Bad Latch

Hi S., the peeling and rawness you see is not uncommon. Some moms and babies BF perfectly and don't have problems like this, but it happened with me and some of my girlfriends. It got better after that initial problem. As far as the latching goes, you might try using a breast shield. It worked great for my third baby who had latching problems and we went on to BF for a year. The pacifier itself shouldn't cause problems with latching, and it does help with decreasing SIDS. I hope you find a solution and are able to keep BF!

Just a quick suggestion. Go get some utter creme or utter balm, it heals faster than anything. You can get it almost anywhere.
Hope things get better soon.

Hi S.!
My doctor told me to put warm tea bags on my breasts to help them heal and it worked. It's been awhile (youngest is 13) so I don't know remember how long it took. My child didn't have problems with latching but I did have very raw nipples for the first month or so. Good luck and hang in there!

S.,
You may want to consider nipple shields until your breasts heal a bit. You can find them at Target these days, they give you some protection from a direct latch but allow baby to get her feeds from you. Retraining her to latch properly (tounge forward instead of retracting, which is what bottle and paci teach) will take a bit of time, but you can absolutly do it! Simple hand expressing is good, but you need to get her back to the breast or pumping asap to ensure that your supply isn't decreasing (full isn't an good indicator of when you need to express, shoot for every time she is eating if she can't be on the breast itself). You may want to see a lactation consultant, and if you need recs I'm happy to give you some names of good ones. Good for you for wanting to have a healthy breasfeeding relationship and taking the steps to maintain it!
S.

Harris Methodist in HEB has a breastfeeding center. You pay your copay one time and go as much as you need to. They weigh the baby before you feed it while you are there. Then they help you latch the baby on and then weigh it again after the feeding to see how much it got. They can help you will all your problems. Call them....I highly recommend this place. Don't worry if you did not deliver there, they will still see you. They helped me feed my twins for 15 months!

My first child had a bad latch and I went through the bleeding, scabbing and peeling. I visited the Lactation center at Harris Medical Center HEB Hospital. What a Godsend that place is! I had my pediatrician write a "prescription" for the visit and so insurance paid almost everything! Just hand them the prescription when you get there for your appointment if you go. They will submit the claim to your insurance. Then you get billed for the balance and you can arrange a payment plan. Anyway, he had problems with his latch so they showed me how to use a nipple shield. There is a great trick to getting the shield on you in a way that it really pulls your nipple out. If you need help, just email me. Also, they weighed him before and after the feeding so I new how much he was getting! One paid visit allows you to go back as many times as you need for help with breastfeeding or to just weigh the baby to see how much the baby is taking. Well, the shield not only helped him with his latch, but it allowed me to breastfeed with almost no pain. Also, once my nipples shed their scabs, very tough skin grew in its place and I healed with no problems. The baby and I worked on transitioning him off the nipple shield and onto my breast a little at a time, and by about 5 weeks we were there! You are doing a great thing by seeking advice! Don't give up - you can work this out if you stay persistent and continue seeking information on this.

I would also recommend that you attend a La Leche League meeting in your area; try to google "La Leche League Meeting _______, Tx" filling in the name of your city and hopefully something will come up. The meetings are wonderful and free and you will get a lot of motherly support (not just on breastfeeding) and help with your baby's latch.

Best of luck to you. It is obvious that you are a loving, committed mother by the fact that you have gone through so much pain with this already but are still willing to try. I wish you the best...

M.

A telephone call to LLL would be a fantastic help to you, IMHO. The Lake Ray Hubbard contact's name is Barrie at ###-###-####.

From their website:
"La Leche League Leaders are experienced mothers who have breastfed their own babies and who have been trained and accredited by La Leche League International to help mothers and mothers-to-be with all aspects of breastfeeding. They are available by phone whenever you have breastfeeding questions or concerns."

The LLL also has a group nearby and a meeting coming up on Sept. 8 at 7:00 pm. Here's the location info:

Lake Pointe Medical Center, Professional Development Center
Suite 113-A, 9400 Lakeview Parkway Rowlett, TX
(Located next to Lake Pointe Medical Center, in the corner of the 'L' shaped shopping strip, at the corner of Lakeview Pkwy and Scenic Dr.)

