So a lot of people say the first couple of days until milk comes in, the nipples are painful as hell, trying to supply a hungry baby with not much milk.

Mine came in about 5 days ago, and since the very beginning one nipple has been so painful throughout the entire feeding, I've had to actually take him off that breast and put him back on the other. I'm pretty sure it's not his latch, because the other breast does just fine with him, whether or not it's the first one offered. Just so much as him taking it into his mouth (we're both still newbies, it takes a few tries/minutes to get a good latch going) makes the burning lightning-sharp pain enough for me to take it away. At night, when DH is asleep and can't distract me from the pain, I end up in tears on the couch with a hungry whimpering kid who doesn't understand why I yell out when he's trying to eat.

I've seen a lactation specialist, and she's given me latch pointers and diagnosed the pain as 'nipple gaps'. At least, that's the direct translation from Dutch. I'm a wreck here, I always dread the next feeding and am always anxious when trying to latch him onto that breast, which makes things even more difficult. I /can't/ calm myself down, relaxing isn't possible until/unless it's one of those rare feedings where the pain is at a bearable level. I do have both medicated cream (for an infection Danny has in his mouth) and salve that's supposed to help the nipples heal, but I don't notice any change.

Will the pain EVER go away? ;_;

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Ouchies! The only thing I can think is either thrush or latch. Sometimes babies latch just fine on one side, but when they're reversed for the other side it doesn't work the same. Maybe try keeping his head at the same angle, and the same cheek down, just switch breasts by sliding him over, KWIM?

Congrats on your new little one!

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my experience started out that way too..even after successfully nursing three other babies.

looking back i think it was her latch. don't be afraid to take him off and and relatch till he's on better.

i ended up with bad cracks that took me weeks to heal ultimately with breast shells to float the nips.

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<_< I ended up googling thrush and finding out that it was indeed the infection that Danny has, but it's been being called spuur here. Damn the language barriers, things like these usually sound at least somewhat similar in English and Dutch! The symptoms were the same, but everyone was saying that it could "sometimes effect breastfeeding and make it uncomfortable", and from what I'd heard before about thrush (which isn't much) was that one of it's main characteristics was to make baby's mouth and momma's nipples hurt like hell.

>.> So there's that.

On a good note, he was pretty hungry this morning, and so despite my anxiety, he latched on (twice even!) in one try, and it only hurt (albeit like HELL) for a few seconds before it started calming down. Best bfing session we've had so far He ate like a lil pig and then slept for four hours! XD

Thanks for your help and insight ladies, this isn't the end of the pain of course, but at least there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Lori, it sounds like you had one hell of a time D: Bet it's a relief that it's finally over. I can't waiiit until the thrush goes away, I really want to enjoy this time with him, while he's still so small.

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That's great! Well, not that you have thrush and it hurts, but that you know what's happening and it stopped hurting after a few minutes. Enjoy your time, momma!

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i hope by now thoings are better, (sorry i was mia) but if they are not, i'd recommend using gentian violet to treat you and the little one. thrush (ie yeast) needs to be treated in both the mother and the nursing chnild, or you just keep passing it back and forth.


for the nipple cracks, if that is what they are (i am guessing that is what a nipple gap would be?) there is a great cream called all purpose nipple ointment that you cna get a prescription for from your doctor. it contains an\ antifungal, and antibacterial ingredient, and a steroid based cream top help speed healing. let me know if you need the actual ingredinets for it, as i am not sure how the docs are over there with bf knowledge.

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Thanks for the advice

We ended up giving up on the BFing just a few days ago, and I've slowly been beginning the process of letting myself dry up. Sessions just became too stressful for both of us, Danny was starting to get fidgety at the breast because he could sense my anxiety, and at one point I accidentally clenched the hand that was holding his head and hurt him to the point of crying. I did 'take a break' so to speak, pumping and then supplimenting what I couldn't pump (during his growth spurt) with formula, and then we tried nursing again. It went GREAT for a couple days until the thrush pain returned (the cream for me and the mouth gel for him just don't seem to be having any effect on it. We've been using it now for three weeks and if there's any change at all, it's that it's spreading around his mouth and my nipple). Sat through a few days of that and then finally said enough is enough.

Poor Danny though, whenever I give him a bottle, his eyebrows furrow and he looks at me like "what the heck is this? Gimme my boobie!" But feeding time is a lot easier on both of us now, he's falling asleep with the nipple in his mouth again xD hasn't done that since before I took the 'break'.

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I had this same thing happen to me, except both breasts and I was nursing twins...The pain was HERENDOUS!!

We thought it was thrush then an infection...turned out to be eczima. I know you have stopped bfing, but try some cortizone cream (it wont hurt) and if it feels better that could be what it is.

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Patty 37
DW Julie 40
"domestically partnered" since 1994

OH GOD. I can't imagine double the pain at the same time X______X <3333

I'll do that, it's worth a try My supply has plummetted through the floor in a matter of a day, but that could be fixed if the pain goes.

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Yep it was REALLY bad. It took me 7 wks to find out what it was...and with-in a few hours of putting on some cortisone I felt better(hadn't even filled my script for the super duper stuff yet...) They still hurt every once and a while so I just slather on some cream after a feeding and I am good for a few days. The annoying thing is NO ONE not one LC that I talked to (and I talked to several) suggested eczema. I dont really have it so I didn't think of it... My dermatologist was like...Yep, see this all the time it's eczema. Im still bitter!

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Patty 37
DW Julie 40
"domestically partnered" since 1994

the nystatinb cream for mom and oral med for baby is pretty much worthless, as yeast have become pretty resistant to it, PLUS the base for the one for the baby's mouth is a suagr base. yeast thrive on sugar.

i'd still recommend gentian violet, whether nursing or not, and the apno really is helpful.

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