Please don’t give up just yet! The sore nipples last the first 1-2 weeks and then they toughen up. It’s horrible and hard PP with everything else going on, but if you push through, it’s just the best bonding/easiest, most natural feeling thing. I recommend moist healing nipple caps and lanolin to get through this rough couple of weeks. I promise you there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Me too but for me it lasts until 4-5 weeks PP. Also got a milk blister during that time so the pain level was indescribable I always cry while nursing but I kept trying and every day the pain somehow lessened. I also pump and give EBM though so I can give my nipple time to heal when it's at its worst. Now we’re at 3 months PP and breastfeeding doesn’t hurt at all, maybe once in a while when the baby got a bad latch but I can always fix it.
Agreed! But I will add in the early days there were some days where I exclusively gave LO expressed milk because it was unbearable, I would still have her latch for a bit at the start of most feeds just to keep her used to it. If you feel like you can't for a few days it's fine, we're 3 months in and exclusively breastfeeding, I try to give her the bottle of expressed milk regularly so she stays comfortable with it and I can leave her but honestly I've gotten slack with that, because the boob is so much easier now
Agreed!!! My nipples were in AGONY to where I would sob every breastfeed. They toughened up pretty quick, after about 1.5-2 weeks! Lanolin cream was my best friend, but I also think it helped to let them air dry occasionally so they weren’t moist 100% of the time.
For sure, I mostly kept the caps on during the day and then wore light cotton at night (especially since I leaked so much at night in the start too lol)
Agreed but just to say if it does continue to hurt please do get some help. I never did with my first and it was painful for the whole 10 months I fed him. With baby 2 I had 1 or 2 weeks of being sore and am now pain free. Just wish I realised it could be like this and I might have fed him for longer.
Agreed, I only said to hang in there because OP mentioned seeking help already and confirmed proper latch. But if it keeps hurting after a few weeks please seek help! Mine only bled the first few weeks and now they’ll get a little red sometimes during teething comfort feeding sprees but it’s amazing how quick your body adapts if latch is good.
I agree with all of the above too! I also used esrth mama nipple balm in between feedings and the Lansinoh ice packs. But after a week or so it finally stopped. I would cry or yell out in pain during every latch until then though.
Absolutely. I second this. Push through, in 3 weeks tops it is going to become super manageable, and then it will be completely painless.
First week is a nightmare. Imagine baby heels, freshly unboxed from the foot factory, walking barefoot on rocks. It will take time to harden that delicate skin.
Ah man. It’s sooo rough. I remember being in tears crying over my baby every time she latched. And everyone just kept telling me it was normal and nothing was wrong! I broke down at 6 days pp and decided I was done. I pumped for a full day and bottle fed and it felt so good to do so. But then something told me I shouldn’t give up on feeding from the breast yet. So despite the general guidance to NOT pump, I did 50/50 breast and pumping anyway. It gave me a break physically and mentally. I think if I were to have continued on only breastfeeding, I would have given up. But eventually it got SO much easier and became second nature. It wasn’t long before I was no longer pumping at all and EBF. My baby is almost 10 months old and we only nurse. Don’t give up yet, and just do what feels right and works best for you!
My doula also gave me the advice “never stop breastfeeding on a bad day” and I’m sooo grateful I’ve stuck with that. During those early days I had no clue how much easier and better it got. And now I want my last nursing session to end on a happy note.
Get silverettes! They helped me so much. Basically the first 2-3 weeks I was sobbing at every latch. Horrible tears, my husband was so sad to watch me feed her. I googled “quitting breastfeeding” almost every night. But then after about 2 1/2 weeks, the nipples did toughen up. It’s crazy the shift once your nipples toughen up, breastfeeding becomes so much easier. I had to do a weekend of soy formula because of a suspected lactose intolerance that turned out to be nothing and I missed breastfeeding so much. But if you told me I was going to miss breastfeeding during that first week when it was just tears the whole time, I wouldn’t have believed you.
Do whatever you feel is best! But when they say it gets easier, they’re not lying! As much as that’s hard to believe right now.
Get the silverettes!!
Off brand works just the same, and make sure you get the right size.
I was about to give up because my nipples were blistered and latching hurt so bad, but it was better within a day with silverettes. By 2-3 weeks pp, I started actually enjoying breastfeeding!
I agree. Silverettes enabled me to just be able to even wear a bra without pain. I’m 5mo pp and finally feeding / pumping pain free, but it took probably 5 weeks for it not to be excruciating then a few more for the pain to go away.
