Hi Geraldine,
I am desperate to breastfeed my 2 week old baby but I don’t know how much longer I can bare the pain!!!! My nipples were cracked and bleeding by day 2 as Emily fed constantly for the first day. The midwife said she was attached properly, but it hurt like mad and I was told to feed through it for it to get better. I stopped breastfeeding her yesterday and have given her formula as it is too painful to even pump.
PLEASE HELP!
Karen Waters, Bristol
Hi Karen,
Oh dear! You sound like you have had a tough couple of weeks! Please don’t give up hope yet, there is quite a lot we can do to get you back on track to pain free breastfeeding.
Firstly, I think you have made the right decision to stop breastfeeding for now, as you are not able to get the attachment right, but you do need to express your breasts frequently to drain your breasts (to avoid developing mastitis) and to maintain your supply, so that once your nipples have healed, you can get Emily back onto the breast without further complications!
Step one
As your nipples are cracked and bleeding, I would suggest that you soften the scabs before pumping. To do this, apply a warm wet flannel/face cloth for about 5 minutes before pumping. You may need to reheat with warm water a few times during your 5 minutes. Now that your nipples feel relaxed and open, attach the pump so that your nipple is centre to the cylinder. Keep the suction on minimum and be sure not to dig the pump into the breast as this will cut off the flow of milk to the nipple!
Pump both breasts every 3 hours for roughly 15 minutes on each or longer if you are still able to get some milk. Do this for a few days until your nipples are feeling a lot better. You can also wear breast shells in a very lose bra during the day, so that your nipples don’t stick to your breast pads.
Step two
Okay, so we have now healed your nipples and you are ready to get Emily back onto the breast – what do you need to know?
Well, I just don’t believe that Emily was positioned or attached properly, or your nipples would not have become so chewed so early on. Provided your baby is on properly, your nipple will be right at the back of your baby’s mouth and out of harms’ way!
The size of your nipple indicates which attachment technique is best for you – i.e. getting baby onto the breast. The size of your breast indicates which position is most suitable for you and Emily. There is no point having baby ‘tummy to mummy’ if your nipples point down slightly, as both cheeks need to touch the breast throughout the feed and this is simply not possible unless baby is tilted back slightly and looking slightly upward. (if your nipples point down)
Basic rules:
- Baby’s lower lip needs to be away from the base of the nipple when coming onto the breast.
- Both cheeks should touch the breast throughout the feed.
- You should feel a tugging feeling which indicates a good position and latch.
Now, if I were to do an in home visit, I would look at your breast and Emily’s oral cavity. This would tell me which position or attachment technique would be best for you. But I can’t nip down to Bristol, which is why I created the Let’s Breastfeed Program. I have a dedicated section to making positioning and attachment easy, but with the size of your nipple and breast in mind. All you have to do, is read the section relevant to the size of your breast and nipple, and find the technique and position that would be most successful for you. Then follow the step by step diagram to get this right. It is very simple and easy!
I hope this has helped. Please drop me a line and let me know how you get on.
Kind regards,
Geraldine
Tags: breastfeeding problems, cracked nipples, expressing, sore nipples