If you can make the trip to Presby on Walnut Hill in Dallas, there will be a LLL meeting even sooner -- Sept. 4th at 7:30 pm. That's the group that helped me soooo much & I am soooo grateful for those ladies!!! Their contact people includes these:
Vicky ###-###-####
Maria ###-###-####
Gwen ###-###-####
Connie ###-###-####
Kim ###-###-####
Alison ###-###-####

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
Margot Perot Building
8200 Walnut Hill Lane
(near Walnut Hill and
N. Central Expressway)
Dallas, Texas

And in the meantime (in case you are reading this and it's too late or early to call someone) ;D this is a great resource; the latch videos might be especially helpful:

http://www.drjacknewman.com/Breastfeeding-help.asp

But please do your best to find someone to evaluate the baby's latch in person. It might not even be all about the latch -- redness, pain, and flaking could be symptoms of thrush, for instance. If it is thrush, that wouldn't mean the end of breastfeeding, but it would certainly need addressing if you are to continue nursing your babe.

And don't forget: It's worth it!!!

HTH!

DEFINITELY see a Lactation Consultant. They are lifesavers! And make sure that the breathing issue your baby had is noted on their treatment form for insurance purposes, as some insurance companies WILL pay a portion if it's medical condition related. Mine did - I got shingles RIGHT after giving birth, everyone freaked out about contagion and medication crossing over - it took 3 months of working with a consultant till I could BF w/out pain (though we didn't bleed). There are some great things you can do now to improve the latch - we used a formula "IV" type thing where you have a very thin tube that you insert with the nipple and it makes them want to suck more and you are able to produce more because of that. Good luck!

See if the doctor thinks it is yeast on the nipples. And check her for thrush. It sounds like you may have a topical yeast infection of the nipples which is pretty common, I hear. I know I had it and suffered terribly through two breast feeders before I finally figured out what it was by my third child. Raw, bleeding, so painful I can't even describe it, difficulty with the pumping. All my babies had thrush. My primary didn't ever believe it was yeast on my nipples, but the Lactation consultant at the La Leche League gave me the recipe for some cream to mix and try, and it worked. Can't recall the recipe, but will email her and get back to you on that. It is important that you pump or express even though it hurts or your milk supply will dry up. Blood in the milk won't hurt the baby. You may want to try a nipple shield. That also helped mine somewhat.
Since you are not pumping you can always treat your nipples if you are discarding your milk. You can use lotrimin or athletes foot powder to treat yeast, hydrocortisone cream or ointment for the inflammation and antibiotic ointment for any topical infection that might be there.
Will email lactation consultant. She is on another website for mom's I am on. Will update when she gets back to me.
L.

OK, you have tons of responses, but I had to respond. This may be encouraging or discouraging to you, I don't know, but the latch issue may not be related to the pacifier, it may just be accumulating all at once. My baby, now 9 months, never has taken a pacifier and he gave me fits with breastfeeding, and my problems started around 3-4 weeks which is close to the age your baby sounds to be. I was bleeding and cracking and dealing with horrendous pain for about 6 weeks. I had 2 lactation consultations, one with Le Leche League and one at Harris hospital, SW location with their lactation specialist. In my case, the latch was fine, the problem was that at some point (I think probably during the night when we would fall asleep while he was nursing) he had latched on incorrectly or slipped down on the nipple; and then I just couldn't heal, it would re-open the wound every time he nursed. I rented a pump from the hospital and was told to pump exclusively for 1-2 weeks minimum. With the pump, I still bled some and it was uncomfortable, but I could control the speed and intensity of the suction and allowed me to heal. Finally, when he was about 6 weeks old, things finally healed and he nurses like a champ now; in fact, he wouldn't take a bottle after we resumed the nursing! So, that's my story for what it's worth.

I'm really noy sure if it's a bad latch or not...I had no issues with my first one, but I have a three month old and I had painful issues in the beginning. He sucked so hard that I couldn't tolerate him nursing. I bled and then peeled. I couldn'y even pump-it just made it worse. I healed for a few days and attempted to nurse again...instant replay! After the second time healing, my nipples were a little more tough and I could tolerate nursing. I have been problem-free for two months! Maybe it will work the same for you.

Don't use lanolin!!! When I was cracked and bleeding (it happened with my first 2 kids, for 2 weeks) I had a lactation consultant tell me that the lanolin can actually make it worse b/c it creates a barrier and doesn't let it breathe and heal. Instead, hand express a little onto the nipple and rub it in, then let it air dry for a bit (no bra). It only took me a couple days of that for it to heal. Also, you can get something called Bag Balm. They use it on cows. LOL My pediatrician told me to use it when I was cracked with my 2nd child, instead of lanolin. He tells parents to use it for EVERYTHING (diaper rashes, too). It helped a LOT better than just lanolin. They have it at Walgreens, it's inexpensive, and in a green square tin. I've used that whenever I get sore with my 3rd (he's a month old now) and I never got to the point where I was cracked and bleeding this time. You don't have to wipe it off unless your baby doesn't like how it tastes, either.
Also, I hate to tell you this, but your child's latch won't get better unless you just keep bf'ing. It's going to hurt like hell, but it'll get better. Feel free to email me if you have any other questions. I'd love to help!
Good luck!!!

