Breastfeeding Question - Iowa City, IA

Congratulations on the new baby! I know cabbage is used for engorgment, but not for sore nipples. I just had my 2nd son 3 1/2 months ago, and my nipples were VERY sore. One of the nurses suggested I have my Dr get me a perscription for nipple cream instead of the over the counter cream, it's called Quad Nipple Cream. It worked great!!! I was ready to give up breastfeeding from just how bad they hurt everytime he'd latch on. As for latching on better, I still try to make sure his nose/cheek is against my breast, they say that is a good way to make sure they are latched on all the way.

Best of luck & hope it gets better soon!
M.

A.,

I have a really high pain tolerance so when it came to breast feeding I could put up with a lot. When I had my 2nd child everything was going good and then my nipples got really sore and red and I screamed everytime she would latch on. I called my OB and it turned out I had a yeast infection in my breast do to lack of sleep and energy. She gave me a perscription and it was fine in a matter of days. I dont know if that has anything to do with your case but it is a thought. Good luck!

M.

I had that problem with my boys. With my first, my nipples were literally blue. I thought that it was supposed to feel that way and I endured the pain for months. By the time I had my third and started having the same problem I was told that it was because he was "tongue thrusting". It felt like he was chewing on my nipples. I was told to help him practice latching on with my pinky (to spare me some pain). I was told also to cram my nipple as far back as possible in his mouth, so that he would have to latch on properly. Good luck and hang in there.

When I was nursing my daughter I had the same thing. She had a strong suck just had trouble latching on. My nipples were very sore. The lactation consultant that I went to had me use a nipple shield, which is made for mothers with inverted nipples and/or sore nipples. It is made of silicone and goes over the nipple. It does the latching on for the baby and she did great. After a couple of weeks I started to take her off the nipple shield, which I would start the nursing with the shield and a couple minutes I would take the shield off and finish the session on that side. I would do the same when I switched sides. I eventually got her off and she did great, and my nipples healed too. I would recommend the shield, it was a gift from heaven when I was so frustrated. Hope this helps!

When I had my second son I had a really difficult time with the pain and I went to see a lactation consultant and she gave me soothies which were great and also had me use black tea bags ... soak them in warm water for just a few minutes and then put one on each nipple for about 10 min and follow with the lanonin creme and the soothies... helped a lot. Best wishes for a speedy recovery it is the worst. I would check out the La Leched League for support and many hospitals have a lacation consultant you can meet with and they are a great resource as well.

Take care!

A.,

I had the same issue with my first and was told my the lactation person to try a nipple sheid-= you can get them at Babies R US- It saved me and made it bearable to nurse.

best of luck!

Cabbage leaves work for engorgement. If you have a sulfa allergy steer clear of them. I found that madella makes a nipple shield which works well to allow the nipple to heal. In between uses you should let the nipple air dry and apply lanolin cream. This allows the tissue to heal and the shield for nursing allows the shield to buffer the nipple. They are available at Target.
Good luck!

Mine did the same thing to me. The latch looked fine but wasn't. She needed "suck therapy". We went to a lactation consultant, when she was only 5 or 6 days old, who was really excellent and didn't give up trying to figure out the problem even after she saw what looked like a good latch.

My baby's tongue did not "trough" (curve, or cup) the way it was supposed to. Instead, it humped up forward and squished the nipple and just about killed me with pain. The therapy involved us putting a (clean!) fingertip into her mouth and pushing her tongue down and into the right position. We did it in a curving, repetitive motion. We'd hold her tongue in the right position a few seconds and then repeat the process. When she nursed I had to uncurl her legs and hold her incredibly tightly, close to my body. -So tight that my arm would get quite tired! Then I worked hard to get her to open her mouth WIDE, not just pretty wide, REALLY wide. Then I had my husband or mom (who was with us the first week and a half) help pull her little lower lip out and hold her jaw open. It was quite an ordeal but really only took a week of really hard trying and then a few more weeks of effort, but less so. She ended up being a champion nurser and nursed for 15 months.

