Just had my baby and my nipples are killing me from breast feeding.?

Question

Milk hasnt come in yet i have colostrum is it ok to pump and store it for atleast a feeding so i can get A break????? Nips are dying!!!!

Answer 1

Yes you can store the colustrum.
Keep trying and consult a lactation consultant for hands on help.
All I can say is that you and your baby will get better at this, and the pain will end with more practice. Until then, please keep trying!

Answer 2

Pumping doesn't work so well for just colostrum and it's really important to have your baby sucking to get your milk to come in more quickly.

First, get some lansinoh. It is a must-have for breastfeeding and you can get it a Target or a drug store. After feeding the baby smear it liberally on the nipple area. It's all natural so you don't have to wipe it off before the next feeding. Your nipples are basically chapped and this stuff is like chap stick for breasts.

Second, try mother's milk tea to get your milk to come in faster. It's an herbal tea from traditional medicinals. Sometimes you can find it at your regular grocery store. If not, check a health food store. I steeped two tea bags in 8oz of water for 10-15 minutes and drank this twice a day after I had my second child and my milk came in about 48 hours after he was born. The nurses were amazed. This stuff is also handy if you ever find your supply slacking off later.

Last, if you're still having this much pain in a day or two, see a lactation consultant or someone from La Leche League. The baby might not be latching on properly or you may have an infection. They can help you work out the difficulties and make breastfeeding go more smoothly. As often as we hear that breastfeeding is natural, that doesn't mean it's intuitive. Sometimes we need a little help.

Answer 3

Hello:

Even though your milk hasn't come in yet the colostrum is VERY IMPORTANT for the baby because it has nutrients and it has antibodies in it too! The only way that you are going to get a really good milk supply is to breastfeed your baby alot! Don't go by the clock,go by when your baby acts hungry by rooting for the nipple,or the baby starts sucking on its fingers.

Breastfeeding shouldn't hurt and if it does hurt it sounds like the baby may not be latching on properly. You can always call the Le Leache League orginization to find a breastfeeding expert in your area,or you could call your hospital where you gave birth at and ask the nurses or even your own doctor on how to get ahold of a breastfeeding expert that can help you.

I personally wouldn't pump unless there are special medical circumstances going on with the baby because again the more you nurse the baby,the quicker your milk supply will come in. You will only produce as much milk as your baby is taking in so that is why it is imperative that you breastfeed your baby as often as possible. Did you know that you can get special creams that are safe to use on your nipples just ask your doctor or nurse and they can tell you what brand of nipple cream is the best that will help prevent cracked or sore nipples and which brand doesn't have to be washed off or could be harmful to the baby.

Usually when your milk starts coming in,you will feel a tingling sensation going down your breast but your nipples shouldn't hurt because that indicates that your baby isn't latching on properly! I wish you the best of luck and be sure to ask your doctor or nurse where to contact a breastfeeding expert in your area that can observe you feeding the baby,to see how they can make your breastfeeding sessions alot more comfortable and alot less painful! ;-)

Answer 4

I am a fair skinned redhead & I experienced sore nips with both of my daughters. My 2nd daughter was also very headstrong - she refused to nurse every 2-3 hours, preferring to go 5 hr stretches (& even slept all thru the nite from about 2 weeks on). It was murder on my boobs.

You've already gotten great advice. I second the frequent warm showers (massaging the breasts w/ soap; it'll help prevent clogged milk ducts). You may also want to start drinking a beer here and there - not a lot, just to relax you. I used the LaLeche League for both of my experiences. My 2nd was so bad that I called in a lactaction consultant. She put me on a silicone shield until I healed up - thank GOD. I would highly recommend the shield.

Good luck to you - the first 2-4 weeks are the toughest and then ... it's just wonderful. No messing with crappy formulas, no constipated baby, no lugging around a 40 lb diaper bag, a happy baby, a mother losing weight ... the benefits are endless & you'll be happy that you made it thru!

Answer 5

Hi. I am surprised that your breasts are already sore if you are still early enough along that your milk hasn't even come in yet. I am hoping that means that you are only a few days at most since baby was born. If baby was born more than 3 or 4 days ago, I would check with your doctor about why your milk is still not letting down. Sometimes being a new mom can tense us up so much that we can't relax enough to allow it to come in. I was like that. My doctor had me take very warm showers several times a day and spend several times a day just resting to get me into a relaxed mode so that my body would cooperate with my brain... or visa versa. You can also get infections from cracked nipples as well and they are definitely uncomfortable and sometimes you have to stop breast feeding due to the infection so please keep a good eye on things and check with your doctor. Sometimes cracked nipples happen because baby doesn't have a good connection and too much air is being allowed into their mouth so that they are smacking more than they should. That will make the breast more tender too so be sure that baby's mouth is good and fixed on the nipple when they are sucking. Sometimes it also helps if you stick a bit more breast into their mouth than just the nipple itself. That way it helps ease the impact on them just sucking on the nipple all by itself. After you breast feed each time, gently wash off your breast with warm water and avoid soaps. Pat dry, don't rub and be sure that the nursing bra you are wearing or the pad that you are useing to stop leaks definitely has a soft lining and the seams are not next to the nipple or it will just aggrivate your soreness more. You also need to purchase a nipple cream specifically for applying to the breast after breast feeding. You can find it in most baby sections of stores or in their pharmacy section. Some are better than others so I would ask your pharmacist or doctor which one is best for you. If you keep that on during the times you are not breast feeding you will find that it will make a good difference. Some of them are funny tasting to baby until they get used to it being on mom every time but they are made not to harm baby if they swallow it. Just very gently wipe the majoriety of it off before you breast feed them. I found that pumps actually make the breast ever sorer so I would definitely talk to your ob/gyn doctor about it. Also, be sure you are changing breasts each time you feed. Good luck and congratulation on your new addition.