You need a lactation consultant! There are several at the breastfeeding resource center at the Downtown Ft Worth Harris Methodist Hospital. There is also a very good one that lives in Arlington. She runs a support group.
Breastfeeding Support Group - Arlington/Fort Worth

FREE weekly support meeting for pregnant or nursing mothers. For information call Mellanie Sheppard at ###-###-####.

I nursed both my daughters for 15 and 22 months. We used a pacifier, early on with both. The BF support center at HEB hospital recommended the 6 month MAM and we never had a problem At Baylor downtown, where I delivered the second child, they gave us a nuk and we had latch problems EVERY time she had the pacifier prior to trying to nurse. We had to take it away so the nursery staff wouldn't accidentally give it to her (we could tell when they had...and it was our mistake bc we left it in her bassinet). I had a bleeding nipple and got in touch with the BF support center at HEB and got in immediately. The only reason we were successful with my first daughter was because of the help we received there from all of the different lactation consultants. And, I tried to get someone to help me with my bleeding nipple with my second daughter, and not one person in OB, Nursery, or lactation could help me at the hospital, but when I went in to the BF support center, I had my solution in less than a minute when they saw her latch on.

So, while I am not saying to use a pacifier or not, we didn't have any problems with the 6 month MAM, but did with the nuk. I do know other friends who have nursed and they were able to use the nuk. I would highly recommend the support center at HEB to anyone that is planning or currently nursing. Their phone is: ###-###-####. I still have it in my cell phone even though we stopped nursing months ago.

Also, we nursed through the bleeding nipple and while it was a little uncomfortable at first, as long as I had her latch on "assymetrically" and then slide her to the center of my breast, I was fine. It was when she didn't latch correctly that it hurt. We also had huge problems at about 3 months and couldn't figure out why she was crying so much. Thought maybe it was colic, but that is the time it should be clearing up and it was only at night. BF support center, because they weight before and after, determined she took in 11 ounces from my one side in less than 10 minutes....so, she we had an oversupply issue (you'd think that would be wonderful, but it was hard!). I can't say enough great things about the center. I WOULD NOT recommend a nipple shield. It took us 9 WEEKS, visiting the support center every week to finally get my first daughter to nurse without one. It was initially recommended bc I am so large on my one side (yes, the 11 ounce side) and my daughter couldn't latch on easily without it. We almost didn't continue nursing because of the nipple shield. But, that is my experience and it probably does work for some. I would get in touch with the support center before trying that though. Laura is awesome there, she is the director. Esther, Lily, Sherry/Shelly, they are all wonderful.

Have you tried the nipple guard/shield (not sure what it is called exactly)? I think you can buy them at babies r us. It is a flexible plastic that helps babies latch and helps protect your nipple at the same time. I think it is worth a try. Hope it helps.

NIPPLE GUARD!

My lactation consultant suggested a nipple guard to help my daughter latch and help me heal. They are available at Babies R Us, They are silicone and go over your nipple. I only had to use it for a week or two but it was such a help. If you get a lactation consultant, ask them about it. I don't see it online

Good luck! It sounds like you are doing your best!

Darn doc.....
I would try to find a LLL lactation consultant in your area and let them watch you nurse and see her latch. Is she tonge tied? What kind of BFing incedent??
I know that with my oldest the one side just hurt like HELL for the first month or so, partialy because he wasn't latching right and partialy just cause it did. I did find with all 3 that the first miute or two would hurt but then the pain went away. I have however never been bleeding.
If you are in the Abilene area send me a private message or email me (____@____.com) and I will help you get in touch with someone. I don't think we have any LLL groups right now, but I know of a couple of people who are very experianced lactation consultants.
Good luck.

I agree about seeing a lactation consultant. Also, something that may help is a thing called a contact nipple shield http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/breastfeedi.... I heard pros and cons about these things, but my OB and pedi both told me to use it if it worked. My son had trouble latching, and I know I would have stopped nursing if not for this. It enabled him to latch right on, and it prevented my nipples from getting sore. He was born early and I have flat nipples, so those were our issues, but this helped so much. He had to use it for a few months, but then he one day latched on without it, and we didn't have to use it anymore.

