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BR: breastfeeding help (possibly a little TMI, sorry)
I know there's a whole breastfeeding board on the Bump (and I know that not everyone loves baby related posts) but I hope you'll forgive me for posting this here...I guess I just feel most comfortable with you ladies, and you all know the struggle I've been having with BF'ing, so I'm hoping some of you will have some insights that will help.
Lately, my nipple soreness has gotten pretty bad and I don't know what to do about it. The boys are latching just fine, so that's not the issue - I think it's got more to do with the frequency the ole boobs are being used more than anything else. Because I'm desperately trying to BF twins, the girls are seeing a lot more action than the average nursing-a-singleton pair do, and frankly I think my poor nipples are just about getting chafed off my boobs.
So between the nursing sessions (which generally last ~30 min, with both boobs being used the whole time, of course) and the constant pumping between feeds (~20 min per boob, and yes the flanges are correctly fitted), my nipples have really started to hurt, to the point where I've started to completely dread nursing/pumping...which in turn means I'm tense and stressed instead of relaxed, which then means that the nursing/pumping takes even longer and my nipples hurt even worse. (I use Lasinoh by the bucketload but even though it helps it's not a magic potion.)
I don't know what to do to break this cycle. I can't give my boobs a break or the supply I've worked so hard to build will drop (and it still isn't anywhere near enough to feed both boys - it's more like 1/2-2/3 of their needs, although that's better than nothing I guess). I really don't know what to do, and I've been near tears with this all day today. I want so badly to BF my boys but I'm beginning to hate this whole process and the pain is starting to get to me. Does anyone have any ideas?
Re: BR: breastfeeding help (possibly a little TMI, sorry)
:::hugs:::
i don't know first hand but my mommy friends have described this exact same thing. from what i hear, your nipples will toughen up after ~6wks.
have you tried lucas papaw ointement? i heard it works awesome on chafed nipples from breastfeeding.
I haven't - I'll have to see if I can find it, thank you!
You can find Lucas PaPaw at pretty much every supermarket or pharmacy, hon. It's good stuff. I use it as a lip mooisturizer, for my nipples in the early days of breastfeeding etc.
If you're not already doing it, squeeze some breastmilk out after each feed and rub it around your nipples. Let the milk dry on your nipples and then put Lasinoh or Lucas PaPaw Ointment on 10 mins later.
Other than that, hugs to you too. Breastfeeding is tough in the beginning for ONE bebeh...two would be freaking tough! If you can, persist with it hon...it will get easier once you establish good milk supply for the both of them and the latch on pain stops (usually around 6 weeks).
I swear I wasn't trying to insinuate that we're cows, even though it sometimes feels that way! Scuse the pun
Btw, Lucas PaPaw Ointment comes in a red tube or tub.
http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://healthflame-pharmacy.com/content_images/2/papaw.jpg&imgrefurl=http://healthflame-pharmacy.com/blogs/7/The-Story-Behind-The-Original-Lucas-Paw-Paw-Ointment.html&h=384&w=480&sz=42&tbnid=hJladwI1VKGJeM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlucas%2Bpaw%2Bpaw%2Bointment&hl=en&usg=__maJhoUaab1DIeIUIBjUBLMwYYtE=&ei=vrTqS9KmH47c7APsqYTACg&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=4&ct=image&ved=0CDkQ9QEwAwOh honey, I am sorry. I had toe curling pain until about 4-5 weeks in...what helped me a ton was those Gel Soothies Sarah recommended...I basically wore them when I wasn't nursing:
http://www.lansinoh.com/products/soothies-by-lansinoh-gel-pads
If you cannot find these perhaps just chilling regular breast pads and using them might work?
I guess all I can say is to hang in there, it does get better. I had nipple pain but now cracking/bleeding, etc. so I also just figured it was from "all the action." Now, I barely feel anything when I nurse or pump (and it's certainly not painful). I hope it might go faster for you since you're basically doing double (or triple with the pumping) the work that those of us with a singleton does.
TTC/PG Blog | Mommy Blog
I'm sorry.
I had toe curling pain at the initial latch for about 4 weeks on my right and 6 weeks on my left (probably did more initial damage to the left).
I never liked those soothies b/c unpeeling them was painful. The initial cooling rush was great though. I used the dome sheild things Christine was talking about. I know they sell them at Babies R Us but that doesn't help you much. I got mine from the LC at the hospital so maybe your LC might have some.
