Since we have some squishes already and lots of STM's, I figured I would start a breastfeeding thread for questions and support.
I have a question: my LO's latch is rough. I have a lactation consultant coming out this next week. My right nipple is bleeding like crazy now. Tips for healing? I am going to pump that side for a couple days to give it a break I think.
Natural chemical pregnancy 8/2013 Clomid #1 and #2: BFN IVF 1 :0 to use IVF 2:4 great embryos after PGS testing. FET 1: BFP EDD 6/20/15 Chemical Pregnancy FET 2: BFP EDD 11/14/2015 MMC 9.5 weeks twins IVF #3: 2 fair embryos after PGS testing Surprise BFP during break cycle and DD born 4/2016
Post by CattyNattyRN on Apr 30, 2016 6:15:41 GMT -5
First, I'm sorry. Try using some lanolin (or other nipple cream of your choice) and try to make sure little O is getting all the way latched, not just on your nipple. For the most part, once you're at the bleeding stage there isn't a whole lot you can do except pump, which can still irritate your nipple. The best thing is to nurse through it though. Hang in there!!
Ooo, if you can tolerate it, you can try using warm/cool packs before she nurses and then latch her. It may ease some of the discomfort but won't really "heal" anything.
I would get that LC in ASAP and in the meantime google videos on flipple technique and latching to hopefully help you get a better latch. I used to get a better latch if the baby was always facing the same way because of a bit of neck tightness so I would cross cradle on one side and football on the other.
DS (our little Clomid miracle) born Sept. 25, 2012 Baby #2 lost at 8w3d on March 4, 2015 (EDD Oct. 11, 2015) Baby #3 lost at 5w2d on April 16, 2015 (EDD Dec. 15, 2015) Baby #4 lost at 4w1d on May 20, 2015 (EDD Jan. 25, 2016) DS2 (our little rainbow miracle) born May 25, 2016
Has anyone else been hand expressing colostrum in advance? It's very popular on my low supply groups. I feel too lazy to do it but then I feel guilty for not.
DS (our little Clomid miracle) born Sept. 25, 2012 Baby #2 lost at 8w3d on March 4, 2015 (EDD Oct. 11, 2015) Baby #3 lost at 5w2d on April 16, 2015 (EDD Dec. 15, 2015) Baby #4 lost at 4w1d on May 20, 2015 (EDD Jan. 25, 2016) DS2 (our little rainbow miracle) born May 25, 2016
Post by nerdykitten on Apr 30, 2016 9:58:38 GMT -5
Evidently my body was built for taking care of triplets because the nurses have a fairly large stockpile in the freezer evidently...
@ westiemom I use the earth mama angle baby natural nipple butter and really like it. My nipples don't get the abuse really since all the munchkins mouths are too small or they don't tolerate the natural breast milk flow so they all use nipple shields currently.
Me: 30 DH: 29; Married: September, 2010 TTC #1: April 2013 Benched: May 2013 Cancer(DH) Off the Bench: September 2014 July 2015 ER low sperm count and motility(radiation side effect). FET September 1,2015. BFP 9/9/15.- 3 on the way.
I would get that LC in ASAP and in the meantime google videos on flipple technique and latching to hopefully help you get a better latch. I used to get a better latch if the baby was always facing the same way because of a bit of neck tightness so I would cross cradle on one side and football on the other.
Thanks!! The LC comes tomorrow. I keep telling myself only one more day! Lol
Natural chemical pregnancy 8/2013 Clomid #1 and #2: BFN IVF 1 :0 to use IVF 2:4 great embryos after PGS testing. FET 1: BFP EDD 6/20/15 Chemical Pregnancy FET 2: BFP EDD 11/14/2015 MMC 9.5 weeks twins IVF #3: 2 fair embryos after PGS testing Surprise BFP during break cycle and DD born 4/2016
Also, try nursing from different holds each time so that her latch affects a different part of your nipple. Lansinoh also sells some soothing gel disks you can try for some relief.
I am not looking forward to the first few weeks of nursing.
Yes. Those gel disks are something else!! So awesome.
Definitely Google the flipple technique. Also not sure if this is part of the flipple technique but I sandwiched my breast in my hand at first to help DS get a deeper latch.
Post by sosayweall on Apr 30, 2016 12:25:48 GMT -5
I had the best luck with the gel disks out of anything, but I actually found the more I let my nipples air dry and the less I put on them the better. I have been doing well so far with that this time.
Post by mrssqueegy on Apr 30, 2016 12:27:53 GMT -5
I wasn't a fan of the gel pads. They made my nipples too wet. I had some serious damage though that took months to heal. I still can see scars on my nipples from the chunks that were missing.