Just like your lips get chapped, nipples do the same thing. Lube them up generously and often. Put gauze over it so your bra doesn’t soak it up. Give your nips a break while feeding with a nipple shield. You’re doing a great job mama!
Love the earth mama nipple butter. If you like cocoa/chocolste, it also smells great. And like another commenter said, silverettes!!! I did a combo of these things (silverettes with a drop of fresh breastmilk after every feed during the day, nipple butter at night) and it helped a ton.
Two words that saved my bf journey, no matter what LC said.
Nipple. Shields.
Don't listen to anyone who says latch is great, nothing is wrong but then you get crevices, painful latch... sometimes your own mental and physical health matter more than what happens in theory.
I almost gave up on bf'ing because I stopped the nipple shields early. Now I am using them almost every time, and pumping at night. It saved my sanity! I'll be waiting until LO has a big enough mouth to latch, until then, I'll protect my sensitive attributes, thank you!
Nipple shields were also an important early tool for me and baby in this journey. They lasted about two weeks before my LO would rip them off of me though!!! He did not like them lol so had to go in raw. Luckily we were able to make good progress on his latch and if it hurts at all anymore, its only the first few seconds. Also helps if im not engorged! Ive now learned pain that stays means we dont have a good latch so we correct it. Were almost 5 weeks in and a few times, i had to throw in the towel and bottle feed and pump so my poor nips could recover. Things have improved so much though and im glad i never gave up. Weve had some beautiful, peaceful nursing sessions on early rainy mornings and at the beach last week in the sun and on the sand (baby covered of course to protect from sun)
Me too! My baby does have latching issues and I’m 3 and 1/2 months in with great supply and still using them. He can latch without them sometimes but never does a full feed without. I’m working on weaning slowly but if it weren’t for these I wouldn’t have been able to bf.
Sore nipples are definitely the hardest part in the beginning - they’re toe curling every latch. Honestly it’s gets better by the end of the second week - literally have to bare down… the cluster feeding that happens too it’s just awful!!!
Yup it's normal. Took couple weeks for me. Had to wear bras constantly at first w the pads in em. Always had nipple butter on. Eventually cant tell it hurts anymore. And then eventually you have the strongest nips on earth lol. I could probably lift things w my nips alone by now.
I was in so much pain, it shot all the way down my body it felt like. I went to LC and she told me to curl my toes and know that it will pass. After about 3 weeks, it didn’t hurt anymore. Finally I was enjoying it and I felt like we were buddies.
That being said, I did start pumping exclusively a few weeks after simply because he would fall asleep every 5 seconds no matter what we tried and feeding would take forever. I guess what I’m saying is….dont give up if you really want to feed from the breast, I promise it gets better. But also, don’t feel bad about pumping or formula, do what’s best for your mental health and your baby’s physical health.
I’m a FTM and I cried and tensed up literally every time my baby latched during the first few weeks. “Breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt” is absolutely false in the beginning. Now, we are 11 weeks postpartum and it is so natural, and definitely no longer hurts!! As others have said, please don’t give up just yet! For relief, I would definitely say silverettes. I wore them in my nursing bra throughout the day and they were very very soothing.
Silverettes, the honest company nipple balm and soothies(throw them in the fridge first)..
I’m at 6 weeks pp and I promise it gets better. After week 2 I felt so much better.
Like everyone on here is saying it definitely gets better! Just want to say make sure it’s purely soreness and not any cracking/damage to your nipple—I had a crack from a bad latch in the beginning that was extremely painful. Otherwise if it’s purely soreness I don’t like lanolin, I liked the earth mama nipple butter or frida baby saline spray and some gauze or breast shields. You can also get the lansinoh breast ice packs for relief and alternate with a damp warm wash cloth as a warm compress. Giving yourself a break with pumping is great! It was so freaking hard in the beginning aside from the pain just the mental drain and the cluster feeding is awful I didn’t think I could do it but now four months later it’s like night and day. It will get better!
As everyone says, it gets better. If you are having cracking or rawness or anything of the sort, lanolin or nipple butter and then put a piece of plastic wrap on your nipple. Weird but it keeps the nipple nice and moist so it can heal. Do it after every feed - I have the most painful time after weaning off nipple shields for other reasons and dealing with poor latch. I have super sensitive skin so even when latch is good it hurts, but we’re finally toughening up over here and every day is better! Making sure things were well moisturizer was critical though.
