In other words if you're a guy, this blog posts NOT for you! I breastfed Carter for a whopping 13 months, but we got off to a really rough start. I was so sure that this time would be different. I just knew that things would go so much smoother. I was wrong. The last 10 days have been painful and I've thought more than once, "sure would be easy to just make a bottle". I think the issue was an improper latch initially (Carter's problem as well) and by the time I corrected it I has some nice sore "ninnies" as Carter likes to call them. Cracks in places there should not be cracks make feeding your baby like entering a torture chamber every few hours.
I think at this point things are looking up. But, being that so many of you are moms I thought what better place to ask for a little advice. What are your thoughts, tips, and pointers for getting through the "early stages" of breastfeeding. I'm determined not to give up, knowing that once you break through it really is an experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. So Ma-Ma's I'm all ears...
22 comments:
Lilly Padz. The best nursing pads of all time.
Give in to smelling like milk and changing clothes every few hours. I got cloth nursing pads to replace the disposables because I hated the paper strips you had to peel off the back and the bunching that happened even when they started out properly adhered to my clothing. That actually made a big difference. And keep reminding yourself how quickly this will pass. Soon, you will find yourself breastfeeding an efficient and wiggly baby and cracked nipples will be a thing of the past. Instead, you'll be wrestling Emme to keep her underneath your Hooter Hiders while you try to order dinner from the already-not-sure-where-to-look college guy waiter! Not that I'm speaking from experience ; ). Hang in there, Beth. You really are almost past the hard part!
The first month of breastfeeding was absolutely exhausting for me, but it's so much better now! I would cringe and nearly cry everytime it was time for them to eat. Now they're done in like 10-15 minutes, they're great at it, it's so much more convenient, no soreness, etc. You'll get to that point, just hang in there! Oh yeah...try to rub breastmilk on your nipples after each feeding and let them airdry. That should help with the cracks.
I thought breast feeding was wonderful (being free and so convenient, that is)....until later on. Caleb did great and I had no problems until around 6 months or so. Then, for whatever reason, I think he did the improper latch thing too. I thought my nipple was being ripped off! I started having the red, cracking thing too, so I just layered on the Lansinoh Lanolin and it felt like heaven. I pretty much put it on after he fed everytime and it got alot better. I did end up having to get a nipple guard (until it got much better) and that relieved a lot of pain.....that is until I got mastitis and was in sobbing tears at almost every feeding. Then I went to the dr., got medicine and started weaning him off (around 9 months)! :o) Ahh, the joys of motherhood!
Oh yah, one more thing. If you can get some clear, silicone pads that you can just wash off and reuse time after time, those worked wonders for me. They stay cool somehow and really relived pain.
I pumped the first few weeks while we were fixing our latch problem:) She always had milk and we would practice with the breast for a while and then I would give her what I had pumped. I also would slather myself with the lanoline(sp?)after everytime and never had a crack!
I used bactrin (sp?). It's an antiobiotic ointment but not neosporin. A lactation consultant told me to get it because I had the same problem at first. It made a HUGE difference. The Lanolin didn't help too much for me, I think I was past that point. The lactation consultant said that you need an antibiotic ointment because if they're cracked you can get germs in there which makes it worse. I just put it on before and after each feeding and after a few times it was like night and day! I hope it gets better, sooner than later :)
Beth,
I'm so sorry it's not Bactrin! It's Bacitracin Zinc ointment USP, hope this helps.
Lanolin helped a lot for me- I'm sure you've heard of it or used it before. I didn't have much pain or trouble with Charlie, but those early days I think are hard for everyone. Hang in there!!! You are almost to the easy part, and way to go for sticking it out. It will sooooo be worth it in the end!!
Beth, every child is different. With my first one I used the silicone pads (reusable) and I kept them in the fridge and felt so good and used Lansinoh (sp) after each feeding. I did pump for the first 2 months though...it hurt really bad at the beginning but I kept trying and after that was a smooth sail!!!
With the second one I had to pump for 9 months because he was such a slow eater that I couldn't do it and his latch was not good...but he got breast milk nonetheless. Just keep trying and see what really works for you and Emme!
See you,
I found aggressive rocking in the rocking chair while mouthing all the most flagrant curse words (which I would never say in real life) to be helpful in getting thru the first weeks. Lanolin is great in between nursing (lactation consultants tell you to express a little milk onto your sore nipple after nursing and let it dry, then apply the pure lanolin, and p.s. never use soap on your nipples when you are nursing) but there is nothing like a few F-bombs to get you thru the moment =)
There is no way around it. It just sucks, no pun intended, for the first few weeks and then when you think you can't possibly take this pain for one more feeding *poof* you have nipples of steel! You can do it! Having breastfed before and now bottles with the twins, I can tell you from experience that in the long run breastfeeding is soooo much easier and convenient.
