cracked nipple woes

[pbjmom1029]

I have my first cracked nipple - cracked to the point it hurts and is bleeding

my ds is 10 months and he nurses 3-4 x a day and I pump during the day 1-2x (he is in childcare 7hrs a day) - the pumping is just making it hurt/crack worse but I obviously can't stop doing it or baby won't have milk during the time he is in ccare

I tried Lansinoh (sp?) but ds appeared to have a reaction to it - it is sticky enough that when I tried washing it off before letting him bf I couldn't get it off easily (I shopped using it once I saw he had a reaction (ezcema flare up, rash near lips, congestion) .

I bf my older dd's till they were toddlers but never had this problem so I am not sure what else helps heal a crack like this one - I think the crack started because ds is teething and has been biting/gnawing a bit - we co-sleep once he wakes in the early morning (4ish) and one morning last week he was nursing while half asleep/awake and gnawed a bit on that nipple (OUCH!) that morning in the shower it was red and hurt, the next day I saw the crack starting .........

any advice from btdt moms?

[yasinsmama]

Salt water soaks, quick! I promise, it works. My nipples were cracked/bleeding in the beginning. My LC told me to do this, and I started noticing a difference after 1 whole day of soaks.
Mix 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup warm water. Soak nipples for 5-10 minutes after feedings. You can use a shot glass, or something of that size. I have some tiny tupperware bowls, 1/2 cup size. I filled them each, bent over to put my nipples in the bowls, then leaned back on the couch so I could be comfortable. My left nipple had been sore, so i'm going to soak for 1 day again.
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...lehealing.html (this article says soak 1-2 minutes, but I started with 10 minutes, then I did it for 5 minutes every time).

That Lansinoh is yucky. Medela makes a really thin one, but if he is reacting to it I wouldn't use that one either.
If you hav a whole foods, they have earth mama nipple cream (atleast mine does) that has natural stuff in it that your LO probably will not have a problem with.

Good luck. Sore/cracked nipples are the worst!

[randomacts]

The lanisoah didn't work as well as good old BM did. I just squeezed a bit out after he was done and let it dry on there. The crack was healed in no time, and remember, NO SOAP on the nips!!

HTH and you feel better soon!

[pumpkinseed]

Originally Posted by yaseensmommy

Salt water soaks, quick! I promise, it works. My nipples were cracked/bleeding in the beginning. My LC told me to do this, and I started noticing a difference after 1 whole day of soaks.
Mix 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup warm water. Soak nipples for 5-10 minutes after feedings. You can use a shot glass, or something of that size. I have some tiny tupperware bowls, 1/2 cup size. I filled them each, bent over to put my nipples in the bowls, then leaned back on the couch so I could be comfortable. My left nipple had been sore, so i'm going to soak for 1 day again.
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...lehealing.html (this article says soak 1-2 minutes, but I started with 10 minutes, then I did it for 5 minutes every time).

That Lansinoh is yucky. Medela makes a really thin one, but if he is reacting to it I wouldn't use that one either.
If you hav a whole foods, they have earth mama nipple cream (atleast mine does) that has natural stuff in it that your LO probably will not have a problem with.

Good luck. Sore/cracked nipples are the worst!

The salt soak works wonders-I only did it for 1-2 minutes and it still worked really well. Hope you are feeling better!

[LittleGriff]

yeah, i hate lansinoh too. was so happy when I found soothies, or variations thereon. fixed me right up.

http://soothies.com/gelpads.html
http://www.amazon.com/Ameda-Gel-Pads/dp/B000HKVW5A

[Lurea]

sore nipples

The only remedy that worked for me was Jack Newmans Nipple Cream-your pharmacist has to compund it but your midwife/dr should know about it. If not, print from his website the ingredients. Part of my nipple actually fell off and I was in chronic pain while fedding (and after) for more than two straight months. Also found that I had low supply which will also cause pain. And of course, Ibuprofen is great! I still have nipple pain but not near the horror of those two months. and my nipple finally grew back last month. Good luck

[amberskyfire]

Lanolin didn't work for me. My midwife brought me a tiny tube of Weleda Calendula cream. It doesn't say anywhere on it that it's for nipples, but it works
GREAT! It acted as a mild painkiller and was very soothing. Also, if I put a lot on, it kept my nipples moist, so the cracks didn't dry out, that way it wasn't a painful scab the next time I went to nurse on that side. Calendula cream is also great for speeding up healing. I couldn't have lived without it and it's perfectly safe for babies.

[kimbersdawnly]

Definitely the soaks, and another spectacular product is Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter! Lansinoh didn't do it for me, and just breastmilk didn't either, but the Earth Mama was great! Kept 'em moist and not sticking to my bra (ouch!) and it's organic, vegan, and smells like chocolate while you're putting it on (from the coco butter). Yummmm. Chocolate milk.

[sarahkristin]

I also got a huge bleeding crack and Lansinoh was not helping. What helped me the most was vitamin E capsules. At the suggestion of my midwife, we bought some ingestible vitamin E softgels (400 IU) and opened them up with a little knife and put the gel right on my nipples. I healed in a matter of days.