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OW! Any tips?
Hi ladies
Olyvia was slightly premature so we had a bit of a difficult start with BF'ing. Until this last week she would only feed off my left breast and I've been expressing from the right one to keep the milk supply there.
However, this week I managed to get her to feed from the right side and was SO pleased! But now my right nipple is SO painful when she feeds. She looks like she's latched on properly and the nipple isn't cracked or anything but it is really sore.
I am currently trying to do every 3rd feed from it (everyother was too painful) but even this is becoming too much and the pain makes me feel ill. I'm using Lansinoh cream on it but it doesn't seem to be doing anything as the skin isn't actually sore/cracked.
I'm wondering if it's because my right breast hasn't gradually got used to a stronger suck on it? Expressing just isn't the same and perhaps the skin on that nipple isn't 'tough'? Also, because I haven't been using it for BF'ing, only expressing, there isn't as much milk as on the left side and the flow is much slower so I think Olyvia has to such much harder than on the other side.
I don't know what to do...the pain is so bad but I don't know if I should just really try and persevere on that side too to try and toughen up the skin? It just seems to be getting more and more sore after each feed
Any help much appreciated.
Love NN and Olyvia xxx
Olyvia was slightly premature so we had a bit of a difficult start with BF'ing. Until this last week she would only feed off my left breast and I've been expressing from the right one to keep the milk supply there.
However, this week I managed to get her to feed from the right side and was SO pleased! But now my right nipple is SO painful when she feeds. She looks like she's latched on properly and the nipple isn't cracked or anything but it is really sore.
I am currently trying to do every 3rd feed from it (everyother was too painful) but even this is becoming too much and the pain makes me feel ill. I'm using Lansinoh cream on it but it doesn't seem to be doing anything as the skin isn't actually sore/cracked.
I'm wondering if it's because my right breast hasn't gradually got used to a stronger suck on it? Expressing just isn't the same and perhaps the skin on that nipple isn't 'tough'? Also, because I haven't been using it for BF'ing, only expressing, there isn't as much milk as on the left side and the flow is much slower so I think Olyvia has to such much harder than on the other side.
I don't know what to do...the pain is so bad but I don't know if I should just really try and persevere on that side too to try and toughen up the skin? It just seems to be getting more and more sore after each feed
Any help much appreciated.
Love NN and Olyvia xxx
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Replies
It's difficult to say about attachment without seeing a feed in person, but this is the most common cause of nipple pain, is there a breastfeeding support group near you or do you have a MW or HV you can call?
With regards to flow, you could always use warm flannels and just hand express a little if you want until you get the milk going, this would probably cause Olyvia to be less frantic at the breast. If your worried that your supply may actually be down from that breast you could also try using a nursing supplementer
http://www.medela.co.uk/UK/breastfeeding/products/nursing.php
http://www.expressyourselfmums.co.uk/details1.asp/ProductID/292/sid/26/Medela-Supplemental-Nursing-System
which is basically a bag with a tiny tube that you fill with milk, expressed or formula, and pop it into babys mouth whilst feeding at your breast. This ensures baby is getting enough milk and also keeps them on the breast, in turn stimulating your breasts to produce more milk so you should only need to use it as a temporary step. Here is a video with a bit more information.
http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=13
But if you have a breastfeeding group near you and your able to go i would deffiantly reccomend it, when my DD was younger i had trouble feeding her from my right side - and i thought my latch was correct but it turned out it wasn't - it didn't need much adjusting - but it made a lot of difference!!
Let me know how you get on, and well done for keeping on! xxxxx