Good luck!

Hello

Cabbage leaves are for engorgement - no help to nipple. If you are treating for engorgement - the washed leaves go around the breast but NOT on the nipples.

I would think bruising would be latch involved. It might help to vary the position when you latch on. Try football hold or laying down in order to vary the area on the breast baby's jaws will compress. Get back to basics - is baby's mouth wide open, do you pull him in close, can you "pinch up" areola to maximize amount of areola in mouth, keep baby close to you and with baby's body aligned straight - not turning head to side, is lower lip flanged out, try feeling baby suck on the underside of your ring finger - is tongue in proper placement that is over lower jaw and bottom lip flanged out. Call a lactation consultant - should be IBCLC after their name - and don't give up - this can be fixed. Also - sometimes the little piece of skin under the tongue - the frenulum is too tight and needs a tiny snip so baby can put tongue out enough to latch well.

N.

Hi A.,
I suffered the same scenario with my oldest son and with the help of a lactation consultant I figured out his latch was too small. What I learned to do to encourage him to open his mouth wider was to gently rub my nipple on his lower lip at nursing time, and when he opened his mouth I SHOVED my breast in. It's funny weilding a breast like a water baloon or something, but it was really important to get my whole nipple in his whole mouth. The most important thing is that they cover the entire areola. So if you see any of your aereola, just unlatch your baby and try again. You will feel the difference! And you both can solve this, i promise. As for sore nipples, lanolin is wonderful as well as herbal salves and a bra that does't rub them. Good luck!
S. C.

Youch! I know how this can hurt! With both of mine, I used to physically pull down their chin to open their mouths as wide as possible and then move my body to shove my nipple/areola in their mouth as far as possible before they had a chance to close it any more.

There are some great La Leche League leaders in the area, too, and there are at least four different meeting locations and times, too. Check out the local website at http://www.lllusa.org/web/KalamazooMI.html. You can also send me a private response with your email (though I'm not sure how this works) and I can email you the local meeting schedule.

Wow! Seven kids! God Bless you!!

I've never tried the cabbage, but I did use Lansinoh which really helped with soreness. As for the bruising, I had problems when my daughter would slowly slip down to the nipple as she was feeding. She tended to go from being on her side to ending on her back at the end of the feeding. I was told by my lactation consultant to make sure I was holding her very close to me during the entire feeding (and that she had a really good latch) and make sure she was staying in the same position. Within 24 hrs there was a HUGE difference with the brusing, blisters and soreness. I don't know if this is your baby's problem, but it seemed to help me.

Good luck!

Call your local La Leche League

The Medela nipple shield is what I used also. If you haven't used them before, it basically puts a thin silicone bottle-style nipple over your own natural nipple. Baby sucks on this and it pulls your nipple into it, allowing an easier feeding for you both. MUCH more comfortable! You can get them just about anywhere. I found mine at Target.

As far as the pain, I received some gel type soothing packs for the breast for my baby shower. I never used them, so I'm not sure how well they work - not sure if you make them cold or warm, but they were made for this purpose and looked like they would fit under your bra so you go about whatever you are doing. It might be worth a shot to give you some relief. I also saw them at Target with the other breastfeeding supplies. And of course, the lanolin, but that won't help the bruising or tenderness. Good luck to you. I've been there...

I am currently wearing cabbage around in my bra because my 17 month old is weaning herself. It works for swelling mostly (make sure its green). For me, I had problems when my daughter first starting nursing and what helped was SOOTHIES! which i think someone mentioned. Also, I would pump a little before nursing so that my breast wasnt so full and she could latch easier. Those things combined eased the pain in one day. Also, Gerber does make a Soothie wanna be but they dont work as well.

Hello A.,

i didn't have the great fortune of being able to nurse my son, (because of health reasons). So any nursing advice i offer is guesswork but i hope it helps all the same.