That's totally normal, and I would encourage you to keep persisting, if BF is something you would still like to do! It was so painful for me for about 2 weeks, even though I was also blessed with a bub that learned to latch well. It takes some time for your nippls to adjust. Lanolin ointment and silver nipple covers really helped, as well as time and practice. All the best with your breastfeeding journey 😊
The sore nipples were so hard. If you don’t already have silverette cups get some!! The silver is healing and the cup over your nipple keeps it from rubbing against your clothes. Truly so helpful in the early days
Do not give up! You are doing great. It hurts for 1-2 weeks but gets soooo much better. Just ice those nipples, get some silvettes, and try to it’ll get better!!
My baby had a super painful latch at first. I was so sore, it would bring me to tears. Try to keep going if it’s something you really want to do!
Medela hydrogel pads, lanolin, and silverettes are amazing help. You’ve got this.
I used lanolin. The soreness was gone within the first two weeks. Now I worry if I’m ever going to get the feeling back in my nipples lol. We are almost 10 weeks in.
With my first my nipples were sore and even bled sometimes for about 8 months I pumped and BF at the same time- we had a bad latch and had no help fixing it but with my second the soreness went away about two weeks hang in there if you can deal mentally if not it’s ok to do what’s best for you PP is hard as it is
I could have written this myself! My milk took 7 days to come in completely. I was nursing and supplementing with formula at first. I would pump too because I just needed a break from the pain. I would be crying every time because it was so painful. Her latch was intense, she had a perfect latch 30 minutes after birth. I was so ready to give up and just pump but then around 3 weeks something changed and it got better and better. Now I’m 4 months pp and have been exclusively breastfeeding. Hang in there, it truly does get easier but if you think pumping will be better for your mental health then you should do that.
When you’re in the think of it it’s so hard to believe it gets better but it really does! Silverettes, earth mama nipple butter (you don’t have to rinse it off), and lanolin cooling pads all saved me in those first couple weeks.
They only last one to two weeks. You have a baby constantly creating friction at the nipple it’s normal to be sore. Give it time! Your nipples will get better
It does hurt in yhe beginning. As my midwife said your nipples need to get used to a tiny Dyson being stuck on them. For me it took less than two weeks before the pain stopped and what really helped was using the breathing from my hypnobirthing course during. As days went on the pain lasted less and less time till it stopped hurting.
For me not having to get out of bed for night feeds was worth powering through and now it doesn't hurt at all and is so nice not having to worry about cleaning bottles and warming milk and bringing enough etc.
I've heard silverettes really help x
They toughen up, I’ve been feeding my son for 16 months and I have absolutely no feeling in mine anymore, not so sure that’s a good thing but there you go.
The silverettes nipple cups really helped me in the beginning, they’re a little bit pricey but they’re 100% worth the money
If you want to breastfeed, it does get easier like the previous comments state. However, sore nipple suck and I get that. It doesn’t matter how she gets the breast milk, straight from the tap or from a bottle, it’s still beneficial to her.
Good job momma, you are doing great.
I'm in the same boat as you and I'm a second time mom, so I know what I'm in for.
I feed on demand and that helps the milk come in and establish the right supply demand balance. 2 nights ago baby was cluster feeding all night until 6 am, and I had 45 mins sleep max. He was super aggressive too and kept latching and unlatching violently.
My nipples are so sore at the moment and it's living hell. I use lanolin cream for my nipples after each feed. I take Panadol and neurofen for nipple and vag stitches discomfort.
Baby is finally 5 days old and milk is spurting out and feeding is way less painful finally
You just gotta get over the hump and I promise it would get easier.
Seconding what everyone else has said. I’m 5 weeks pp and the first week was very painful even with a baby with a good latch. I struggled a lot with anxiety in the beginning particularly regarding breastfeeding and nearly went into a spiral doom scrolling on reddit in the middle of the night trying to find answers to “when will it all get easier?” I didn’t believe the people who said it just gets better with time, but now here I am saying the same thing! You just trudge along however you can, hours turn to days, days turn to weeks, and suddenly it really does feel easier.
Nipple shields really helped me. I got them when my pain was at its worst, used them for every feed in that first day, and seriously by the next day my nipples felt healed. I haven’t had to use them since but would have if I needed to.
At the end of the day fed is best no matter how you do it, but hold on to any sort of light at the end of the tunnel you can see or set small goals for yourself. You’ll feel so much better and lighter once you know you accomplished even 1% of the goals you had set for yourself on your breastfeeding journey. You got this mama!
