Nursing while pregnant with severe vasospams...help!

[crazykittymomma]

I'm 26 weeks pregnant and nursing my 27 month old DD (A LOT...ugh) and I'm having issues with severe vasospasms (nipple turns white while nursing, when it touches anything or when they're exposed to air). I never had them before getting pregnant. I know her latch sucks and we're working on that, but I'm not having any luck with fixing her latch at night and that's causing problems all day. My nipples are in horrible shape, when a vasospasm hits they go white/blue, pain all the way to my back, I have a line from her bad latch and raw skin as well. The only way to get the blood back and stop the pain (sort of) is to flick my nipple. :(
So, any solutions? My IBCLC just told me to wean her (not gonna happen). I'd love to hear from anyone who has dealt with this during pregnancy. I'm paranoid this is going to be hell when the baby is born and I'm trying to tandem.

[HappyMonkey]

No advice..... but I am dealing with this too. Mine don't hurt as much as yours. It's the worst when my nipples get cold! I am hoping when baby comes it gets better. I remember dealing with the same problem last pregnancy.

[CheriK]

Ouch!  Sounds miserable.  At least you know what's causing it - her bad nighttime latch.  Do you think it would be worth night weaning?

Some other things to consider - at least one study has shown that many moms w/ vasospasm test positive for staph aureus infection of the nipple.  If this is the case, treatment would likely help, but if the latch trauma continues then it will make reinfection likely.  Applying warmth to the nipples immediately after feeding might help - a warm damp washcloth, hair dryer set on low, rice sock, heating pad. . . whatever's easiest in bed at night!  Taking a calcium/magnesium supplement (1000mg calcium/500mg magnesium) is also helpful for some mothers, and I would think safe while pg - check w/ your midwife.  There are also prescription and herbal remedies for vasospasm, but I think not safe during pg.  But these would become possibilities once baby is born, so if it doesn't improve once those pregnancy hormones are gone, there are things you can do!  Fixing the latch or avoiding nursing positions that lead to trauma is your best bet for now, though.