OT: ? for all the nursing moms out there

[NemoMOm]

I find that after 1-2 mos it goes away. I nursed DS until 2.9 yrs and when I had DS 6 mos ago it hurt again. By the time the become exp. nursers it stops

 

[bkreitzel]

is there any chance it might be thrush? w/ my first I got thrush nipples (omigosh, it was like DD was grinding glass into me when she nursed. ouch) but SHE never ever got any symptoms, just me.
w/ my second there was some soreness...we introduced a binkie when we realized she was nursing a lot more often than needed just for the sucking - and that helped to give her that to soothe her instead of constantly nursing.
congrats on the new baby.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Cannot agree more with some of the posters!!! Run, don't walk, to buy Lansinoh!!

Andrea

 

[disneynut14]

I can't say enough about SOOTHIES!!!!! They are the best I nursed my DD until she was 13 months old and am currently nursing my son who is 6 months old. He was also 2 months premature so I had to exclusively pump with a hospital grade pump for 3 months. I bled with the pump and soothies were a savior. By the time DS decided to nurse it was like starting all over again. Once again SOOTHIES were my savior.

There are other less expensive brands out there. Don't let them fool you. SOOTHIES are by far the best. You can get them at CVS in the breastfeeding section.

Good luck and keep going. It does get easier and the pain will go away.

 

[homemaker]

Thanks for all the great remedies, ideas and the encouragement! I ran out last night and got a pack of soothies. I also got the phone numbers of a couple of local lactation consultants. Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Ducky4Disney]

Good for you! Stick with it, it will get better!

Make sure you have a good latch.
Try different positions.
Let your nipples air out before covering! (very important).
Use Lansinoh if it helps - check before using other products to be sure the baby can have them - I used to rub breastmilk on my nipples and let it dry, never needed lansinoh.
Be on the lookout for thrush - shiny pink/red nipples, burning sensation even after breastfeeding, white splotches in baby's mouth. I used gentian violet to cure it - found it in the drug store, it's been used for years and works great!

Overall, stick with it, ask questions, stick with it, and get help if you need it!

D4D

 

[dzorn]

The smoothies work great. Make use you are breaking the suction by slipping in you finger when you are done. I know it seems like common sense, but it can contribute to the problem. Try Different position and rotate them frequently. Going topless does help. Go see a lactation consultant if before you feel like giving up. It is well worth it to stick to it. The health benefits are wonderful for you and the baby. Good Luck.

Denise in MI

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

The gel pads that you can put in the refrigerator were wonderful! You can also warm them in the microwave if you even, heaven forbid, have any engorgement or blocked ducts. They are from Gerber and available at Target. Good luck!

 

[Miss LD]

I had a hard time with DS and it's been a lot better with DD.
A huge part of it was that I decided breastfeeding wasn't the be all and end all, just something I was going to try.
I think because I was so relaxed about it wasn't nearly as difficult. With DS I used to tense up as soon as he was about to nurse because it HURT and then the latch would get screwed up.
And, I totally agree with the Lansinoh advocates. That stuff is amazing!!!
Congrats.

 

[mccathy]

I love the Soothies as well!

AND it does get so much easier. I remember w/ my first I started saying, "only for 6 weeks" then 6 weeks came and I was like, "well, now 'til he's 6 months." We ended up nursing 'til he stopped at 11 month. My second one stopped just after his first birthday.

As for the biting - each bit me once - and I yelled NO! and took 'em off the ****. Never bit again. =)

 

[dfamily]

I am nursing my 4th and she is 7 weeks old. I told the lactation consultant @ the hospital I didn't remember the pain being that intense - and it got worse! She gave me a trial pair of the gel pads (never used those before) and they were wonderful. She also told me about a nipple ointment that requires a prescription and is a compound (from Dr. Jack Newman's book The Ultimate Book of BF Answers). I used it for the first two weeks and it helped tremendously. One other thing, avoid bras with wires! They can be too tight and you could end up with mastitis (think HORRIBLE FLU!) Good luck - it does get better.

 

[KandiB47]

Congrats on your decision to breastfeed!

I just wanted to add that breastfeeding was the hardest and most painful for me at the three week point (right where you are). I almost gave up but I saw a lactation consultant and found out that I wasn't holding DS correctly or having him latch correctly. I had been doing that for three weeks so I did have open sores and developed an infection from that. The lactation consultant also recommended that I see a physician who specialized in lactation.

I started taking antibiotics and worked with DS to latch properly. I also started asking questions on kellymom.com, which is an excellent resource. Things went slowly uphill and I ended up nursing DS until he was almost 2 years old.

The number one advice I have is this: Don't try to breastfeed alone. There are a lot of wonderful resources in the community and on the internet to help you. I felt like I was the only nursing mom around until I started reaching out to find others in my boat.

 

[Anonomom]

What kind of pain are you in? Is it just your nipples, or are your breasts themselves sore? If it's your nipples, then the suggestions posted above should help a lot.

If it's your actual breasts, you may need some trial and error. With my daughter, I had vasospasms, where the veins in my breasts would constrict and cause pain. The lactation consultant gave me soothies and they made me scream in pain because cold exacerbates the problem. What really helped was a rice sock -- fill a clean cotton sock with rice, then heat it in the microwave until it's warm (not too hot). It's soothing and molds well to your breast.

Good luck!

 

[ChrisandDon'sMommy]

Can't add anything since you've received such great advice. I'm glad you are breastfeeding. Keep it up! It's hard in the beginning, but it's so worth it in the long-run. I am still nursing my 12-month old. It's a bonding experience that we both cherish.

 

[Jakesmom504]

Sorry I haven't read through all of these and to be honest I was really lucky with DS. He caught on right away and I didn't have much soreness at all. In fact I had planned to try breastfeeding but wasn't one of those "this has to work" people so I never registered for any pumps etc.. Since it was so easy for me I stuck with it for the whole first year! I do remember having to break suction at times and make him relatch because it hurt too much. I tried out a bunch of different breast pads and when I found ones I loved I stuck with them. If you leak a lot and you don't have good pads that keep you dry, your skin will suffer. Other than a very unpleasant experience with mastitis (wow that was painful!) I really had an overall very good experience with breastfeeding. I am so glad I tried and stuck with it as long as I did and would do it again in a heartbeat! This sounds a little dorky I guess but it was nice to be able to share something with my son that no one else could. Good Luck with it, stick with it and trust me, it will get better!