There was a point, about a week into my first breastfeeding experience, that I would cry every time I put my hungry son to breast. I felt like I was at my wits end and since he looked like he had a good latch I did not know what was going on or what to do to fix the problem.
Luckily I had a wonderful contact who came to my house, took one look at my nipple (all modesty was out the window at this point) and told me the problem. My son had a shallow latch and was not getting his tongue under my nipple far enough and was therefore brushing it with each suck. It felt as it someone had sandpapered my nipples raw and now I understood why.
This wonderful public health nurse showed me how to train my son to suck correctly and armed me with a nipple shield and miraculously I healed and went on to breastfeed my son for 15 months. Here is a great video showing you where your nipple should land in your baby's mouth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zln0LTkejIs&feature=player_embedded#at=52)
So, to help other breastfeeding moms out there I have found some tips from a great lactation consultant and thought I would share them with you. If you are having pain, I hope these help (check out the videos), and seek help immediately as there is nothing like personal touch. I also recommend a few products below.
Breastfeeding should not be painful. Good luck!
Below are listed the signs of a bad latch or a breast latch that might cause injury.
#1 SIGN = PAIN!!! Breastfeeding Pain is NOT normal. Breast feeding should not hurt. If it does, SEEK HELP TODAY.
Lips rolled in or circle “o” lips
Clicking, popping or smacking sounds at the breast.
Dimpling of infant cheeks
Mom reports “biting” sensation during feed
Compression stripe on nipple after feeding
Lipstick shape nipple after feeding (beveled)
Nipple easily slips out of mouth when baby pauses
Bleeding or injured nipple after feed
Baby is not gaining weight
Baby is not satisfied (this one can be tricky, because newborns can feed every hour to help your milk come in so until your milk comes in frequent feeds can be totally normal)
Lips rolled in or circle “o” lips
Clicking, popping or smacking sounds at the breast.
Dimpling of infant cheeks
Mom reports “biting” sensation during feed
Compression stripe on nipple after feeding
Lipstick shape nipple after feeding (beveled)
Nipple easily slips out of mouth when baby pauses
Bleeding or injured nipple after feed
Baby is not gaining weight
Baby is not satisfied (this one can be tricky, because newborns can feed every hour to help your milk come in so until your milk comes in frequent feeds can be totally normal)
Uncorrected latching can quite frequently lead to nipple injury. Nipple injury can make mommies want to quit breastfeeding. So, avoiding injury is important. If you are having any of the above signs, please make an appointment with your local lactation consultant as soon as possible.
Some products to help you now!
Three products I found to work wonders to get you through this painful period:
1. Motherlove Herbal Nipple Cream found at http://www.motherlove.com/ (to help your nipples heal)
2. Smart Choices Breast Soother warming and cooling packs found on http://www.nizowear.com/ (for immediate pain relief)
3. Nipple shield found at many stores like Target (this is great in extreme cases to let your nipple heal while still continuing to breastfeed. Some mothers have good luck pumping instead of nursing while they heal, but my case was so severe that this product was the only thing that helped me)
What mom should be doing for a successful breatfeeding experience:
Has Good posture Sitting upright or lying on side
Is Comfortable - starting out uncomfortable is not good
Well-supported with pillows (pillows are usually more managable than a nursing pillow in the first 24 hours)
Lap flat or slightly elevated
Cups breast with fingers off areola
Has Good posture Sitting upright or lying on side
Is Comfortable - starting out uncomfortable is not good
Well-supported with pillows (pillows are usually more managable than a nursing pillow in the first 24 hours)
Lap flat or slightly elevated
Cups breast with fingers off areola
Check out this video to see firsthand what this should look like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oQHe1eYsnE&feature=player_embedded
What should baby look like?
Tummy to tummy or Chest to breast
Ear, shoulder, & hip aligned
At breast level, nipple to nose
Body slightly flexed with head relaxed slightly backwards (drinking position)
Body supported on pillows and by mother
Mother supports infant’s neck, base of head, shoulder girdle
Ear, shoulder, & hip aligned
At breast level, nipple to nose
Body slightly flexed with head relaxed slightly backwards (drinking position)
Body supported on pillows and by mother
Mother supports infant’s neck, base of head, shoulder girdle
Information from this post was based on personal experiences and information was collected from askthelactationconsultant.com
This cream is the best. I had really sore cracked nipples the first week I was nursing my daughter. I was putting Lasinoh cream on my nipples, but it was so thick that putting it on was painful. Then, a friend suggested this cream. Wow, what a difference, it is oily but goes on smooth and heals the nipples like you would not believe. It does smell a bit like olve oil
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