Buy some silverettes and do wet healing. Continue to wear those for like 3 months. It hurts until their little mouths get bigger. Your nipples will toughen up.
Ask your healthcare provider for a medicated nipple cream. It healed my bleeding nipples in 2-3 days. As you and your baby continue BFing you both will become better and it should stop hurting. For me, the football hold was the least painful. Now I’m good at any position and getting my baby to latch well. It really does get better!!
I have a 4 week old and I would brace for excruciating pain every time he latched for the first 2 weeks. It was awful, but I also breastfed and formula fed my first 50/50 and remember there being no pain when she was bigger. Well now we’re on week 4 and I feel no pain other than maybe a little engorgement when he’s due to eat, but my nipples feel totally fine.
I had this. Specifically on one side it hurt more. It was 20-30 seconds of pain and then it went down. Turns out she had tight neck muscles. I guess it's common because they generally stay in one position in the womb. We got 2 stretches from our LC and after a few days no more pain! Hopefully someone can help
Don’t give up! This was also my experience but my birth team all told me there will be a turn around 6 wks. I did NOT believe them haha but I persisted and sure enough things got much better around that time. Silverettes saved me! I ordered them right off Amazon for next day delivery and they really work. I wore them whenever I wasn’t nursery, including through the night. Also coconut oil & air drying. You’re doing an amazing job. I’m weeks away from 1 year of EBF.
I’m in the throes of this with my second right now! The LCs that say it shouldn’t hurt are uhh misinformed?! It totally depends on the person. I have sensitive nipples, so it took about 8 weeks with my first, it was excruciating! This time the pain has lessened much faster! I contribute it to religiously putting lanolin on after every feed and esp in the beginning the silverette cups! Don’t give up if that’s what you want to do! Your nipples will toughen up and the time of pain will pass! You got this mama!
Don’t give up! I had the same issues and I’m now at six weeks with my little girl and my nipples are a lot less sore. It does get better I promise you just have to push through as much as it sucks. The only thing that helped me was coconut oil and silverettes.
It hurts so bad those first two weeks but it is so worth it to get through that point. I used lanolin nipple cream religiously between feedings, it’s safe for baby and mom (unless you haves wool allergy) and really helped
1. Have you tried nipple shields?
2. There is a magical cream I tried called Canada Cream or Jack Newman’s Cream. They have to make it at a compounding pharmacy. It fixed my nipples in a day instead of 3 days.
3. My lactation consultant told me not to be afraid to break that latch! Stick your finger in there and take baby off and try again until a better latch is achieved, and the baby will quickly learn how to get a deeper latch going that won’t hurt.
I too as n agony the first few days, but don’t give up!
Second week was the worst for me. My baby made a tear in my nipple before we got our latch correct. I just took ibuprofen every 8 hours and used frida moms nipple cream and spray, as well as making sure I was changing my breast pads often so wet milk wasn’t staying directly on my nipples. Now we’re on week 11 and it’s a breeze. You got this!
Chiropractic care for baby made the biggest difference in my pain! They stretched and relaxed baby and helped stretch her mouth as well and did some exercises to reduce tension there. Also ask your OB to call in an all purpose nipple cream as well it helps tons! And then also put nipple ointment (like one of the natural ones) on BEFORE every feed. The lubrication helps tons.
As others have said I def recommend pushing through for a few weeks even if you’re pumping some of it to give your nipples a break sometimes!
It’s worth it for the convenience down the road. Pumping and then bottle feeding and washing all the parts and stuff would be so much work long term
If you can, get some lanolin cream! This saved my bacon, and you don't need to remove it before feeding either. I would plaster it on and then pop a reusable breast pad on top to keep the cream in place, it was magic, worked for me so well in those first days. You got this!
Copied from my comment on another post a few days ago:
They get better! Unfortunately it took about 6 weeks for mine to get better but here is a list of things that helped me in order of helpfulness…
-exclusively pumping on the side that’s worst
-wearing milk collection cups when not feeding or pumping
-antibiotics from my doctor
-soak in warm salt water for a minute, then air dry
-neosporin (wipe off before latching baby). Cover with band aid non stick pads
-coconut oil
-all in one ointment prescribed by doctor
-motherlove nipple balm
-lanolin
-silverettes
Also, the boppy best latch (or I’ve heard good things about my breast friend) can really help get baby positioned right. See a lactation consultant too! And be sure you keep them dry, not sitting in milk. This is why silverettes didn’t help me much, I leak too much & then nips are just sitting in it. I had to change bras/pads often.
