Breast shields - will they help?
Just looking for some advice on breast shields.
Baby SC is exclusively breastfed, but after feeding almost constantly for 24hrs on Sunday my nipples are cracked and bleeding. It's agony getting him latched on, and even once he is sucking properly it is still painful. Until today it was brearable, but it's now reached the stage where feeding is almost unbearable.
We bought breast shields today to see if that helps, but not sure what effect it has on breast feeding? Does anyone have any experience? I'm about to phone the breastfeeding helpline for some advice, but my H is changing the baby at the moment so I don't want to phone while he is screaming (the baby, not my H).
I know that in theory my nipples will harden, but I'm not sure I can continue feeding until that happens. I've been using lansinoh since the first feed, but its not helping.
Any advice?
Replies
Have you been using lanolin cream? I'm sure that's helped my nipples loads ESP at the beginning when they were cracked.
No experience if shields though sorry
Hope it clears soon xx
I know I rant and rant about this but with that much trauma on your nips he needs checking for tongue tie. Trauma to
Mums nips are classic sign, phone the helpline and they might do a home visit, if not what support is there in the area. Iirc I'm sure one of meggies babies had a tt so see where she went for support. Its all easily fixable lovely. In the meantime nipple shields might do the trick, also try the rugby ball hold too.
See if you can get out to a bf group with Lactation consultant , d is fine to go with you.
Lucas had anterior tt and my nips were f*cking killed but as soon as it was fixed all was fine. Just get it checked. Try lasinoh to but don't lather it on just a little as he might slide off and cause more trauma.
Does he make a clicking noise when he feeds? Is he windy? Is the start if his tongue heart shaped?
Txt me if needed xxx
In my experience absolutely YES, they helped us loads. I used them for a few days until I felt able to feed without them.
I won't lie, it was excruciating and the pain lasted (although lessening) for a few weeks.
Am I glad I continued? Yes I am. It will get better. I'm assuming you've had all the other things checked... tongue tie, proper latch etc (am sure someone with more knowledge will be along).
I only managed to continue with the support on here - I hope it starts feeling better soon x
Thanks for the replies
LM - I'm using lansinoh but its not making much difference.
CP - he does have a TT but the midwife said it wouldn't affect his feeding - we are going to chase up a referral though and I willspeak to Meggy. He does often make a clickynoise wen feeding, and seems to bring a lotof milk back up. He is getting plenty though as we have loads of wet nappies. I'm not sure what the TT looks like.
SAISI- i definitely want to continue - we've got through the past few days in hospital with jaundice and dehydration so I'm not giving up now.
I've sent H out for some sterilising tablets so we can try the breast shields at the next feed,the BF helpline said they won't hurt in the short term and may help him get better latch as the problem is more likely the TT than a supply problem (I'm having to express before feeds to soften my breasts).
The helpline also suggested lying him on me while slouched on the sofa to see if he can find his own latch so I might try that too.
O definitely! That's fab when you watch it, it's called 'the bio natural hold' I actually couldn't bare to have L anywhere hear me as the pain was horrific so the lactation consultant said lie back, gave him in the middle with just a nappy on and me topless and just watch what he did and he just found the boob himself
was so strange to see but lovely.
It sounds anterior with the clicking and it is now interfering with feeding due to pain so definitely get it checked, I guarantee that u will definitely notice the difference. L improved immediately but isaacs was posterior and more subtle and not as much trauma but it took a week to improve.
You are doing fab, get the shields on and get them to re check it. Xx
Supply sounds fine lovely, express a bit off (you can keep this too) and then your let down wont be as fast and he can get on with feeding. Tts are the work of the devil, apparently hereditary and more common in boys, my h has one and 3 uncles and I totally blame the whole family
Have checked with D and che does think TT looks like that. Baby was fed at 8 so is due another about 11 - going o try that. Meggy is visiting tomorow and she is gong to give me the number of the BF counsellor that helped her.
so can i literally just lie on the sofa with baby on me and see what he does?
Yes but lie propped up, put him in middle kind of stood up and just see what he does, might not be better but hopefully might be.
I can totally sympathise with pain and think ur doing fab to keep going with it xxxx
Also if he has tt then make sure you are emptying boobs after a feed to prevent mastitis. So massage the boobs in the bath etc to make sure they are emptying.
If you do end up using shields, just to say that I used them with F for about 3 months, I couldn't get her to latch otherwise. I heard it can effect supply but I was expressing as well and had a lot of milk, as it sounds like you do, and it didn't cause any problems. It got us through a tricky start and, once we figured out the latch we fed successfully without them long term
Definitely try the laid back position, it's amazing what they do. Just slouch back on the sofa so that you are comfy, support him gently around his waist to stop him falling off but let him find his own latch. He'll bob around for a bit and then once he's found it he'll be off. I was shown this at a BF group that I went to in desperation and we've never looked back.
I've no advice re. TT or shields but I hope it gets better for you soon.
WCPS about getting checked for Tt. Nipple shields helped us but for different reasons. I'd recommend decent ones though. We got the medela ones.
WCPS - you need to get the TT sorted ASAP. In the meantime also google flipple and deep latch technique - both helped us when waiting for TT referral.
I had crater cracks and in the end we just had to feed through the pain. I'd cry and curse when he latched on for every feed for a while! By 6 weeks my nips were totally normal again. It was hard going but it does get better.
I'm sure N had an undiagnosed tongue tie so please push for a referral.
Nipple shields didn't work for us as N jut didn't like them but worth a try if it gives ur nips a break. Breast milk on the cracks helps and the nipple rinse here: kellymom.com/.../nipplehealing
HTH x
Just wanted to come back on and say thanks for all the advice. I did all the night feeds propped up in bed with him on my stomach finding his own latch last night, and it was a massive improvement. Still painful initially, but I'm assuming its going to be as my nipples are so cracked and raw. My H did think that they looked better, and a more normal shape when baby came off them too, so that's good. Going to chase midwife up for referral today, and Meggy is coming to visit so is going to give me the number of the BF counsellor she used.
I've wached the you tube video for the flipple/deep latch technique. At the moment my boobs are too hard to do it that way, I can't get them to 'flip' in, although they should soften in a few days. The midwife yesterday thought it was partly because my milk came in so fast with having to feed constantly for 24 hours. Used breast shells this morning to prevent rubbing on my clothes and they had filled with milk within 10 minutes - I'm not even in the same room as baby, he is in the bedroom with my H at the moment.
CP- how do I know they are properly empty. I'm feeding off the first breast until he comes off himself, then I'm hand expressing the nipple, to see if I can get anything else out. We are then winding him, and putting him on the second breast. He's generally feeding 15-20 mins from the first one, then 5-10 minutes from the second. I thought I didn't need to empty the second one, as I feed from it first next time - is that right?
Obviously I'll be asking the BF counsellor all these things too, but any advice in the meantime is appreciated.
No advice sorry sc but just wanted to say well done sounds like you are doing really well, oh and CP can you come and live with me for a few weeks when my baby is born please?!!