Anyone still have sore nipples from nursing? « Back to Group Discussions

[jill the pill]

I've met with a lactation consultant twice and I just can't seem to remedy the situation.  She thinks it is the baby and not me.  She said I was doing everything right and Audrey was using her tongue incorrectly.  Does anyone else have this problem?   I've come close to quitting but I nursed my other daughter for 17 months and I really want this to work.  Any advice or tips?

[IwannaBanRN]

I don't have any advice. Only that I hope it can get resolved soon, so you can have a healthy nursing relationship. I was thoroughly shocked that my nipples weren't in the least bit sore this time. With my first two, it was EXCRUCIATING! But it didn't hurt, except when I was engorged the day my milk came in.

[Jaimee]

I'm sorry you're having trouble with nursing, Jill!  I will say that I did still get sore for the first week or so with my second.  It wasn't the toe curling pain I had with my first (inverted nipple issue), but still not comfortable.  I also had engorgement issues with my second, which compounded things a bit.  I'm glad you saw an LC, but it doesn't sound like it was very helpful.  Is there someone else you could contact for a second opinion?   Not all LC's are equally helpful!  Maybe she has a tight frenulum?

Otherwise, I would suggest trying out a variety of nursing positions to see if it forces her to latch and suck differently.  And definitely before giving up entirely, I would go for the nipple shield.  Yes, a pain, but if she figures things out and your nipples can get a break, then the nursing relationship could be salvaged.  Good luck!!  ((HUGS)) mama!

[Abraisme]

While it sucks to be in pain, it is within a normal range for this to happen.  I know that LC's will tell you that if it hurts, you're doing it wrong, but from my experience (and all the people who I've known), sometime it just hurts!!  It WILL heal and it will get better. 

I had extreme pain with #1 and it turned out that he was very tongue-tied.  Once we got that resolved it took another 4 weeks of very painful breastfeeding before my nipples healed, but I did heal!  It's short term pain for long term benefit.  You can do it!

[mamabelle]

YES! Not as bad as with #1, but I'm still going through some soreness as we work on issues. Her latch is fine at times, but she kind of spits the nipple out and pulls it back in at times and that does not seem to do my nipples any good! They come out misshapen (not all feedings) and are developing a small callus on each . I am trying to be diligent about getting it right every time... this is exhausting. She is also a very sleepy baby so I actually have to wake her to feed (which is the opposite of DS) and struggle to keep her awake to get a good feeding in.

Now that my milk is in, I notice that she seems to struggle with the flow of milk. Once she starts gulping, She either spits out the nipple or stops sucking, like it's too much? I am having to really coerce her to keep drinking, has anyone else experienced this?

[jill the pill]

Originally Posted by mamabelle 

YES! Not as bad as with #1, but I'm still going through some soreness as we work on issues. Her latch is fine at times, but she kind of spits the nipple out and pulls it back in at times and that does not seem to do my nipples any good! They come out misshapen (not all feedings) and are developing a small callus on each . I am trying to be diligent about getting it right every time... this is exhausting. She is also a very sleepy baby so I actually have to wake her to feed (which is the opposite of DS) and struggle to keep her awake to get a good feeding in.

Now that my milk is in, I notice that she seems to struggle with the flow of milk. Once she starts gulping, She either spits out the nipple or stops sucking, like it's too much? I am having to really coerce her to keep drinking, has anyone else experienced this?

That is what I am experiencing too...I think my milk lets down so fast and furious she is clamping my nipple to slow down the flow.  My nipples come out misshapen everytime.  I feel your pain.

[xakana]

Yes, worse than either of my other two. Stopping is not an option for me, so I'm just working on fixing her latch (my baby has a very shallow latch, doesn't like to open wide at night, which is what's really killing me and I don't think she's extending her tongue properly, either). I'm just not sure what to do except wait for time to make her mouth bigger. She has been getting better, bit by bit, but nights are still pretty bad.

[augustmom]

Yes, I do! I'm using EMBA nipple cream w/calendula. It seems to work sometimes, and other times, not so much. Quitting is not an option, so I'm hoping time will heal and Sean's mouth will open wider. We'll seel

[Abraisme]

It will heal mamas, I promise!!  Pain is just such a normal part of breastfeeding, I wish that people wouldn't say that it's abnormal.    Keep up the good work, it's SO worth it in the end. 