Have you tried pumping and offering a bottle to your new little one? Would a pump hurt less? Maybe even for just half of the time. You could still offer your newborn the vital nutrition from your breast milk while saving yourself from unneccessary tourchure. If you nurse for the bonding, i know from experience, there are many other wonderful ways of bonding with your newborn (my son and i have a powerfully magnificent bond acquired from other methods than nursing).

Just an idea. The “latch on” sounds so painful. Good luck.

I used these great little things called soothies. The only place I could find them was Walgreen's. They are a small round pad with a gel coating on one side. You can reuse them for several days, and they feel great coming out of the fridge. You just place them with the gel side on your nipple and then they can be wiped with a damp cloth for cleaning. They worked really well. I think that gerber may make a similar product now. Also , if your nipples get cracked or raw ask your doc for All Purpose Nipple Ointment. It's a bactroban, betamethasone, nystatin mix that works absolute wonders, but you have to have a script for it.

Hi A. - It isn't a yeast infection, is it? I had that with my second child. It is thrush in the baby's mouth, and it gets on your breasts when you feed them. It makes the skin red and sensitive and it HURTS like crazy. I thought it was just getting used to nursing again, but when my mom saw me flinching when the baby started to feed, she convinced me to ask the doctor about it. We had to treat both of us (my breasts, her mouth) everytime she ate - a total pain in the butt when you have a newborn eating ALL the time, but it will work. Maybe you already know about it, being such a veteran mama :), but thought I would throw it out there. Good luck!

Hi A.,
I have heard of using cabbage for engorgement, but I am not sure about sore nipples. I guess I would see a lactation consultant. I know it is your 7th, and I have only had one so far, so I feel weird trying to give you advice:) But I had to see one the first week after my son was born and it took her about a minute to see what we were doing wrong. I hope you feel better!

A.-
I don't know if you breastfed your other children. I was always told it shouldn't hurt. I had very sore nipples the first 4 months & by 6 months it was just about gone. I was still nursing my daughter after my son was born & even though I was they still got sore from him nursing for the first couple of months. I think some women are just more prone to it than others. The lanisoh cream helped a little, but mostly it was just time.
Brekka

I agree with the pp'ers about the nipple shield. GET one, it will be a lifesafer.

As far as the cabbage leaves go, that will DRY up your milk. Women use that to STOP nursing!

I agree that nipple shields helped a lot. Medela makes shells that you can wear over nipples to prevent rubbing from your clothes.

I had the same problem when I nursed. I saw a lactation specialist who had me try a nipple shield, made my Medela. She had told me eventually I'd be able to do without it, but I ended up using it the whole time I nursed. It was a huge help. The lansinoh cream & soothies were a huge help too.

Try using a nipple Sheild. This saved my breastfeeding experience from turning into formula. You can get them at target. It is a silicone sheild that fits over your nipple and really helps protect you from the strength of the baby's nursing. Hope you can get one soon. They are not that expensive... maybe 5.00 or so. Hope this helps you out.
A.

I did the cabbage thing with my twins- it really helped!

Just put a cabbage leaf inside your bra for a little while and it takes the heat off the whole breast, and helps with the pain if there is any mastitis starting. There is also pure lanolin you can use on the nipple if it is cracked. If you are afraid any infection/mastitis might be coming on, also try garlic pills as they have antibiotic properties.

I would also check with a lactation specialist about how your baby is latching on- he might not be latching on properly and they will be able to watch the baby nurse and see how he is latching on..

A.,
I had very sore nipples when I was nursing. I found that my son was not latching on correctly. I found support through 2 different places and I also took my son to a DO - Dr. Laura Tinning (Metro) for cranial sacral work. He had a difficult delivery resulting in a muscle imbalance in his jaw. With the support all 3 places I was able to successfully nurse for 10 months (painfree ~8 1/2 months). My son weaned himself. I was so happy that I stuck with it - it will get better if you get help sooner than later. Both my son and I found that time so special.