Answer 6

Sounds like you are very fair complected, or the baby isn't latching on exactly right. BE SURE the baby's mouth is open wide before latching on, and that the baby gets lots of the areola (colored part around the nipple) into the mouth. If the discomfort doesn't go away after the first 15-20 seconds of nursing, the latch isn't correct. Sometimes the lips are tucked in, or the nipple isn't centered in the baby's mouth. Ask a lactation consultant for help with latching on.

First and foremost, if your nipples are cracked and bleeding, give them a break! Use lanolin cream or expressed breast milk to rub into the nipple to help it heal. Rest the nipple for a feeding or two, and pump instead. Cracked nipples can lead to mastitis, which sucks bad!! Make sure your breast pads stay dry. Wet pads can harbor bacteria and make things worse. Also, be sure not to use soap on your nipples, and let them air dry after a feeding.

Mine were cracked and bleeding for about the first week after I delivered, even with a really good latch. I'm a redhead, and that sensitive skin just didn't stand up to a hungry kid. But, with my first and my third, I stuck with it, and it got better! Breastfeeding was such an enjoyable time.

With my second, when my nipples cracked and bled, I then got mastitis. Symptoms: high fever, aches, very sore breast, milk looks like cottage cheese. It led to me giving up breastfeeding, which I regretted, but it just got too sore to continue. Please take care of yourself before this happens.

Call La Leche League or a lactation consultant....they are a wonderful resource! Best of luck to you....

Answer 7

You've gotten some good advice so far, I just wanted to cover a couple points.

First of all, call your lactation consultant, the call is free and they can help you.

Second, it will get better, you just have to stick with it.

Third, this is IT, this is parenting. Sometimes you don't get a break. It's time to do what's best for your baby and that is to feed her on demand. There are things you can do, like have your latch examined, but the truth is that it's time to realize that the game has changed. You need to be strong and determined to make it happen.

Most of all, you can do it! Your body is amazing, you were built for this.

Answer 8

I just had my baby monday and I having the same problem. I think my milk just came in today and I am not even sure about that (they are just engorged is why I think). I am at the point now they are so big that it feels better when he drinks my milk and drains them but it hurts still sometimes. It does not hurt as bad today as it did yesterday though. A tip that works for me is I use that lanolin cream that I put on a breast pad and wear it, it really soothes it and makes it not hurt. I also soak them in hot water while I am taking a bath.

Answer 9

Please don't stop.. I know it hurts really bad right now. But if you give your baby a bottle, chances are you won't go back to breastfeeding. In some ways it is easier to give them a bottle. My advice to you.. let your breasts air out, don't wear a bra, and make sure they are dry all the time, cept when nursing of course. :-). Also after your done nursing rub some of the colostrum, or milk onto the nipple and let them air dry.. try not to wear a bra, till they heal up.. and they will! not to worry. When mine were really sore I used tea bags on them.. I would make myself a cup of tea, and then after the tea had steaped I would but the teabag on my nipple.. it seemed to help. It might take a couple of weeks, but they will get better, and then it won't bother you at all anymore. I also used advil with my last baby.. I would take advil during the day just to help the pain.. it does work.
I know how much it hurts, but please try to stick it out.. you will soon enjoy this special bond you get to have with your little one.

Answer 10

You have to relax. I had to learn that one first hand. If you are tense the nipples will be tense. I tried the pump. NEVER AGAIN. Sorry for shouting. Right now I have triplets and my nipples are very sore. But the weird thing is it feels better when the babies are feeding

Answer 11

If your nipples are sore, something isn't right, most likely the way you are latching on your baby. Pumping is not going to help, and you need to keep nursing your baby directly to establish your milk supply. Pumps do not establish a supply, they sometimes help boost it, but usually that's only when a mother has nursed, and then continues right after with a pump. It's not recomended that mothers wishing to breastfeed use a pump for 4-6 weeks, until breastfeeding is fully established. Contact a lactation consultant at your hospital to learn how to latch your baby on, it shouldn't hurt. Good luck~

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