Urgent Advice- Cracked Nipple

[Mrs Nietzsche]

Hello

I have no idea how this happened but I have two really bad cracks on the underside of one nipple. It's been there a few days, every time I feed I guess it kind of recracks (excruciating). Today I unlatched my bra and even that killed, and then I noticed it was bleeding (as in blood dripping down my tummy).

Anyway so I am now not feeding from that side.

What is the absolute quickest way to get this to heal? At least enough so it's not cracking open every time I feed?

I am feeding my 1 year old and just in the last few days stopped feeding my 2 year old, so I feel there will be enough milk to feed my baby just from one side. Trying not to feed the 1 year old so there's always milk avail for the baby from the good side.

I have never had mastitis so obv not prone to it but I am worried about getting too engorged on the cracked side and then losing supply in it (though I guses that will come back).

I dunno I'm just worried about the logistics here.... I can't express with a pump, I can hand express off a bit I guess but even that wll probably traumatise the crack.

Ergh

eta oh god, my toddler knocked me as I posted and somehow changed hte thread title????? it's supposed to be 'urgent advice - cracked nipple' can a mod change back!?

[CocktailBubba]

Would a nipple shield work? This just reminded me that I need to go buy some before bubs is born :) !

[Mrs Nietzsche]

Oh I have no idea, does anyone know? I've never used one!

[naebie]

I used hydrogel breast pads when I had badly cracked nipples (had a chunk missing from the left one :eek:)- They seemed to speed up the healing process. I was also using nipple shield once the cracks had mostly healed, just to prevent them becoming worse again. It shouldn't take too long to rebuild your supply in the breast with the cracked nipple, like you said :)

[CocktailBubba]

Umm I used one with DS and it pretty much just covers your nipple so bubs is sucking the rubbery shield and not the nipple. U just squirt some milk around the side of it to make it stick to u and get bubs on. I reckon it would be worth a try or even just go have a look at them to see if they would cover the cracks?

[anewme]

I swear by paw paw cream and continue to fed of that side even though it hurt
like hell

[A mothers love]

I wouldn't use paw paw unless it's the black one as Lucas paw paw has petroleum in it.

I had badly grazed nips and I just expressed a bit rubbed them with my milky and kept the b00bies out of my tops till it healed. Was about 3 days I think. Oh and I didn't feed from that side till it stopped hurting.

[Mrs Nietzsche]

I don't think it will heal - every time I feed it cracks right open and is getting worse each time, until it started bleeding (like a stream of blood sort of thing).

Just sent dh to the chemist for nipple shields but they sold him breast pads. Hopeless.

[A mothers love]

Ha ha ha silly men/chemist.

Any chance you can stop feeding from that side?

[ilovelucy]

i would suggest lansinoh, rite aid hydrogel discs(absolutely love these!), airing the nipple or a nipple shield. used all of these when dd1 scratched my nipple (and took a bloody big gouge out of it) whilst i had cracked nipples and it took probably two days to heal enough to fed from. i still hand expressed as much as i could out usually in a cool shower.Hth

[Mrs Nietzsche]

Hi.. my Dad got some nipple shields but I can't seem to get htem to work, don't think baby was very impressed or got anything?

I fed my 1 year old from the cracked side and it didn't start bleeding and didn't hurt anywhere near as much so getting a 10 hour or so break seems to have really helped... She doesnt' damage it as much as the baby, I think because her latch is so much deeper she misses the sore spot.

Dad also got some lansinoh (poor man, I imagine he found it excruciatingly embarassing).

Hoping things will be much better in the morning if I can aviod feeding all night. THat one feed took the edge off engorgement.

Thanks everyone... I've never had this before (like streams of blood)... I think DD2 must have bitten me.

[GirlsRock]

Ouch. You poor thing.

If you can, try and get the RiteAid Hydrogel Breast Discs they really are fabulous. You keep them in the fridge so they are nice and soothing. I put Lansinoh on my cracked nipple and then a Breast Disc over the top and it worked a treat. I got them from Coles, so I imagine most supermarkets would have them.

[JabberJaw]

Does it hurt for the entire feed?
or just when bub latches on?

Because even with a cracked nipple it should only hurt when bub initially latches otherwise latch is incorrect or you have nipple thrush.

I would be inclined to try some daktarin oral gel. It worked amazingly well for me, and i was similar.....my bra was sticking to my nipple and the agony was unbearable.

