Please help me keep going... update post #54

[NSB]

Rather than pumping, get yourself a Lact-aid Nursing Supplementer if you can. I feel your pain mama. If your getting the latch better now, things should start to feel better in about 3-7 days (that can be a long week! LOL) Nursing tiny babies is SO hard. If you can get through this stage, nursing an older baby/toddler is SO much more rewarding.
(((hugs)))

[evasimone]

Just an update, I am still plugging along pretty much through sheer force of will. I was excited because last night the scab fell off of my left nipple. Unfortunately I am still missing a chunk and its just raw skin now. I am hoping it will be better in a few more days.

Originally Posted by Nerissa It will get better. I always cringe when I hear people say that the pain is normal, umm no it isn't. It may feel uncomoftable but it shouldn't be painful and a person shouldn't have to tough it out for weeks. I am sorry you got bad advise. My DD had a bad latch (from what I could tell and by watching videos she was fine until a few days I was raw oh so sore. She was nursing a ton. The LC I saw was amazing. While it still hurt to latch on (because they were raw) they actaul feeding was much better once the latch was corrected. The LC gave me these breast shields to wear between feedings. That way nothing rubbed on my nipples and they healed so fast. I slathered them with lanolin Within a week I was healed and pain free http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com.../breast-shells

Thank you so much for recommending those shields. I sent my husband out for them last night and I was able to wear a shirt for the first time in ten days. It felt so nice not to be shielding my nipples from clothing and blankets. And also to just be able to put my tatas away. Lol

I am definitely frustrated about what I was told because I know if I'd gotten some decent advice from the beginning my nipples would probably be fine now.

Originally Posted by NSB Rather than pumping, get yourself a Lact-aid Nursing Supplementer if you can. I feel your pain mama. If your getting the latch better now, things should start to feel better in about 3-7 days (that can be a long week! LOL) Nursing tiny babies is SO hard. If you can get through this stage, nursing an older baby/toddler is SO much more rewarding. (((hugs)))

Thanks for the recommendation. She's getting weighed on Thursday, if she still hasn't gained I'll probably have to supplement with formula and I'll definitely consider buying one of those. Right now I am using a dropper and shes only getting 1-1.5 oz. Expressed milk so its not really worth it now.

I am hoping my nipples start healing more. They've been bad for 12 days already.

[rachelhf7]

You may have heard this already but when my LO was born my nipples bled and scabbed over. The thing that helped the most was expressing a little bit of breast milk after she nursed and putting it on each nipple then air dry. I healed within 3 days! Nothing else worked. I had to do it after every feeding though. I hope you heal quickly!! By the way, this is my second baby and this didn't happen with my first.

[oldmomma]

Have you hear of the nipple shield that you use during the feedings. They saved my nursing relationship. I was eventually able to wean from them and successfully breastfeed for over a year.
http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com...nipple-shields

No they don't cause nipple damage.

[cdeweese]

I had scabbed nipples, clogged ducts and two bouts of mastitis before 6 weeks. Latch is super important. With me, DS wasn't taking enough of the breast into his mouth. i felt like i was gagging him, but he ate so much more efficiently and i didnt hurt anymore. I hope the shield is helping you! I also sat outside in the sun shirtless to air dry (I know it's cold in January ) and that really seemed to help them heal. Disclaimer: I have a very private backyard hahaha!

[evasimone]

As an update we weighed her yesterday and she was down another ounce. The LC is letting me borrow a medela pump in style for free because my Ameda isn't very good. I have an order out for a pump in style but it has a 3 week back order. My left side is around 33% scabbed and my right is 50%. I've started using a bottle to supplement with my EBM instead of the dropper because I was losing too much of the milk and she needs to gain ASAP.

Unfortunately her latch has gotten bad again probably because of the bottle and I have to keep latching her over and over and my right nipple can't handle it. For now I am trying to feed on my left and pump on my right until it can heal.

The LC said we are going to weigh her on Monday. If she doesn't gain weight the LC says we'll have to use formula and supplement. So please wish me luck that I can get her to gain on my milk alone!

Originally Posted by rachelhf7 You may have heard this already but when my LO was born my nipples bled and scabbed over. The thing that helped the most was expressing a little bit of breast milk after she nursed and putting it on each nipple then air dry. I healed within 3 days! Nothing else worked. I had to do it after every feeding though. I hope you heal quickly!! By the way, this is my second baby and this didn't happen with my first.

I am using EBM mostly with occasional herbal nipple cream. Unfortunately my nipples are pretty badly damaged and I think its going to take a while to heal.

Originally Posted by oldmomma Have you hear of the nipple shield that you use during the feedings. They saved my nursing relationship. I was eventually able to wean from them and successfully breastfeed for over a year. http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com...nipple-shields No they don't cause nipple damage.

I may end up using one of those but i am hoping to avoid it. I've heard they are hard to wean from but I am glad to hear they helped you so much and you weaned successfully.

Originally Posted by cdeweese I had scabbed nipples, clogged ducts and two bouts of mastitis before 6 weeks. Latch is super important. With me, DS wasn't taking enough of the breast into his mouth. i felt like i was gagging him, but he ate so much more efficiently and i didnt hurt anymore. I hope the shield is helping you! I also sat outside in the sun shirtless to air dry (I know it's cold in January ) and that really seemed to help them heal. Disclaimer: I have a very private backyard hahaha!

Yowch! You poor thing! I am terrified of mastitis and thrush. We got the latch back on track but you are right that it felt like I was shoving tons of boob in her face.

[evasimone]

Another update, the LC and I decided we needed to supplement with formula because I am not producing enough when I pump. I've cried off and on all day. The LC recommended I try nursing her on my right side once every three feedings. I tried it and she ripped my scab off and made me bleed within 15 seconds, it was terrible. She's also managed to injure my left nipple badly enough that I am pumping that one too. I am alternating formula and pumped milk until I can get my supply back up.

I called and spoke with LLL, they are recommending a nipple shield and a hospital grade pump. I am going to rent one tomorrow and I'll talk with my LC about the nipple shield. I am going to work on increasing my supply so even if I can't exclusively Breastfeed I can produce as much as possible for her.

Also I am starting to suspect a mild tongue tie. I've noticed that when she cries her tongue is heart shaped and the LLL leader I spoke with said her tongue shouldn't be heart shaped at all. That would explain my low supply and her crappy latch and how she's nursing all the time but not gaining. I am going to mention it to the pediatrician and see what he thinks.

[mibarra]

Sounds like good advice. Hopefully it goes well!! Don't cry mama, you are doing everything in your power for your LO. My 1st refused to BF, so got pumped milk til I dried up at 4 months. My 2nd needed a nipple shield for the 1st 3 months. You are doing you're best!!

[Mom2jandb]

FWIW, I had scabbed nipples in the early days with both of my babies. Even after nursing baby 1 for 2.5 years my nipples still took a beating the first two weeks with baby2. I remember cracking up the scabs to make sure the milk got through (thank goodness for pain meds, lol). I won't say it's normal, but it was normal for me, and I think you will find relief right around the corner.

[mamatoclaire]

The same thing happened to me! Bleeding scabbed nipples by day 3. It was awful. Those little pink gums feel like razors! The LC at the hospital gave me a prescription nipple cream and nipple shield. The cream was great! Really numbed the pain. The shield worked but I never weaned off it. My nipples healed completely by 8 weeks and I nursed for 9 months.

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