Weird that Im commenting since Ive never spoken to you in person (but I know Nathan:) and blog stalk! Im a NICU nurse and want everyone to be succesful at BFing so... Make your own concoction of: An antibacterial ointment, lotriman, and hydrocortisone cream (u can use generic). The hydrocortisone reduces inflammation, antifungal and antibacterial take care of the "bugs" that will cause mastitis. Keep your pads and "ninnies" as dry as possible to prevent yeast from growing. You do have to wipe (dab;)) it off before nursing bc it taste pretty bad. This SAVED me while nursing my two sons! We and our lactation nurses pass this recipe out to our NICU moms too! I hope this helps and I will keep you in my prayers.
Lanolin and lily padz!!! Good luck!
Good luck - I remember the first couple of weeks with Austin (ouch!). Be careful about pumping to bottlefeed... Austin didn't have trouble with nipple confusion, but Logan does. I had to do pump & make bottles with Logan because I wasn't producing enough milk. By the time I'd gotten a better milk supply (thanks to pumping & Fenugreek), Logan had gotten used to the bottle and didn't want to nurse. He's almost completely weaned now and he's barely over two months :(
Thanks so much girls for all the advice!! I think sometimes it just helps to know others have gone through the same thing...it's been over four years since I did this and I'm beginning to think I definitely forgot the pain that went along with a lot of "baby stuff"! Shannon, you made me die laughing. You just described me perfectly, something feels so wrong about holding your sweet babies head in one hand a wanting to scream profanities!! Glad to know I'm not the only one that's felt that way! :) Y'all are awesome...thank you!
Soothies(I think they might be the same as Lily Padz) in the fridge and Medela's lanolin stuff. I used Lansinoh with Will but they'd just come out with the Medela version with Claire and it wasn't as sticky. I agree with Shannon, the profanities help too...it's so painful but so worth it. I think I've washed about 10 bottles since Claire was born. Good luck!
crying. a good cry before every feed always helped me! :-) (no, i seriously remember crying and when my hubby asked me why i was crying i told him that i didn't want to feed my baby because it hurt too bad) :-/
i think that no matter what kind of experience you have, the first few weeks are just tough for everyone! i had absolutely no problems with either of my girls and no latching problems with either. and it still hurt like heck!! with ellie i had a little bit of cracking at the beginning due to me pulling her off wrong at first, so with clara i was SO careful to avoid that--thinking that's what caused the majority of the pain--and i was successful and had absolutely no bleeding or cracking with clara and it STILL HURT for almost a month. so rest assured that it's gonna hurt no matter what. i think most people just forget that it hurts so badly at the beginning since it lasts for such a short time and then the bliss of motherhood causes us to forget. unlike you, i didn't have 4 years to forget--only 20 months and it was so fresh on my mind. the second time around was EXACTLY how i remembered the first time around and i truly think the only thing that truly heals those boobies is sweet, precious TIME! sorry hun!
but the good news is that you're SO CLOSE to being past the worst of it! hang in there and major kudos for sticking with it!!
and in the meantime, you do have lanolin and lilly padz to make it a little bit better. hopefully!
Hot wet washcloth right before nursing to soften up the cracked nips. Good luck girl!
I was pretty sore when Raleygh first started nursing too. My super wonderful mother-in-law works at a pharmacy and her job is to compound...which means that she basically makes medicine. She whipped me up some "TRIPLE NIPPLE" cream...which is 3 things that I can't remember but it helped the soreness/bleeding that I was experiencing. They were all prescribed by the doctor as being safe for "ninnies". I was actually just putting together a little gift box for Emme and Carter. I'll put a little of this cream in the box for you, so it should arrive sometime this week. I hope that it helps. It helped me! Hang in there, girl! Ma-Ma Sisterhood thinking of you!!!
Having had 4 years to forget all the pain of it also, I too, had a VERY rough first month or so. BUT, persevere, knowing it will get better! I don't threaten to quit breastfeeding every day anymore! :)
I had the same problem with both of my boy's. I was at a lactation consultant within 1 day of being home the first time around. I was told to use a silicone nipple (medela makes one) until my "ninnies" would heal. I also used a combination of Lansinoh and neosporin because you don't want them to get even more cracked and infected. Good luck!
Just hang in there and remember that you are a seasoned ma ma veteran, and you and Emme will figure this out, too. I kind of figured Will and I would start where Maeve and I left off -- so sorry it's not that easy!!! Take care!
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