DS (our little Clomid miracle) born Sept. 25, 2012 Baby #2 lost at 8w3d on March 4, 2015 (EDD Oct. 11, 2015) Baby #3 lost at 5w2d on April 16, 2015 (EDD Dec. 15, 2015) Baby #4 lost at 4w1d on May 20, 2015 (EDD Jan. 25, 2016) DS2 (our little rainbow miracle) born May 25, 2016
Post by sosayweall on Apr 30, 2016 12:29:32 GMT -5
Has anyone experienced tongue tie? Baby girl has one, and she doesn't seem to have issues yet breastfeeding and latches well. They are kind of leaving it up to me if I want it clipped. I am leaning toward doing it but I feel guilty if it's not necessary. She has a little notch in her tongue and I haven't seen her move it past her lip so I feel like it might be best.
Last time the LC recommended kind of what ellesea mentioned about holding the breast in your hand. I thought of it more like a taco hold- cup the breast with your hand on bottom so it makes the part near the nipple point out more. Also, lanolin cream worked well for me. After a few weeks he was going a couple of semi-longer stretches and I'd use it then. In between shorter feeds I'd just let them air out.
Has anyone experienced tongue tie? Baby girl has one, and she doesn't seem to have issues yet breastfeeding and latches well. They are kind of leaving it up to me if I want it clipped. I am leaning toward doing it but I feel guilty if it's not necessary. She has a little notch in her tongue and I haven't seen her move it past her lip so I feel like it might be best.
We had one so I got hers clipped in the hospital. I had one that caused me issues until I chose to have it clipped in high school so I was all about having O's clipped. We still have latch issues though.
Natural chemical pregnancy 8/2013 Clomid #1 and #2: BFN IVF 1 :0 to use IVF 2:4 great embryos after PGS testing. FET 1: BFP EDD 6/20/15 Chemical Pregnancy FET 2: BFP EDD 11/14/2015 MMC 9.5 weeks twins IVF #3: 2 fair embryos after PGS testing Surprise BFP during break cycle and DD born 4/2016
Has anyone experienced tongue tie? Baby girl has one, and she doesn't seem to have issues yet breastfeeding and latches well. They are kind of leaving it up to me if I want it clipped. I am leaning toward doing it but I feel guilty if it's not necessary. She has a little notch in her tongue and I haven't seen her move it past her lip so I feel like it might be best.
DS had a tongue tie. No one noticed it until he was a month old and we were having a hard time with nursing still. I brought him to an ENT. It was wicked quick and DS never even cried. I had nursed right before going in, thinking he wouldn't be able to eat after, but he latched on and nursed immediately after. The difference was amazing! I will definitely check this LO before we are even discharged.
Post by helloerrbody on Apr 30, 2016 14:03:48 GMT -5
I'm so sorry westiemom! My nipples were pretty sore and bled some the first week or so and now they are soooo much better. I think part of it is just par for the course - letting them "toughen" up and get used to it. Of course a proper latch is super important as well but even with a good latch I had some minor bleeding and the soreness.
I'm a HUGE fan of the My Brest Friend pillow. It really helps support my arms while I use both hands to breastfeed. Especially since B is so small, I have to hold him up with one arm and use my other hand (same hand as the breast that's nursing - so right breast right hand) to sandwich my breast so he can get almost all of my areola in his mouth.
When my nipples were so bad I used some of my natural birth breathing techniques to get through it lol!! Take really deep breaths and count slowly to 10 as she is first latched to help you make it through the initial worst pain.
Post by mrssqueegy on Apr 30, 2016 14:30:33 GMT -5
DS had a tongue tie that was missed until I found it at 8 weeks after things were going horribly. See above post about chunks of nipple missing. This time the very first thing I'm going to do is check for a tongue tie and get it fixed. I don't think they all need to be clipped, mostly if you are having issues, but it's so much easier to do it when they are just born then when they get older.
DS (our little Clomid miracle) born Sept. 25, 2012 Baby #2 lost at 8w3d on March 4, 2015 (EDD Oct. 11, 2015) Baby #3 lost at 5w2d on April 16, 2015 (EDD Dec. 15, 2015) Baby #4 lost at 4w1d on May 20, 2015 (EDD Jan. 25, 2016) DS2 (our little rainbow miracle) born May 25, 2016
I'm so sorry westiemom! My nipples were pretty sore and bled some the first week or so and now they are soooo much better. I think part of it is just par for the course - letting them "toughen" up and get used to it. Of course a proper latch is super important as well but even with a good latch I had some minor bleeding and the soreness.