They sell these at Target and Babies R Us. They are about $6. It might be good for you to use while you are healing, since it will protect your nipple, and then perhaps you could try again without it.

I also recommend calling LLL. I talked with 2 ladies from the Lewisville chapter early on after I had my son, and they were so nice and helpful.

Best of luck to you. Don't give up yet -pretty much all nursing issues can be worked through! And congrats on your new little girl!

Use a Lactation consultant. I liked Linda Worzer with nautral beginnings. www.naturalbeginningsonline.com
She taught our brithing classes and was wonderful. also check with le leche league.
My daughter had a bad latch on the right only. I understand the pain, I would cry each time she latched. I bled too. Try not to give up, if you can get a lactation consultant you will get it figured out! You also may want to try to pump dispite the pain, just pump on low, so your milk supply doesnt start to decrease.

Good luck, I know you can do it!
A.

Do you have a LaLeche League in your area that you can call? They support mothers who are breast feeding and would probably know what to tell ya!
M. alice

Go to Babies R US and buy a SOFT nipple shield. When it is time to nurse put the shield on and let the baby suck on the shield on your breast. It will improve her latch and you will not bleed or hurt so much. Use this when nursing for 3-5 days until you heal and her latch is good.

I'm wondering if the baby isn't tongue tied. Look under her tongue. Is the piece of skin that holds it down all the way to the tip of the tongue. This can make it impossible for the baby to latch on correctly. If that's the case, you need to have it clipped immediatly by a specialist. Then breastfeeding can resume with hopefully no more set backs. I've actually experienced this and we took out child to an ear nose and throat specialist is Ft Worth (Dr Palmer??-I'd have to dig out the baby book) and everything was fine. Good luck to you.
J.
J..yoursmh.com
SMH IC

There are 2 resources I would try. The Mother's Shop at Plano Presby is a shop that specializes in breastfeeding and any problems associated with breastfeeding. You can get free advice or have a personal consultation for a fee.

Judy Eastburn is a lactation consultant who helped me and I have heard from several others that she is the best!!

Not sure where you live, but I have some breast shields you can have. I no longer need them. They protect your nipples/breast between feedings. They are a hard plastic thing you put in your bra to keep anything from touching or rubbing in the tender areas.

J. Leask
###-###-####

Please get a consultant to look at you, your baby and help you get back on track. It is not too late but hand expression probably won't be enough to protect your milk supply for long. Having to give a bottle will compound your problems and trying to figure it all out on your own can be very frustrating. Call your OB or check in with the IBCLC for a directory of consultants near you. You may also contact the La Leche League to see if they have some suggestions.
K. @ The Nestingplace

hang in there. If you are determined to BF you will find a way. Have you met with a lactation consultant? The hospital where you gave birth should have one you can visit. Some even have nursing clinics where you can visit for low or no cost and have professional nursing help whenever you want. I'd get some expert eyes on this right away.

Talk to a Lactation Consultant STAT! They can help with the latch issues.

Also, since your ped had her use a pacifier, she may now reject the natural breast. That age was a critical time for cementing her into a good breastfeeding groove. I hate that so many peds don't take BFing seriously and seem to do all they can to undermine it!

Another option, now that she's accustomed to the artificial nipple, is to use a nipple shield. It gives her a smooth surface to latch onto and enables you to breastfeed even with the difficulties you're having.

I had to use one because my son was taken at 35 weeks and kept on a feeding tube for a couple of weeks, then given bottles, and given the pacifier the whole time, for the first 4 weeks of his life. I had begun pumping immediately and continued to do so the whole time so that they could put the breast milk into his tubes and bottles. When I was finally allowed to attempt to latch, he wouldnt accept the bare nipple. But I was given a shield and tried it and eventually we got the hang of it and he breastfed til just after his 2nd birthday. It CAN BE DONE!

Good luck and hang in there!

First off congrats on brestfeeding. That was and is one of the hardest things that no one ever tells you about. I was in the same situation and I thought I was going to have to stop breastfeeding until I started usuing a nipple shield and it was a life saver! I was able to keep breastfeeding and my nipple could heal because my son was never directly on my nipple. You can buy one at babies r us and I have also seen them at Target. I bought the medela brand. Good Luck!

S.:
Don't know if this will help, but here it is!

I nursed two babies! The first one, we had to work on a better latch as well. The lactation consultant told me to never allow the baby to nurse with a bad latch: to simply break suction (with your finger), reposition the baby, and try latching again. After getting a good latch, allow the baby to nurse until he/she pulls off (even if that means only nursing from one breast)! The next time, repeat the same method on the other breast first. NEVER LET THE BABY NURSE IF THE LATCH IS NOT CORRECT!!!! If you correct the baby every time, he/she will eventually learn the correct latch and teach himself how to latch correctly!