My favorite breastfeeding aid is SOOTHIES gel pads.  There are several brands of them now, which all work, and boy do they help!  I really like them because you don't have to wipe off slimy cream in between each nursing session and you can keep the in the fridge for cooling relief.  Yes, they are $$, but still my favorite recommendation.    (I hate creams!!)
 

[Motivated Mama]

I second the soothies for relief. Also, have you tried the tub? DD3 and I took a bath together tonight and nursed and my oh-so-sore nipples felt really good in there. Although, my milk just came in so that might have something to do with it. One other thing that I find helps me is the football hold for seeing what is going on in terms of latch.

[jill the pill]

Originally Posted by xakana 

Yes, worse than either of my other two. Stopping is not an option for me, so I'm just working on fixing her latch (my baby has a very shallow latch, doesn't like to open wide at night, which is what's really killing me and I don't think she's extending her tongue properly, either). I'm just not sure what to do except wait for time to make her mouth bigger. She has been getting better, bit by bit, but nights are still pretty bad.

Sounds like the same thing I'm going through.  I'm glad I'm not alone!  I'm not a quitter either and I guess we'll just have to wait it out. 

[jbk21]

SO sore here, too!  We remedied the clicking/tongue issue but he is still very tense and chomps too much.  All the biting is keeping me sore but my nipples are totally intact and not misshapen.  I think the chiro and some cranial-sacral will do wonders for him.  Now that the milk is in I think it is helping, too.  FX we all feel better soon.....

[Code Name Mama]

YES!!!! One handed painful NAK, so I'll leave it at that.

[seraf]

Mine hurt for about a week after my milk came in. He was tongue tied, which was fixed on day 2.

The to tongue not working right sounds like trouble, but I can tell you what worked for us. 

One nipple cracked. I didn't have pain with the first 2, so I was surprised. I read a lot about improving his latch and it helped to nurse in the football hold so I could get him latched on deeper and keep him off the crack. I also read that it helps to nurse on the less painful side first so the baby would be less hungry and more gentle. That seemed to help, too. 

Finally, I know EC isn't for everyone, but 2 of my 3 kids couldn't nurse properly when they had to potty. This guy still can't nurse if he needs to go.  When he pops on and off the breast, I take him potty real quick and he can latch on right and nurse again. 

[Code Name Mama]

I just noticed that one of my nipples is cracked and has bled. Crap. But when Ailia gets done nursing, my nipples look pretty good - pretty much like erasers. But she does have a pretty loud click sometimes (who was posting about that in another thread??), and a VERY strong latch - I think she's just sucking like a Hoover.

[jbk21]

Originally Posted by Code Name Mama 

I just noticed that one of my nipples is cracked and has bled. Crap. But when Ailia gets done nursing, my nipples look pretty good - pretty much like erasers. But she does have a pretty loud click sometimes (who was posting about that in another thread??), and a VERY strong latch - I think she's just sucking like a Hoover.

Mine was a clicker.  I massage his temples and it seems to relax him enough to stop the clicking, btu he still has a VERY strong suck and is clamping down on my nipple with each suck.  Yowza.
 

[MrsKatie]

Baby Katie is a lazy night-latcher... and I am loathe to admit that I, too, am quite lazy about remedying the situation.  If it "just hurts a little" while we're doing some side-lying nursing, I'm kinda like "eh, f it" cause I'm so sleepy!  Fortunately we're both getting much better about it... Baby K is a bit of a smacker/clicker at times, too, and she LOVES to fall asleep at the breast but maintain a death grip on my poor nipple.  So prying her off while she's snoozing can still be pretty painful (even though I do it the "right" way every time!).

My nipples are worlds better than they were a couple weeks ago, though, when they were cracked and bleeding and I got that hot-knife stabbing pain every time.  At this point, nursing is painless during the day, and our issues arise at night... but are getting better.  I imagine that, at this rate, by a month PP (tops) all issues will be resolved.

[Code Name Mama]

Originally Posted by jbk21 

Mine was a clicker.  I massage his temples and it seems to relax him enough to stop the clicking, btu he still has a VERY strong suck and is clamping down on my nipple with each suck.  Yowza.

 

TY! I will try the temple massage!

[xakana]

All my babies click--for me, it's because my nipples are flat, so just to fit in there, they're being pulled to what's basically their extent to start. However, the key for me is that the clicking doesn't hurt. If it was painful, it would be a problem, but based on my previous two nurslings, I know it's just normal until their mouths get bigger.

I can't tell if Kat is biting down. It FEELS like she is, sometimes, but I wonder if that's just the tiny mouth thing again.