I went to a breastfeeding support group through Spectrum Health (right downtown across from GVSU on the hill). It is free and just a great service to the community. I think they still meet on Thursdays 12-2. You may want to call to confirm. There are 2 lactation consultants that lead the group and they are wonderful. They are so kind and patient and will spend time with you after the class if needed to watch how the baby is latching on. They offer a lot of advice and support. It is also a great way to meet other moms in the area that are at home and nursing.

Healthier Communities
Address:
320 Michigan St. NE
Grand Rapids MI 49503

Contact Information:
###-###-####

Hours Of Operation:
Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Another place that I went for support and consultation was Baby Beloved in Grand Rapids near Breton Village Mall. I had to pay for their services, but they were very helpful as well. They offer a slightly different service than Spectrum does. They also have a free support group that meets in the mornings. I am not sure what day or time they meet. The two lactation consultants that run the store are great. They are very knowledgable and have a lot of resources to help you.

http://www.babybelovedinc.com/
###-###-####

I hope this helps!

I had the same problem with my son, who was my first. Because he was my first, I just assumed I was doing something wrong. If this is your 7th child, I'd imagine you know what to do by now! I watched my sister for years who could breastfeed while walking around the house, doing chores, etc, so I assumed that I would be able to do the same. I discovered that because my son's suck was so strong (he gave me a BIG hickey on my arm once!) I couldn't do anything but hold him directly in front of me on my lap, while I sat in a chair with him laying on a pillow (preferably my Boppy). It helped me to take a good grasp of my breast and make sure his mouth was open wide before I put it near him. Then, I quickly put my breast into his mouth before he could have a chance to start sucking (easier said than done, I know!). It would make things worse if he sucked my nipple into his mouth rather than me putting it in his mouth. Does that make sense? If you have 100% lanolin, that was a help, I put that on after every feeding and I did my best to make sure my nipples were dry. I heard that cabbage leaves taken from the fridge and put in your bra help to relieve gorging. I hope that helps a little. I know what it feels like to try and nurse even though your nipples are bruised, cracked, and even bleeding. It really HURTS! Good luck, and God bless!

Rachel O

I was told that regular tea bags can help. Heat them in hot water and then let them cool. Place them directly on your nipples for some relief. Good luck.
K.

Have you been to see a lactation consultant? I would highly recommend it. Even though you are a pro at this, maybe your baby is doing it wrong or differently. Having an objective observer who knows what she is looking for would really help.

My third was like this for quite awhile. We called her our little Super Sucker. I guess make sure his lips are flared out...that was the only thing I can think of that would cause a bruised feeling other than being a super sucker...It did get easier around 2months old...Hang in there.

Instead of cabbage, I would try soothies. These are little gel pads that you can buy at any CVS or Walgreens and stick in the fridge for a cooling effect. My lactation consultant said they were developed for wound healing, and they're surprisingly effective for sore nipples. I had similar issues with my baby a few months ago. I think that if a baby latches oddly just once or twice, your nipples can bruise, and then even a good latch can hurt until the nipples heal.

Good luck! You sound like you have your hands full!

My son and I both had thrush (yeast infection in his mouth/on my breast) when I began breastfeeding...cracked, bleeding, bruised and so painful I wanted to scream every time he latched. I used 100% pure medical-grade lanolin but I was past that point already and it still hurt. Until the prescription kicked in, I had to send my husband out to get me a nipple shield, a little clear rubber cover for your nipple that allows for normal breastfeeding, it just provides a barrier to help your skin heal. AMAZING little thing. When my daughter was born I used it right away for a few weeks to get my breast used to all the action again and then took it off. For a few bucks I would invest in this. Hope this helps!

Hi A.,

I don't know if I would try the cabbage thing, my friend Bev used cabbage to dry up her milk and it worked for that purpose. So uless you don't want to breastfeed any longer I'd stay away from this leafy veg.

Sorry I don't have any good advice on getting rid of the soreness, I like many before me toughed it out.

S.