Now, like I said, this was with the help of a lactation consultant. My hospital and dr. didn't have any around (I live very rural north texas) but my dad was in the hospital at Harris Hospital in Ft. Worth at the time and they have an AWESOME lacation staff there. BETTER YET, IT IS FREE TO TALK WITH THEM ON THE PHONE OR AS A WALK IN. And, they have a 1-800 number so you can talk free over the phone! I HAVE USED THIS RESOURCE SOOOOOO MANY TIMES FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS AND REFER IT TO EVERYONE I KNOW THAT NURSES! I just re-find the number by on-line search or directory assistance each time and dial the main Harris Hosptial 1-800 number and ask to be directed to the Lactation Center! IT IS A WONDERFUL FREE RESOURCE!!!

Also, and if the above doesn't work for you, look for a La Leche League (free organization that supports nursing), talk to a WIC Councelor, Call your OB and ask for a referral, or call your hosptial and find a Lactation Consultant. Not only can they really help you, even if just over the phone, they can also direct you to great other resources: books, web-pages, etc! And, it is always nice to hear from someone that knows what you are going through and how to triumph over it and not lose the nursing!

best of luck!
T.

Call the LaLeche League and get some advice! I'd hate for you to have to stop BFing too!

S.-
I know exactly what you are going through. I am a mother of 5, and have brestfed all of them until 1year-18 months. My youngest is 7 months old, so I'm still breastfeeding him. I had the same problems of bleeding and pain, and I used Lansinoh and kept my nipples clean and dry which helped alot. No matter what I did-correcting their positions so they could get a better latch, trying different positions for me while holding them, etc- I still had some pain (and some bleeding!) Unfortunately I had to struggle through it for the first 5-6 weeks until my nipples toughened up and then it was a piece of cake. I'm sorry I don't have a clear solution for you, but I just wanted to encourage you and tell you to hang in there and don't give up- it will get better before you know it!

Lactaction consultant and nipple sheilds to get your baby to learn to latch. I had a similiar problem with the bleeding and my son was aggressive and a terrible latch at first. Nipple shields helped so much that I nursed for 17 months for each of my children. Relax, you will get through it. I know it hurts but it will get better.

You have already had a lot of advice and I haven't read all of it, but check to see if your baby is tongue tied. The frenulum or little piece of skin attached under the tongue may be keeping your baby from being able to extend their tongue over their gums. Both of my children were tongue tied and had to have their frenulum cut by a ear, nose, throat specialist in order to latch on and nurse. But it IS common to have your nipple crack, peel and bleed until your body adjusts. Get in touch with a lactation consultant or La Leche Leage. Hang in there! Breast milk is the best thing for your baby.

S.,

I agree calling a lactation consultant is the best thing to do. They are experts. Although the calls are free, unfortunately, LLL has very nice people who are not necessarily experts. I called LLL about an overproduction problem in one breast. I had trouble getting return calls promptly, and when I did, the woman told me to stop nursing so much on that side. This caused a breast infection. Bad advice. I found later on that I ALWAYS produced more milk on that side and it wasn't a problem. My milk was just establishing and my body eventually adjusted.

Good lactation consultants can be found at:

www.naturalbeginningsonline.com

Good luck.

I have a four day old and am bleeding too. I did the same with my first. I almost cry every time she latches on. Then it gets better as she starts eating. It only lasts for a week or so. I know that sounds horrible and that you don't think you can do it, but it does go away. If you need extra help with the latch, call the la leche league. They help out a lot. I would hate for you to give up breast feeding. Also, I don't think the pacifier has anything to do with the latch. It is a different kind of sucking. A bottle would, however, mess with the breastfeeding latch.

I had a similar situation with my boy, now 8 1/2 months and still breastfeeding. A pacifier too soon messed up the good thing we had going. We fled to the lactation consultant for a session and I thank God we did. The visit made all the difference. He and I both learned so much, even though I had taken a class before his birth and I had several visits from the consultants during our hospital stay. I pumped after each daytime feeding for 10-20 minutes to increase my supply. The feeding was painful and the pumping was uncomfortable at best. I used the Lansinoh ointment, but remember that all the ointment in the world won't keep up with the damage from a bad latch.

