We weaned from the nipple shield on Friday and have been breastfeeding and pumping every 2-3 hours. So my nipples have been taking a beating! I've been using lanolin on them. Is there anything else that will help? It's terribly bad when she latches on - they almost feel a little raw now?
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I liked Earth mama angel baby nipple butter much better than lanolin. Breastfeeding is tough though! It will get better with time too.
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I used Motherlove Nipple Cream after every session and it really helped! You can find it at Whole Foods i think. Also, maybe a cold or hot compress! Good luck! It was like that for me the first week then they healed up and we kept feeding with no soreness!
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Get APNO from your doc, you'll feel better by tomorrow.
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I tried both Earth Mama Angel Baby and Motherlove and I definitely preferred the Motherlove. I've seen it at Whole Foods & Target recently. Also, I'm sure you've tried this, but put a little nipple cream/butter/lanolin (I used the two above) in the flanges before you pump. I did that the first week I pumped and it definitely helped the soreness (even though I'd been BFing for 3 months already - I think some soreness with pumping is inevitable at first).
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I HIGHLY second @oliviaoblivia: APNO All purpose nipple ointment was a LIFE SAVER for me!!!!!!!
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@oliviaoblivia: yes. This stuff is magic.
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Call your doctor and get APNO from a compounding pharmacy. It's amazing.
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I still use it every now and then as DD chews and takes my nipple with her when she thrashed her head to see where a noise came from....lol
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I bought some Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter before giving birth and have liked it -- it's very smooth and easy to apply, I don't feel like I have to rub it in or do anything that would just irritate the nipples more. A lactation consultant also prescribed APNO for me -- amazing stuff! I think we paid 40-50 dollars for it and had to wait overnight for it to be made at the pharmacy ... but totally worth it if you have major nipple pain!!
Also -- congrats on weaning from the nipple shield!! Any tips for doing so? I was feeling bold and tried to nurse LO w/o the nipple shield yesterday and he was not into it ...
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You can make your own APNO and I also recommend saline soaks. This really helped me heal when nothing else would. Here are directions directly from my lactation consultant.
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3 times daily apply APNO after the Saline soak.
Slather on Coconut oil between feedings/ expressing.
Oh and remember the thick layer of nipple cream before a shower.NIPPLE TREATMENT
Newman's Ointment/APNO
Ingredients:
Polysporin ointment
Lotrimin (or Monostat) cream,
0.5% (1% if you can't get the smaller %)
Hydrocortisone creamMethod:
Mix equal parts of each of the 3 creams into a clean, small, covered container.After nursing wash your nipples with mild soap, rinse thoroughly then apply the cream lightly to each nipple.
No need to remove before nursing/expressing.
Saline Soak
Soak both nipples for up to 3 minutes in saline solution - 1/8 teaspoon sea salt dissolved in 1 cup of warm boiled water - 3 times daily after expressing or feeding.Apply Newman's Ointment/APNO and either air your nipples or wear the Soft Shells for sore nipples.
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Breastmilk, sunshine and fresh air! Would it also be an option to reduce your pumping sessions? And how does feeding feel once you get past the initial latch?
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@oliviaoblivia: My OB can prescribe it?
@jape14: I haven't tried putting anything in my flanges? I suppose it can't hurt to try though!
@extrasprinkles: I wish I had tips! A LC came over on Friday and although we had fed before without the shield, it was kinda easier to just use it so it became a crutch. So Friday we didn't use it when the LC was there and then just didn't go back!
@shortcake: Oooh I like the DIY option! Seems easiest for sure!
@Kemma: I could maybe reduce a pumping session? I'm only going 10-20 minutes at most pumping. Feeding is okay after about 2 minutes or so? But initially yikes!!
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@LindsayInNY: yep! I actually got my prescription from our paediatrician.
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@oliviaoblivia: Even better since I'll be seeing our pediatrician tomorrow! I'll have to ask her!
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Apno is the shit! I also liked those gel squares from medela and those nipple shells, for when my shirt hurt them. I also like the creamier more oil type creams. A friend sent me one from Canada called substance that I've been using a ton! It does on way easier than lanolin.
T's latch still hurts at about 10 weeks PP. The pain goes away while he's eating, but sometimes it still gets me!
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I cringed every time my girls latched because both had a shallow latch and I had flat nipples. The best thing for me was the shells (to keep air flowing and keep everything off them, letting breast milk dry on them and lanolin.
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@BabyBoecksMom: That's exactly what's causing it - a shallow latch. I'm hoping we can work on it because man does it hurt!
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I actually didn't like lanolin; I'd def try cocoa butter or the earth mama nipple butter; the lanolin was so hard to spread and I didn't want anymore friction to my nipples!!
Other than that I just air then out, pretty much walk around topless if I could! And sadly it really just takes time. I used the shield till 6 months tho and after we weaned they never hurt, I guess b/c by then they have toughened up?? Haha!
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@snowjewelz: The pediatrician said either her latch will get better and this won't be a problem OR my nipples will hurt for 3 or so days and then adjust to it/her. So weird. I'm heading to Whole Foods this weekend so I'll have to look for the nipple butter if this continues.
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@LindsayInNY: It does get better as she gets older and her mouth gets bigger... until then... just try to use some Advil/Motrin and the other remedies I listed to help alleviate the pain. I promise it gets better!!
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@LindsayInNY: I even just use coconut oil on mine. I hope her latch gets better too! I kept trying to wean unsuccessfully in the beginning so I just said forget it and kept using it haha. It WILL improve for sure as she gets bigger/stronger!
And yes hang in there! I remember days when I'd start crying before I even put her to the nipple, knowing how much it would hurt~ And every suck was like AHHH
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@LindsayInNY: I think all the posters have good suggestions, but you also need to figure out what is causing the soreness, not just treat it. I'd highly recommend seeing a lactation consultant.
Maybe you need to use the nipple shield again, maybe the flanges you use for pumping are not the right size, could you be allergic to lanolin? maybe baby has latch issues or tongue tie? Could be a lot of things, so I would get some one on one assistance with this! -
@shortcake: My pediatrician actually recommended making my own cream with this recipe when I mentioned how much my nipples hurt from nursing. She recommended only using it four times a day, though. I had been using lanolin and it didn't really do anything. Loved the ointment from those instructions.
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@lady grey: I did see one last Friday. We stopped using the nipple shield then too. The pain is partially my nipples adjusting but mostly her latching too shallowly so were working on that. The pediatrician said I could go back to the shield as they heal, if necessary.
@kick641: Oddly, my pediatrician and the LC didn't seem to know about the prescription ointment so I'm just going to buy the OTC stuff and make it myself!
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@LindsayInNY: I know this sounds weird (and they are pricey), but my LC the first time around swore by these silverettes nipple cups. You just put them over your nips after nursing (no other lotions or salves) and they supposedly heal your nipples ASAP.
Theycame out right as I was switching to EPing, so I didn't buy them, but a friend of mine did and said they really worked.
http://www.amazon.com/Silverette-Original-Nursing-Soothing-Cracked/dp/B00D4MWKNQ -
@Anagram: Oh, interesting! Never heard of them but definitely gonna look into it!
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