I'm a HUGE fan of the My Brest Friend pillow. It really helps support my arms while I use both hands to breastfeed. Especially since B is so small, I have to hold him up with one arm and use my other hand (same hand as the breast that's nursing - so right breast right hand) to sandwich my breast so he can get almost all of my areola in his mouth.
When my nipples were so bad I used some of my natural birth breathing techniques to get through it lol!! Take really deep breaths and count slowly to 10 as she is first latched to help you make it through the initial worst pain.
Thank you! It really helps to read that others dealt with this too. I have been feeling a bit like a failure.
I love my brestfrlend pillow! I couldn't live without it!
Natural chemical pregnancy 8/2013 Clomid #1 and #2: BFN IVF 1 :0 to use IVF 2:4 great embryos after PGS testing. FET 1: BFP EDD 6/20/15 Chemical Pregnancy FET 2: BFP EDD 11/14/2015 MMC 9.5 weeks twins IVF #3: 2 fair embryos after PGS testing Surprise BFP during break cycle and DD born 4/2016
Omg it was horrible. How I managed to push through, I'll never know. Glad I did though. I am having some anxiety thinking about what is going to happen this time.
DS (our little Clomid miracle) born Sept. 25, 2012 Baby #2 lost at 8w3d on March 4, 2015 (EDD Oct. 11, 2015) Baby #3 lost at 5w2d on April 16, 2015 (EDD Dec. 15, 2015) Baby #4 lost at 4w1d on May 20, 2015 (EDD Jan. 25, 2016) DS2 (our little rainbow miracle) born May 25, 2016
Post by mrssqueegy on Apr 30, 2016 18:02:59 GMT -5
If people have really damaged nipples I recommend getting some APNO nipple cream. It's a prescription. Sometimes called Canadian or Dr Newman's nipple cream.
DS (our little Clomid miracle) born Sept. 25, 2012 Baby #2 lost at 8w3d on March 4, 2015 (EDD Oct. 11, 2015) Baby #3 lost at 5w2d on April 16, 2015 (EDD Dec. 15, 2015) Baby #4 lost at 4w1d on May 20, 2015 (EDD Jan. 25, 2016) DS2 (our little rainbow miracle) born May 25, 2016
westiemom DD tore me up in the beginning too. The hospital gave me three tubes of creams to mix and use. I couldn't remember what each one was so I googled it and this is pretty much exactly what I did. Sorry it's from bab.ycenter lol but it's the first one I found.
Has anyone experienced tongue tie? Baby girl has one, and she doesn't seem to have issues yet breastfeeding and latches well. They are kind of leaving it up to me if I want it clipped. I am leaning toward doing it but I feel guilty if it's not necessary. She has a little notch in her tongue and I haven't seen her move it past her lip so I feel like it might be best.
Ry had his clipped on Monday. It had made a huge difference! I would personally recommend doing it - my LO didn't really cry too much and it didn't bleed barely at all
Im frustrated because E doesnt seem very good at latching. I know it is still very early, but I already feel chapped. Also I took fir granted that the hospital would have nipple cream and my minimalist self didnt pack any... Im going to have my sister bring some today because the idea of none until 6pm when hopefully we get discharged sounds bad.
Also, the hospital has LCs every day except Sunday. What is that?! I will meet with one Tuesday, but come on! Everyone has stressed the importance of the first few days that it stresses me out!
Post by thehockeylady on May 1, 2016 7:37:31 GMT -5
PAruby525 sorry about the chapped-ness and that's really frustrating about the timing! (Bc women obv can just not have babies on Saturdays so they wouldn't need LCs on Sundays).
Not sure if colostrum works like breast milk but maybe try to express some and leave on your exposed nip to get some relief.
Im frustrated because E doesnt seem very good at latching. I know it is still very early, but I already feel chapped. Also I took fir granted that the hospital would have nipple cream and my minimalist self didnt pack any... Im going to have my sister bring some today because the idea of none until 6pm when hopefully we get discharged sounds bad.
Also, the hospital has LCs every day except Sunday. What is that?! I will meet with one Tuesday, but come on! Everyone has stressed the importance of the first few days that it stresses me out!
I couldn't see a lactation consultant until day 3. I was so pissed! Apparently they were too busy. We aren't the best latches either but it's still working out. Hang in there. I know it's hard.
Natural chemical pregnancy 8/2013 Clomid #1 and #2: BFN IVF 1 :0 to use IVF 2:4 great embryos after PGS testing. FET 1: BFP EDD 6/20/15 Chemical Pregnancy FET 2: BFP EDD 11/14/2015 MMC 9.5 weeks twins IVF #3: 2 fair embryos after PGS testing Surprise BFP during break cycle and DD born 4/2016
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