The pain made my eyes well up and jaws clench every time, but I fought through it, knowing that the benefit to my boy was worth it. Someone told me that by six weeks things magically stop hurting and it stops being a big event. They were absolutely right. My boy is so happy and healthy. We have a wonderful bond and I am so proud to know I've done my best to help him. Don't give up. It does get better and the payoff is immense.

I had a problem with cracked, bleeding nipples and my doctor FINALLY (after a month of horrible pain) called in some All Purpose Nipple Ointment for me. It seriously healed me up within a few days. It has to be compounded by a pharmacist, but I think they keep it on hand at Trinity Pharmacy in Carrollton. Here is a link about it. http://www.kellymom.com/newman/03b-treatments_sore_nipple...
My OB insisted that my Pedi approve it which he did, so I finally got some. It was like a miracle. I also saw a lactation consultant about our latch problem. I had to pay $100 to see her, but it was well worth it. Good luck!

I would suggest a different pacifier.

I had bleeding with my 2nd child. With the nipple cream and a supply of lortab, I made it through. The key is to try to remain as calm as possible (Ha!, Right?) and keep your fluids up, so you don't lose your supply. You may want to use a bottle with expressed milk since the shape of that nipple may force her to open up a little more. If you can suffer through to healing, it'll be worthwhile - all 5 of my kids have been nursed and I have ZERO major illnesses - even with my oldest who is almost 12! Hang in there - I know it's bad.

Call your OB and get the name of a lactation consultant. They can spend some time with you and help you fix the problem.

I would get in touch with La Leche League. Breastfeeding is so important for your little one and a lot of moms can't do it on their own. That is what LLL is for. Please call them. 1-877-4-LALECHE

I haven't personally experienced your problem, but I recommend contacting La Leche League. They have chapters in every town. When my son was born, I spoke with several of the women in our chapter and they were very loving\helpful.
Good Luck!

PLEASE give your daughter the pacifier back! A breathing, formula fed baby is the best option here!

I breastfed all 7 of my kids. The first couple of kids I went through the bleeding and scabs. I found that if you can get through feeding even though there's bleeding and scabs involved, (it is not going to hurt the baby, just a little gross), in less than a week your nipples will toughen enough to where they will stop with the sores and bleeding and you will empty your breast alot better which will help with the fullness. It is extremely painful for the first few minutes each time but if you can cringe and get through it, it will get better. As far as her sucking correctly, she will catch on. Lots of luck.

I had the same thing happen to me when my daughter was about 6 weeks old. I just had to grin and bear it. It was very painful. It would crack and bleed and the delicate skin would peel off. I was slathered it with Lanisinoh every chance that I had. Pumping was the worst, but I just had to go through it. After about a week, my nipple "toughened" up, as my mother called it, and all was well. Don't give up! Make sure to keep working with your little girl on latching on, if you need to call a lactation consultant. My daughter is now 7 months and I am still breast feeding.
Good luck to you!

You might try using a nipple from a bottle over your own nipple to protect while the baby is nursing. I always got VERY sore and this worked for me-a lot of lactation people will tell you that this will result n nipple confusion but I never had a bit of trouble switching once I healed. To me, being able to nurse my babies was more important than whether it was my own nipple that they sucked on so it was worth trying. It gave me a lot of relief and the babies finally got a full feeding once I started.
You might be sensitive to lanolin-many people are Try Aquaphor-it really helps.
With a baby that has had breathing episodes, pacifiers have been shown to have a positive effect-since this was the reason that the paci was suggested, it seems unwise to stop it. You will be able to get through the soreness in time and the paci probably has very little to do with her not latching on well. In fact, her need for extra sucking and your soreness might be due to her not latching on right, rather than the paci being the problem. With a little time you will heal up and she will learn how to latch on well
Keep trying-the soreness is very frustrating, but it does pass!

Call the lactation conslutant at the hospital where your daughter was born IMMEDIATELY. They are a great resource and will work with you and the baby to achieve a proper latch. Plus they can help with the nipple bleeding etc . . .

You might want to ask the dr. about the frenulum under her tongue -- the little piece of tissue that attaches the tongue to the floor of the mouth. If it's too tight, they can't latch on correctly. VERY easily fixed -- the pediatrician clipped my daughter's in his office when she was about 2 weeks old & we had a similar problem.

I have had a similar latching issue with my 7 week old. I reccomend a lactation consultant, I went to Judy Eastburn who works from her home in Fairview. She will come to your house for an additional charge. Her number is ###-###-####. Her email address is ____@____.com. I have used Lansinoh to heal my nipples, but someone told me that the OB can give you a prescription for something as well. good luck!

Call your local La Leche League. They are the BEST at these issues.

