hi ladies just really needing a lil vent feeling bit down at the moment sad
my DD2 is 2 wks tommorow and ive been trying to push through the pain when breast feeding. my nipples are cracked and grazed and just really sore. i went and got some nipple sheilds to try with her but she didnt seem to like them and wouldnt suck proply and got frustrated cause she was hungry.
so my hubby went n got a bottle and i expressed 60ml from one side and gave her it in a bottle and she drank it al in 1 go.

im just feeling a bit down n dissapointed with myself that im not giving her my boob. i really want to breast feed but its just really painfull and has been for over a wk and every time she feeds it reopens the cracks. with DD1 i had the same thing and got to point where i was in tears latching her on so put her on the bottle after 8 days and expressed my milk for her for over 4 wks. i just really dont want to have to explain to everyone why im doing it and justifying my reasons. so just having a bit of a cry thinking bout it all.

well thats my lil vent - feels better to say how im feeling

Do you have a nipple cream? It can make the world of difference to have a good one. I recommend lasinoh or marcalan. Also try to have some bra free time after each feed. I was still gritting my teeth through feeds up until about 10 weeks. If I'd had a bottle here I might've caved and expressed too. I did have some damage on one side worse than the other so I just hand expressed the damaged side to keep it comfortable and only fed baby from theother side for 24 hrs to give the graze time to heal. Was heaps better after that.
Try to limit the expressing and bottle feeding as much as possible in these early weeks. I know it hurts like crazy and you probably dread every feed time, but just take each day and know that each day of breastfeeding is a step closer to it getting easier.
I heard someone suggest once (might've been another huggies member, can't remember) put all the bottles in a bag and put them somewhere out of reach - boot of the car, back shed, kids cubby anywhere that isn't really easy to grab them out on the spur of the moment when you're feeling weak (and sore). Best of luck, hope you heal up quickly smile

OUCH! you poor thing i know exactly how you feel but dont beat yourself up, she is still getting breastmilk and that's the most important thing, is there a nipple that is more damaged than the other and does the whole feed hurt or is it just when she first latches. Creams, lotions, shields ect none of them worked at all for me, the best thing was making sure i had a good latch and that involved quite a few trips to the breastfeeding day stay at the hospital which was fantastic and after a feed using a small amount of breastmilk on the nipple and letting them air dry, spend as much time as possible topless, this will prevent infection in the cracks and will also promote healing, i would also recommend since you sound very stressed just breastfeeding every second feed and expressing for the others, this should then give your nipples time to heal but at the same time making sure bubs is still breastfeeding often enough to get the hang of it.

Dont give up and it doenst sound like you want to, i promise you that it will get better and after a few weeks 4-8 you will have a wonderful breastfeeding relationship

I know what your going through venting is good
dont feel bad you will be able to breastfeed
dont use the creams they soften the nipple making it more likely to crack again.
Use BREASTMILK only.....I had to find out the hard way. dont wear a bra if you dont have to or use soft pads in bra.
dont wash nipples with soap.
I used guards it was good while it worked but confused DD when I took them off.
if you have cracked nipples you need to get help.
go the the health centre I did and they showed me how to get her on with no pain.
even with cracked nipples i didnt hurt becuase she was on right.

trust me get help i did ...
its the hardest thing ever but once you get it than its so easy
your a good muma stay hopefull and you will get it and its beautiful to be able to feed your baby on the booby!!! PP it took my little girl a while before she figured out how to suck properly...get her tongue checked too may be short or need a snip!!

I hear you!

My DS2 is 2 weeks today and my nipples have been so sore as well, I was doing well with feeding in hospital but fell in a hole when we got home, I was nearly crying every feed it hurt so much and the bleeding too. I am using a nipple shield (which I used all the time with DS1 and I fed fulltime for 6 months) which has helped alot but I need to make sure he's sucking on it properly. I am hoping I will be able to get him to attach without it soon (but am so nervous about that too!)
The milk idea it a great one and what I use, I just let the nipples air dry after each feed.

I don't have any other advice but just wanted to let you know that you're not alone, I hope it gets better for you

Do you have a nipple cream? It can make the world of difference to have a good one.

I used paw paw cream and it was brilliant! It slightly heals the wounds before the next feed. I cannot imagine breastfeeding in the early days without a nipple cream, it would be horrendous!

I know how u feel!!! You poor thing!!! U kno they always leave out that part when they talk to you about pros and cons for breastfeeding and bottle feeding. With my first I remember my nipples hurt for about 6 weeks! And they kept saying it will get better once you stabilize blah blah blah. I used to dread feed times. I'm almost at my EDD with no.2 and I'm planning on breastfeeding again but I'm still dreading the sore nipples!!!!

Hi i had the same problem with my son i was determined not to give up and caused lots of tears and arguments with everyone who tried to tell me to feed him with formula all i can say is my electric breast pump saved my sanity i fed him of expressed milk from 2weeks till 2 1/2 months when i gave the breast another go and he had grown enough that his mouth was bigger and caused a lot less pain until my nipples got used to it i continued to express and feed him from a bottle at night cause he slept a lot better i also used breast disk thingies not sure what their called but i got them from the chemist and they where like gel things they where great really helped me out if its what you want i persevered and fed him till he was 11 1/2 months when it got to much feeding and being preg with our second good luck i hope u can sort and the best of luck with your little girl and as for you explaining to everyone its none of their business your and your daughters health is the most important thing ever and remember if you cant do it formula is the next best thing and lots of babies grow to be happy healthy people of it

With DD2 my let-down pain was excruciating for weeks.

With DS I had cracks and grazes but no letdown pain, they had completely settled by 3 weeks. I left my boobs out for a bit after every feed to air and then put Lansinoh cream on as I packed them away.

Also expressed the occassional feed just to rest them.

Might also be worth trying to see a baby nurse or someone similar to check attatchment etc.

DS had a tongue tie and was unable to feed once my supply settled. I expressed when possible for a few months until my supplied dwindled, feeding alternate expressed and formula feeds.

Try to persevere for a bit longer - I found each of my three bubs so different.

thanks for advice ladies smile
i went and saw a lactation consultant today and was really helpfull, she said my technique and her latching is great and i have a forcefull letdown so when my milks pouring into her mouth she puts her tounge up (no tounge tie either) to stop it and makes the clicking sound when she does it thats caused the damage on my nipples. she took swabs to just to check for any infection but she said she doesnt think there is.
also she said because i ahve big boobs her mouth is small and cant take in enough tissue aswell as nipple she may just ahve to grow a bit before it gets better

ive been using the paw paw ointment but the lady told me that the lansinoh is the best and or expressed milk and airy drying after.

feels better letting my nipples have a break for a day and a half have healed a bit more so will see how it goes in the next few days

So glad to hear things have improved a bit since ur first post....few things..
I had shocking cracked nipples with DS, some even healed open so my nipples r a weird shape...anyway,..in the end i tried laser treatment and it helped heaps with the healing time!
This time around bub only caused some pretty severe grazing and i found the creams did nothing but hydrogel breast pads were life savers, had it all healed up in a few days, i used 'rite aid' ones, dame brand as the breast pads i use...might be worth a shot!

Hang in there,! X