How To Breastfeed With Sensitive Nipples?

[Anonymous]

Title sums it up.

Backstory: I have always had extremely sensitive nipples from onset of puberty. They get aggravated and irritated if stimulated for too long. They will start to feel sore and bruised ( without a visible bruise) and it becomes painful. They are also flat and not very large. Breastfeeding has been very harsh and painful. I've had to use cold/hot heating pads 24/7 almost.

I'm EBF a tiny new human ( my first time) and it has been difficult. I feel like I'm constantly sore/in pain. He's almost 2 weeks old and I nurse him so long/so often that I feel I might have a breakdown if things don't get better. He's eating roughly 10-12 times a day for 20-45 minutes at a time. I pump 2-3 times a day, on top of nursing, because I make a lot of milk. Pumping has been more comfortable for me, but it's so time consuming. I've been to multiple ILBCS and they all say give it time, but I feel this won't get better given my history. I don't want to give up on breastfeeding, I just want to make it more comfortable.

[Anonymous]

Nipple shield.

[Anonymous]

Nipple shield for during nursing. They aren’t ideal but you can totally use them indefinitely. Silverettes are silver cups that you wear when not nursing. I never tried them but heard they help. If you start getting cracked nipples ask for a prescription for APNO ointment. It’s a prescription that needs to be compounded but it works.

You can have your baby assessed for a tongue tie to make sure that’s not causing extra pain.

Time may also help. I had extreme pain from breast surgery and it got better by month two. Everything got better by month two. I know that’s not super helpful now but know that how it is now isn’t how it will always be!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nipple shield for during nursing. They aren’t ideal but you can totally use them indefinitely. Silverettes are silver cups that you wear when not nursing. I never tried them but heard they help. If you start getting cracked nipples ask for a prescription for APNO ointment. It’s a prescription that needs to be compounded but it works.

You can have your baby assessed for a tongue tie to make sure that’s not causing extra pain.

Time may also help. I had extreme pain from breast surgery and it got better by month two. Everything got better by month two. I know that’s not super helpful now but know that how it is now isn’t how it will always be!

OP here. Unfortunately my baby will not nurse with a nipple shield. He also does not take a bottle well.

Multiple IBLCE’s said he does not have a tongue tie or latch issues. He transfers milk well and eats well at the breast.

This is an issue I’ve struggled with since puberty. Wearing tight bras or no bra without a loose shirt causes chaffing and pain. Any intimate time with breasts has to be stopped after a certain period because it becomes painful.

[Anonymous]

Get baby to take a bottle. Have someone else do it while you’re out.

[Anonymous]

Keep trying the nipple shield. I had so much trouble with baby #1 hat I switched to EP. Horrible. Swire if nursing did not work with #2, I would FF. Someone suggested a nipple shield nd it saved us. Nursed for 13 months with them!! Maybe let baby start and then slip it on mid-feed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get baby to take a bottle. Have someone else do it while you’re out.

This. I suffered like you and regret it massively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nipple shield for during nursing. They aren’t ideal but you can totally use them indefinitely. Silverettes are silver cups that you wear when not nursing. I never tried them but heard they help. If you start getting cracked nipples ask for a prescription for APNO ointment. It’s a prescription that needs to be compounded but it works.

You can have your baby assessed for a tongue tie to make sure that’s not causing extra pain.

Time may also help. I had extreme pain from breast surgery and it got better by month two. Everything got better by month two. I know that’s not super helpful now but know that how it is now isn’t how it will always be!

OP here. Unfortunately my baby will not nurse with a nipple shield. He also does not take a bottle well.

Multiple IBLCE’s said he does not have a tongue tie or latch issues. He transfers milk well and eats well at the breast.

This is an issue I’ve struggled with since puberty. Wearing tight bras or no bra without a loose shirt causes chaffing and pain. Any intimate time with breasts has to be stopped after a certain period because it becomes painful.

He will if he's hungry enough. You being miserable and in pain is bad for both of you.

[Anonymous]

OP - In my experience, even people who don't have sensitive nipples are MASSIVELY uncomfortable during the first few weeks.

No one is going to force you to breast feed, but since you seem like you want to keep going, I'd give it until at least 6 weeks before you decide if it's for you or it isn't.

Also, babies are changing all the time. Just because they rejected the nipple shield once doesn't mean they will a week or even a day later.

[Anonymous]

Paget's disease of the breast?

[Anonymous]

Nipple shield. Also, OP, it's perfectly fine to formula feed your child. Most children of our generation were primarily formula fed and we turned out alright.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nipple shield.

This. I had to use one at first, but eventually they desensitize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - In my experience, even people who don't have sensitive nipples are MASSIVELY uncomfortable during the first few weeks.

No one is going to force you to breast feed, but since you seem like you want to keep going, I'd give it until at least 6 weeks before you decide if it's for you or it isn't.

Also, babies are changing all the time. Just because they rejected the nipple shield once doesn't mean they will a week or even a day later.

+100

Obviously you don’t have to breastfeed but I agree if you are committed to it, you should give it 2-4 more weeks.

[Anonymous]

I'd drop the pumping-it's hard on the nipples and he doesn't take the bottle well anyways.

[Anonymous]

I had this with my first, and cried with relief when my mom finally said "you know you were formula fed and turned out fine."

for the second one a few years later, I was determined to BF and what ended up working for me was pumping. I could pump and tolerate that known and expected level of pain, and also took comfort in knowing exactly how much my nb was feeding each time. Plus others could help out with feeds. I also BF directly overnight and it was easier because of the constant pumping.