Let some of your milk dry over your nipples and where breast shields so that your nipples will not touch your shirt. Should heal in a day. Use the lansinoh to prevent them from drying it will not heal sore nipples - only prevent it from happening. Also, you may want to join a leche league - they have a ton of advice.

As far as the latching goes, just keep trying. It takes a while for them to get the hang of it. Breastfeeding can be very painful at first. Your nipples will toughen up after a while and it won't feel as painful. What helped me, and it sounds crazy, but I was told that if you rub some of your own breast milk on your nipple after nursing and let it air dry that it will help heal your cracks. I was in pain for weeks and just suffered through it by doing this and eventually the pain stopped. There is light at the end of the tunnel! I wish you luck and hope that you can continue to breastfeed.

I apologize that I don't know the official name for the product, for it was just handed to me at Presby Plano when I had my two kids. It is basically a plastic half circle with a hole in the back. You insert your nipple into the hole in between feedings, so it give your nipple time to heal and allow the Lansinoh to work. It has little foam inserts that sit at the bottom of the shells, so if you leak milk, it holds it. I have used them after both pregnancies, and I can't begin to tell you how helpful they were. You may want to call Mother's Gift at Presby Plano, and they can not only give you GREAT advice, but you can buy them there, or they can advice you as to where you can find them. ###-###-####.

Does the hospital that you delivered at have lactation consultants that are available to help after you have left the hospital. When I had my son, Medical Center of Arlington offered this and I called them a few times with problems. They even had a program where you could bring the baby in and someone would help you. You might look into this. They may be able to give you expert advice. If that isn't available, I would try La Leche league. I exclusively breast-fed my son for the first year and never would have been able to make it without the help of lactation consultants. He also used a paci but I don't think we started using it until later. Also, is it painful to pump? If not, I would try to pump even if you have to throw out the milk due to the blood. I'm worried you won't be able to keep up your milk supply with only hand expressing. Good luck.

Go to LeLecheLeague.com -- this is a group of experienced nursing mothers and medical professionals who give free advice and help with breatfeeding issues! They are terrific---go on line and find a group in your area and call them!

My solution was to call Kay at the Nesting Place in Grapevine, but I see she already responded!

I had yeast infections in my nipples with two of my kids. Very painful. Have the lactation consultant check on that, too. I'm so sorry for you, I went thru this with all 3 of mine. It took about 7 weeks each time before I was out of pain. But, my son is still nursing strong at 10 months.

I didn't read all of the responses. Did anyone suggest a nipple shield? I have never used one, but I have heard good things about them when the baby won't latch properly and you are hurting.
Seek out a good lactation consultant. They'll help you tremendously. You may need a referral from your pediatrician or OB.
So sorry you are having to deal with this!! {{{hugs}}}
L.

I haven't read the many, many replies, but it looks like you're getting some good advice. I had a lot of problems and had bleeding/scabbing/pain. I know that the lactation consultant at our ped. office recommended that I take something for the pain and to relax - and not just tylenol. She also called in a prescription for an antibiotic oinment (generic is called Mupiricin (sp?)) that is okay for baby to ingest a bit of. Made a big difference in the healing and his been helpful in healing other wounds around our house! Good luck, mama. Either way, you're doing the best you can for your baby.

Congratulations on your little girl! Sorry to hear what you are going through. Don't give up yet! If you live anywhere near Arlington,contact me. I know of a free breastfeeding support group you can attend. It is led by a professional lactation consultant. I would do some research or get some professional advice frome either a professional lactation consultant or a Le Leche legue leader before trying a soft breastshield. It could add to your problems. I know that on Le Leche 's legues website there are some photos to help with proper latch. Also, www.kellymom.com has tons of great breastfeeding advice. They might have something to help there. Good luck.

Buy a pump go to Le Leche League meetings or at least call and let them come and give you home support. Or call Baby Birth and You Wendy BLumbuerg she is great : she is in Plano and in the DFW kids Directory. I pumped for my baby til 21 months due to inability to nurse well. You can do it there are lots of tricks like the pumping bands and and shawls that let you pump while driving. You can even pump semi reclined on one side. Don't forget to get a babywearing device Moby Wrap, sling, Ergo baby carrier so you can handle two little ones simultaneously. All the best.

I have a 3 week old daughter who was unable to latch due to a high palette--every time I put her to the breast she just screamed...broke my heart...so I have been exclusively pumping and bottle feeding her my breast milk.

I have heard there is a prescription grade cream to heal nipples fast--you can possibly ask your obgyn or midwife?

T.