They will tell you daktarin is not for little bubba's, but a good chemist will tell you how to use it for little ones (smear in mouth, not give by spoon)

My DD didn't appear to have oral thrush but i left the daktarin on my nipple during the feed in case, and the pain lessened within 24hours.

[Mrs Nietzsche]

No, it's definitely not thrush.. I put daktarin on the first couple days it was hurting just in case (made no difference) but then I saw the huge visible cracks, it's two parallel cracks and they open right up. And yep - the pain eventually goes away during the feed (amazingly). I fed my 1 year old before and it was heaps better, just a bit stingy but not the excruciating pain it had been so it is improving with the break.

[The sooper nanny]

oh ouch you poor thing


You are doing the right thing by resting.... Is there any chance your could hire a pump for a week and just keep off that side? This is what we advise new mums with cracked nipples. Airing them is good as well as lasinoh and sunlight ((the neighbours are in for a treat ;):laughing:) but no, seriously, resting and lots of cream and expressing is the key..... good luck


oh and if youre going to use a shield, medulla is the only one I would recommend

[Mrs Nietzsche]

Yes if it's not better by morning I might have to see about a pump.. it is getting better fast though.

My poor left boob feels like soo drained, it is really working overtme. I feel like I'm going to fall over sideways, one engorged sore boob.. one limp drained boob.. rapdily getting rather sore too!

I just have this terror of mastitis (though I've never had it) as it sounds so awful and I have all these kids to look after etc etc... But feeling much much more hopeful now that I have given my 1 year old the one feed off the sore breast and there's definitely been huge improvement.

Thanks everyone!

[SPC]

Have you had your little one checked for a tongue tie? Posterior tongue ties are sometimes hard to spot. Can you see her getting her tongue out over her gums? To prevent mastitis you need to keep the milk moving, but you can also add lactobacillus to your diet and malt. We're not sure how either of those work, but there's reasonable evidence that they do. There are lots of different kind of nipple shields and they come in different sizes, so you miught find she likes a different one better. To solve any possible behavioural reason for the cracks I'd recommend going right back to baby led attachment, starting with bubs upright. I really hope you are completely healed soon!

[JabberJaw]

In that case i would be hanging boobies out all day and letting some sun get to them!

Lasinoh is good to (or wool fat which can be brought at the chemist)

When i had badly cracked nipples with eldest DD i use to feed her, apply amolin (coz my mum loves the stuff and told me it fixes everything) then got the hairdryer on low to dry them out and make the cream soak in *does that make sense* It helped a bit, the warmth of the hairdryer was nice and it made the cream soak right in.....i then had to wash my nipples with a warm washer before a feed.

Has bub got a small tounge tie? My DS had one and i didnt know and it ended our BF time :( wish i knew then what i knew now. *he also did not like nipple sheilds!*

[VegieK]

Just thought I would add (in addition to the pumping, shields, lasinoh and gel pads) if you have women's health physio locally, that some laser works wonders for quick healing!

[Mrs Nietzsche]

SPC & JJ - she's 7 weeks and I've never had any problems before with her.. no tongue tie... my toddler did bite me the other day and I think that is the cause of this. I fed all through the pregnancy so my nipples didn't get any damage after the birth. I really have no idea how this happened (nipples were perfectly fine before that) but I do remember getting nipped when my todlder sort of fell backwards laughing off the bed, I didn't think any more of it (after the pain) but I would guess that is how this has happened.

Actually, just remembered.. I aslo might have had a bit of thrush, just remembered it looked really red and shiny and that's why i put daktarin on.. just on one spot.. and then a couple of days later the cracks. Is daktarin drying? Perhaps it dried the skin out a lot?? :confused:

I am rubbing bm over the nipple pretty frequently.. have not heard of laser for healing VegieK though that makes sense. Lol hopefully could self apply. It has healed up so much during the day that I think it will be okay. I just want it to be healed enough so that it at least doesnt crack back open during feeds and i think that will be hte case by morning. :fingerscrossed:

[headoverfeet]

Are you treating bubs mouth as well as your breast for thrush (I thought you had to treat both :confused:)

Other than that I'll 2nd or 3rd the hydrogel things.

[Mrs Nietzsche]

no, baby gets it off the nipple. her mouth is clear