Breast Feeding & Sore Nipples- Advice?

td

Congratulations - it's the best thing we ever did.

I used the milk method mentioned above and made sure I massaged downwards as i fed my daughter to stop it building up.

2 other pieces of advice from me - check out https://www.babycentre.co.uk - loads of advice there but you must check out the chat boards -they have mums who have had babies in the same monthas you did discussing all the problems and solutions they are encountering. You can also look agea and see what's coming and how other people coped. It was a godsend to me. They also have a dads' board.

2nd piece of advice is tha eventually if yur wife decides to express get a plug in expresser - they are flippin' ace and much better than all the others though quite expensive. Got mine fro La leche I think.

Good luck.

td

bright_side

I hope you won't all jump on me for saying this..........
BUT, I think it's important to say that breast feeding doesnt suit everybody and nobody should feel guilty if they are unable to continue.

I tried desperately to breast feed both my children. However I encountered so many problems that in the end I had to stop. Apparently I had flat nipples :-[ I tried shields and even resorted to just expressing milk, but when I developed mastitis the second time I was so poorly I could barely move let alone feed my son.

Making the decision to stop was awful but looking back it was absolutely the right decision for me and my babies. They are 14 and 7 now and have hardly had a days illness in their lives! (touch wood )

incywincy

Hi, my first post here so apologies if i'm not allowed to recommend another website. Try http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk. I found it very useful for support with my breastfeeding my son and the million and one other questions i had as a new parent. Also congratulations!

goolieman

Congratulations on the birth of your wee bubba!
OOH your post brings back memories.
I (aswell as nearly everyone else who has replied) had the same problem, with both of mine.
My problem was compounded by having mastitis in both breasts and so double the pain coupled with having to feed more often as this was the best cure for the illness.
Perservence is the key, it WILL get better.
My Mum kept telling me that it wouldn't be the end of the world if I stopped feeding my son (2nd) etc... but I didn't want to hear that. I wanted to be told (as my DP did) that I had to keep going for my baby and that I was doing the best thing, that it would be alright and that I was fab for getting through it!
Tell her how great she is for perserving (as I bet you do already!)
I echo the Savoy cabbage leaves in the freezer, the air to the nipples was the best thing, get your wife to sleep topless if she can without too much leakage!
Also tell her to feed from the 'best' boob for a while and rest the other one by expressing (or in my case, just letting it flow....)
Your midwfe/HV should send a brestfeeding councillor to your house.
Good luck to you and your wife.
I wish you all the best.
Cx

julia817

Hello,

Just wanted to send my congratulations and a bit of advice. I was on the verge of giving up breast feeding after my nipples started to bleed - so I did combination of breast and bottle. Bottle for night feeds and breast in the day. A kind friend also bought me some avent nipple protectors which are very fine siliconeand you use them while feeding - without these I would have given up for sure.
The odd bottle wont hurt - and maybe just to rest your wifes body needs. _but if she can persevere try to. I used kamilosan cream and applied it religiously. This also helped.

HTH

Julia

Sarahsaver

How's things?
My breastfed daughter maintained the same weight during her first month, which was good because all babies lose some weight initially anyway. The growth charts worry you if you dont realise they are not for breastfed babies. I used to feed her 'underarm' with her at the side of me, feet towards my back, resting on a pillow or the arm of a big comfy sofa. Sometimes a change of position helps. Theres no such thing as 'giving up', everyone stops eventually, but you are doing a great job whatever you do. Kamillosan was good for me too, pity i only discovered it after the birth of number 3!If the breasts are so full they are hard, express some milk before a feed. You can freeze breast milk. If i had a rest during the day i used to sleep on the bed with babe next to me, then if they needed a feed i didnt even need to get up..
Good luck.

margaretclare

Hi

As a former midwife, can I applaud all the advice that's been given. The experience of others who've successfully done it, and also the support of a loving partner, are the best motivators. A lot of people who 'give up' are those who haven't anyone like that, or who have negative comments given to them often by those who should know better. My late first mother-in-law thought it was 'absolutely disgusting'!!

Kamillosan is good. But often, soreness comes in the early days when the position is not quite right - experience puts this right.

My elder daughter successfully breast-fed 3, and with the 3rd one, she used to just put her to the breast in the night-time and then fall back to sleep!! That 3rd child has now just started in 6th Form, the eldest one plays women's rugby, not much wrong there!!

Best wishes

Margaret

CurryKing_2

Update Number 2:

Nipples are perfect no cracks, no blood, no soreness - only hurts for a split second when baby Latches but she is feeding absoluteley fine now!!!!!

I really cannot thankyou guys enough for your advice.

Baby Asha was weighed by the midwife yesterday and she's put on 8 ounces in nine days!!!! Shes now 6lb 13 ounces!!!!!

Will post a pic soon.

Once again - thankyou thankyou and thankyou!!!!!

Neil, Dips and Baby Asha xxxxxx

mink35

Excellent news gadget freak.

Sending big hugs.

Mink

Zeldazog

Congratulations Gadget Freak

I was surprised to read about the growth curves, I never knew they applied to bottle fed babies.

My little man was born with a heart defect, but until that started to get the better of him, and he had his surgery, his growth rate was excellent.

I now realise just how good it really was, as he was solely breast fed for the first four months, apart from a little bit of baby rice a couple of weeks before the op to give him a bit of help.

Like many here, I struggled the first few days, nipples were agony, although luckily I never bled.

I tried a combination of breast milk and a Weleda cream, think it was Calendula. And as someone else suggested, if the breasts are full, express it bit off, it makes it easier.

If you haven't got a pump yet (I'd recommend Avent Isis), you can express by hand - I used to sit in a warm bath and express straight into the water - its excellent for your skin!

I managed to carry on breast feeding for about nine months, although after the op I had to supplement with bottle feeds as I simply couldn't keep up with his demand (once he could feed without out falling asleep half way through, he guzzled even more!) - it only started to tail off once I went back to work and was only doing a night feed.

I used to love the feeling, the closeness. It was a wonderful experience.

But like many say, it doesn't work for everyone, and no-one should feel bad if they can't or don't want to continue.

Breast may be best, but stressing new Mum's out does no good to baby or Mum.