Oh, S., I am so sorry. I know your pain! I have breastfed all 3 of my children, but breastfeeding pain was/is the worst with my last one, who is now 5 months old. She had such a good latch that she actually was ripping my nipple from my breast! Talk about toe-curling, eyes welling up, tremendous PAIN! I tried putting Lansinoh on it and by my 6 week follow-up visit, it was still an open sore. My OBGYN finally suggested walking around without a bra and just a t-shirt, to let it air out. That helped a lot and by about 8 weeks, it was finally healed. She still breastfeeds. If you can/want to hang on, you'll get there--it's just a lot of pain at first and will heal slowly, but eventually.

Good luck and congratulations on your new baby!

I would contact a lactation consultant today. The La Leche League has volunteers that offer their services for free. I have a baby who is 10 days old and he has had some feeding and weight loss issues and I have contacted 2 lactation consultants - the one from the hospital where I delivered and one from the La Leche League. You can look La Leche League on their website and find a consultant near you. I wish you the best of luck.

Oh, girl....do I know what you are going through!! I spent 3 solid months with sore, split nipples and excrutiating pain. So much so that I was severely depressed and would cry every time he wanted to nurse. But, it got better and I continued on for a year. Here is what I have learned after many visits with different lact. consultants. First of all, I would not put all my money on your pedi's or ob/gyn's advice about latching. I would, however, get a referral to a lact. consultant from them. My pedi told me my son was latching just fine.....then why were my nipples split in two?
Anyways, I have learned it is all about positioning. I was taught to put the baby's nose so that it lines up with your nipple. Then, kind of tickle the babies upper lip so that she has to kind of reach up and open her mouth to get to your breast. Then, you sort of flip your breast into her mouth (my LC gave the example of eating a hamburger). This forms a asymmetrical latch, where her bottom lip should rest well below your nipple. One of your responses already was absolutely right, if it hurts, take her off (breaking suction with your finger) and try again. It takes so much practice!! I know it is frustrating for you and your baby, but I promise, it will pay off. Here is the key to knowing if she is latched correctly, when she pulls off, your nipple should be symmetrical and naturally shaped. If it is slanted (or lipstick shaped) it is not right.
Another thing that helped me, one of the LC's had me use a small amount of polysporin on my nipples between feedings (like 3-4 times a day) in case there was some bacteria getting in there making things worse. Just gently wipe it off before you feed/pump.
I really hope this helps you. Hang in there, but don't lose your mind about it like I almost did! Pumping may make your nipples bleed more at first because they are already traumatized, but it should improve. Best of luck!

I too had this problem and my baby had thrush and it went on for some time before it was finally diagnosed. Our pedi treated the baby and my dr prescribed Newmans nipple cream for me and the relief was almost instant. I was red, raw and bleeding and everyone thought it was a latch problem and it was not, we were just passing the infection back and forth. In my case the Lansinoh made the pain and the infection worse. Make sure you sterilize everything because if it is yeast it a challenge to get rid of it!
Kudos to you for your BF efforts, hang in there!

I agree with all the posts that say to visit a lactation consultant. They are a godsend -- I wouldn't have gotten through my first 2 weeks at home after the hospital were it not for mine. My daughter is 4 1/2 mo now and we're still BFing and loving it!

On a side note, if your pedi recommended the paci to help her breathe, please reconsider giving it back to her. Having a baby on formula is better than having a baby not breathing. Plus, supplementing w formula doesn't mean you will have to stop BFing. My friend had to put her son on formula for 2 months because she got sick, but then was able to build her milk back up and BF him until he was 12 mo (again, with the help of a lactation consultant)!

I think you need to go back to the pedi. He/She might be able to show you how to get her to correctly latch. Also, I would be careful about not giving her a paci if it is helping with her breathing at all. Good luck and God Bless!

Buy a Medela silicone nipple shield. You can get them at Target or BRU. I had one in each room! My son had a painful latch, and then when he was three months old (I had been using is religiously for 3 months) I tried it without and he latched beautifully. My doula said that sometimes their mouths just aren't big enough yet. He breastfed for a year! It was a lifesaver! The shield allows your nipple to heal then, so you can get on the road to recovery.

I'm sorry i don't have any advice, but my daughter drew blisters on my nipples before we figured out the whole latch thing. When they healed, they peeled a little too, so that is normal.

Have you tried these: http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/breast-care...? They saved me when I first started breastfeeding. I didn't have bleeding so I don't know for sure if they'll help, but you wear them whenever you're not nursing and the holes allow air to heal your nipples. Good luck!