Are you positive they are latching correctly for the entire feed? Sometimes Jack would get lazy and with each suck he would move his lips out so it would quickly be wearing on my nipples only. Telltale sign was a horizontal crease across the breast by the nipple. OUCH when I think about that now. Everything I ever read really talked about the latch being a main cause. Even these days (especially the feed directly after giving Jack a bottle) I experience a little pain because Jack doesn't open his mouth wide enough so his bottom lip isn't curved out. We have to just keep relatching until I can see both bottom and top lip are curling out. Can your husband check to see if the boys are doing that too? (I know I could never tell because I couldn't see the bottom lip. For the first little bit I just made it standard to slightly press on his chin to get him to open wide. That seemed to help.
my pedi recommended this, except she said you could mix some of the breastmilk w/the lanolin before rubbing it on your nipples.... honestly i only have one baby but miss A has marathon nursing sessions, always has, even since she was tiny...so i can kind of relate to what you saying since she was on the boob ALL.THE.TIME in those early days (and now). since you are home i would honestly recommend walking around topless and letting them air out and heal whenever possible. other than that, just time unfortunately. like i told you before, in the beginning it's soooo hard not to want to quit every time you nurse b/c it's so painful. i was anxious before each nursing session too b/c i just anticipated the pain...it was awful. just hang in there, sorry it isn't easier. *hugs*
Jaime & Brent
Oahu, Hawaii | Sept. 9, 2005
My Food Blog - Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
BF'ing is so hard and when you're not sleeping, it's even harder. I had a tough time with it. Honestly. It sucked. I wish people warned me about that. I did both BF and bottle for 3 months and once Ben got teeth, I had to stop. Being in pain, tears and dreading it was awful. It wasn't good for either of us. Do what's best for you guys. And don't let other people judge you. I had a male neighbour who asked me two weeks after Ben was born how the BF was going. I wanted to punch him. That still creeps me out to this day.
If you want to continue BFing, I think that's awesome. Especially for two, I can't believe how tough that would be. I know how much it hurts. I wish I had an easy answer and a big hug for you.
Lots of hugs.
Unfortunately, I think the pain is normal & like pp said, you may just have to wait it out. I would actually think that since you are using them more than if you had one baby, the pain would go away faster?? Eventually they just get numb. Yikes.
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Not cracked or bleeding, just incredibly sore, which is why I figure it's from overstimulation and not bad latch, etc.
Oh is that what the stuff in the red tube is! I knew the name was familiar, but I've never tried it.
Yeah, I'm 99% positive that they are, and LCs have always said they're fine throughout the feed. I watch for the "Special K" lips to make sure - that their mouth is in the same position as the curvy part of the "K" in the Special K logo:
I don't know how long I will continue. I'm being totally honest right now. I WANT to do this, but truthfully, I'm exhausted.
If I'm not nursing, I'm pumping, and I feel like I never get to actually enjoy my babies or enjoy being a mama - I feel like literally all I ever do is worry about feeding them. I really love the closeness of breastfeeding, but I don't know if I can do it - I certainly don't know how much longer I can go on like this with the feeding/pumping. (I have a one month goal, which is mid next-week, so we're going to review our options then and decide if we want to persevere or not.)
I know it has to be really tough. Even with just one baby my nipples were constantly hurting (which is why I spent so much time talking with an LC). Air drying and not letting anything touch them was the best "remedy"
my last response to your post was right before I took a shower so then I was thinking about it more and remembered for the first few weeks I couldn't even wrap the towel around my boobs. I blotted them dry with a soft old t-shirt and then just wrapped the towel around my waist. I can't even remember what that pain felt like when I think about it now, but know it was pretty bad!
I'm sad for you that you feel this way! I at times, felt the same and I was only nursing ONE baby!! I felt like I was always feeding and when I wasn't, other people were wanting to hold her when really I just wanted to hold her and love her and look at her sweet face... it's different when you are nursing, its not like you are just focused on your babes... you are focused on nursing and how it feels and the amt of milk and the latch, the list goes on!
As for what to do, soothies for sure!! Also I do NOT recommend the Lansinoh brand. I recommend the medela brand, it's easier to apply and felt better at least for me.
Also walking around topless is ideal, I mean let those ladies get some fresh air!
Ben will enjoy that for sure!
Good luck! I admire you for nursing two babes, even if it's one day or one month, or one year, it's a big deal! It's work, hard work. In the end, do what makes you happy. Set a small goal (like you did with the one month), if you reach it and you want to re-evaluate it maybe do that at 6 weeks and see where you are... Get some rest and enjoy those boys!
Man Lisa, you can't catch a break girl! I second what the PPs have said about rubbing breast milk on you nipples and letting them air dry. I was having TONS of pain until I started doing this. All those creams are crap IMO. Now it feels great when Ryan feeds, NOT sexual or anything but kind of like after you finally sneeze, that kind of thing. My nipples don't hurt from him at all anymore. Pumping is still uncomfortable though. I'm pumping all the time because I'm trying to build up a stash of 150 oz's before I go back to work since I will be gone up to four days at a time.
Good luck, hang in there