasts are extra full. If this is the case then you may want to pump a little (as little as just an ounce) before you start nursing to soften up your breasts enough for the baby to get a great latch. If you are engorged try putting cold cabbage leaves in your bra...very soothing. Keep going with the lanolin. Since your nipples are bleeding it makes me think that there could be something wrong with your latch even though you are getting the fish lips. One answerer suggested that your baby may be getting too much areola. The goal is to get as much areola in the baby's mouth as possible because that is where the milk sinuses are (big breasts and big areolas should not pose a problem because both of mine are rather big). Have you checked to see if your baby is tongue-tied? If she is and if she is tightly tied then it can cause problems, and the Dr. can clip it to untie it. My son is tongue-tied but his tongue can stick out over his lower gums so it doesn't create a problem nursing. If your pain feels like a stabbing pain radiating from your nipple inward whenever your nurse then it might be a ductile yeast infection. Be very careful about transferring vaginal yeast up to your breasts or to your baby's mouth (thrush). Since you have the books look up ductile yeast infection to see if you fit the symptoms. When I had it, it made me cry when I nursed. I hope that some of this helps and congratulations on your new baby...good going wanting to give your baby the best start in life by nursing her.
2007-05-18 04:59:28 · answer #4 · answered by JordanB 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had the same problem when I first started with breastfeeding my child. It was horrible, intense, toe-curling pain. My lactation consultant told me I was doing everything right, and to just stick with it. After the 3rd week, it was all smooth sailing. Hang in there, hon! It will get better. Once your nipples are all healed, it will be so easy and you will be glad you stuck it out.
BTW, I think it is great thay you have chosen to breastfeed you baby. It is really the best thing for her. My baby is 14 months old and hasn't gotten sick yet! Not even a cold.
Oh yeah! How could I forget! There is a product called Soothies you can find in the drugstore. They are these funny little pads made out of some rubbery/lanolin type material you put on your nipples. I would chill them in the fridge with some extra lanolin. They were great!
2007-05-18 04:26:44 · answer #5 · answered by I'm da Mama! 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Make sure that she is in a proper position and not fighting gravity. Make sure she is high enough and not tugging. I would try another position, even though the football hold is easiest, try another hold, and make sure her neck and ear are level and straight and your arm is either under her buttocks or under neath her neck and pressed against your side (not out, which feels normal). Make sure she is getting a lot of areola in her mouth, not just for fish lips.
Also check her tongue--it should be flicking in and out and is not extended past her jaw at all. Check her jawline and ear...they should be wiggling, as if she is using her whole mouth to feed and not just her lips.
As long as the latch and position are fine, it will take about a week of nursing for the initial pain to go away. To avoid extra pain, make sure you break the suction with your finger before you pull baby away, let your nipples air dry, do not wash them with soap (gets them dry), give shorter and more frequent feedings if the pain is too much, and make sure you offer the least sore breast first.
Some doctor's are quick to say the "latch is fine", but make sure when you are tickling the baby's mouth that she opens up REALLY wide, not just opens her mouth up. make sure you are not touching your areola at all when you position your breast.
If none of these things help, call a lactation consultant at your hospital, they can and will help you!!
2007-05-18 04:12:18 · answer #6 · answered by Waiting and Wishing 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Call a lactation specialist. Please get help and support!
I am breastfeeding my 11 week old and at first it was really hard and I had mastitis. If you have to...talk to the doctor and see if you can use a nipple shield. They gave me one in the hospital because he was having problems latching and we used it for a couple weeks and I kept pumping to make sure I wouldnt lose my supply. I never had sore, cracked or bleeding nipples and I bought 2 huge things of lanolin I will never use....
The shield was a lifesaver for me because I never ever wanted to use formula. Breastfeeding is the best decision I ever made and it does get easier, just dont give up!
2007-05-18 04:14:50 · answer #7 · answered by MyOpinionMatters 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
YOU ARE DOING NOTHING WRONG.
This is normal...I was in excruciating pain for the first three weeks of breastfeeding...I would literally cry and dread every feeding...
The good news...it gets better.
It took a few weeks but with gobs and gobs of lanolin (which just barely took the edge off my pain...we finally got through it.
You've come this far mamma...come just a little further and the pain will stop and you will start to experience the JOYS of breastfeeding...
There were nights that I actually fixed a formula bottle for him and just couldn't bring myself to give that crap to my baby...It was miserable...but when it finally passed it was wonderful and it's been wonderful ever since...we're 7 months down the road now and I'm SOOOO GLAD that I stuck to it.
It really sucks in the beginning mamma...but you're a HERO for sticking through it and you'll be soooo happy you did later...when it doesn't hurt anymore ...and your baby is getting the best possible food for her.
All that worked for me was really packing on that lanolin after every single nurse and wearing a good supportive bra.
Good luck!!! And congratulations!! Keep up the great work!!! It will get better...I promise!
****BY the way...I'm also "large" ...and the only really successful and comfortable way we could nurse was with him lying on his side on the boppy...and when he outgrew that...we used the side lying position (still do)...it seems to work the best ...so that I don't bury his little face with boob...lol
2007-05-18 05:34:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Pretty much you gotta rough through it, i know its painful at times, heck I even got mastitous, which is a clogged milk duct, now that hurts!!!! It insanly hurts, and other than some antibiotics to break it up the best thing is to nurse as much as possible. But we got through it : )
Also if your nipples aren't like the kind that protrude outward, kinda like pencil erasers, you may have inverted nipples which is VERY common. All you need to do is request a "nipple shield" from your OB or pediatrician, they work wonders!
Oh and one last thing, if its anything other than the nipple thats sore, try to nurse a lot, cuz you really don't want a clogged breast duct, its very painful, to the point I had to bite my lip and pint myself not to yelp out.
Good Luck! Once you get that system down, breastfeeding is rlly just such a GREAT bonding experience!
2007-05-18 04:09:57 · answer #9 · answered by 4Real 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I admire your committment in spite of the pain! It will serve you well.
My daughter latched well from the get-go and gained weight so I knew she was doing it right. But the pain! It hurt for about 2 weeks. Then poof! The pain went away. Sure, sometimes I'd still get a little sore but not that excruciating, biting the lower lip kind of pain.
So, I think it will pass.
In the meantime, maybe call your local la leche or lactation consultant for other pain-relief ideas.
GOOD LUCK!
DN
2007-05-18 04:10:18 · answer #10 · answered by Dalice Nelson 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