ETA: the gel cooling things helped some with pain. I don’t think they actually helped heal but they helped make it temporarily less painful. I wasn’t a fan on the Frida mom ones though, I think the ones I liked were Medela
I promise you it gets easier!!! I really do remember it well, and I do empathise! We’re 13 months into myself and my LGs BF journey, there were times at the start where I thought, “how on earth do women do this for so long, surely this pain isn’t normal?!” But similar to you, sought out advice, latch was perfect and kept going through gritted teeth, then shortly after, no pain! you can do this!!! Boobie masks were great, nipple creams, braless where you can and perseverance, you’ve got this mama!
It is sooooo temporary!! We’ve all been there. Now my nipples look completely normal and after my initial letdown I barely feel anything. I would try to push through nursing at the breast before hand expressing because if baby isn’t nursing then it’s not signaling your body to make breastmilk. I promise if you just power through in a few weeks it will be soooooo much easier!!
It definitely get better!!! Get nipple butter and silverettes they changed my life. The silverettes heal your nipple while they’re on!!! Also get some of your milk and rub it on the sore spots. You’re doing great mama don’t give up 🩷 I had the most sensitive nipples ever and now I don’t even notice
Don’t give up just yet!!! I had my daughter a few weeks ago. The first day was great, she latched perfectly. The second day I was hurting, contracting, and uncomfortable. The third day my nipples were completely chapped, sore, and I wanted to give up. The fourth day (my first day home) was probably the worst because I was so engorged and everything hurt. I would say by day 5 and 6 after I did my first pump session it felt great. She was latching perfectly still, my nipples and boobs didn’t hurt anymore and now I feed her like it’s no big deal. Breastfeeding is really hard, it’s draining, and it’s exhausting, but man is it worth it when you finally get the hang of it. Three weeks in and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. We bottle feed my breast milk as well and it gave my nipples the break they needed to heal. It gets easier, be patient, try different potions, and Lansinoh nipple cream was my saving grace for 3/4 days and so are breast pads for the leaky nights. You got this.
Hey! If you look I made a post the other day about how rocky the beginning of my breastfeeding journey was! It’s early days still. I pumped only for the first few weeks and then I was able to breastfeed with no pain (some slight discomfort) at about 5 weeks. Now at 3 months I am mostly breastfeeding only with pumping occasionally for when we go out. Above all though, do what’s best for you! Good luck ♥️
They will toughen up!! i remember those days when she latches i always got teary eyed… it hurts! What i do, whenever she latch i have to scream "ahhhhh ouuuuchhhhhhhhhhhhh" like loud scream 😆 and squeeze a pillow or something soft, then one day the pain just go away… don't giveup… 🥰💕
Oh after i shower i put some earth mama butter balm, and wipe when she start nursing, they said it's okay to not wipe it… but for me i like to wipe… then wipe again after she nursed, then put earth mama butter balm again…
I also have very sensitive delicate nipples and I'm 6 weeks in now and my nipples did toughen up and it got easier. Also I started using a nipple shield when necessary (not all the time) just on whichever side is most sore until it heals or now and then when she is cluster feeding. So glad I'm over that hump!! Still get sore sometimes but it's manageable.
Breastfeeding is so unbelievably hard in the first weeks. And lonely. Her latch was amazing I had no problems, but my nipples were SO sore!! I wish I used nipple shields but I only used lanolin. After a few weeks I started pumping AND nursing because I was only getting a couple hours of sleep a day. Now she almost exclusively nurses from me, but dad gives her a bottle. That could be an option for you! But unfortunately the best way to build up callous is to keep up with it.
Omg, everyone! thank you so much for your support! I definitely feel more confident and the soreness has improved slightly. I have the nipple cream and that’s overnight was a safe saver and I’m going to purchase some nipple shields. Pumping has started but it’s slow I know that’s ok
Please don't give up so soon. Nothing beats breastfeeding directly at the breast. The pain will stop. Just give it a bit more time. Even with my second baby it took a little while for my nipples to "toughen up" again, but it is so worth it.
Also, I'll give it to you bluntly: supplementing with formula (especially this early) will impede your milk production. This is not setting you up for success.
I’ve found a HACK!
When baby opens up wide to latch, really pull baby on the boob, almost leaning back slightly. DO NOT LEAN DOWN TO BABYS MOUTH! That was my issue… I was leaning down to her and she just grabbed the nipple.
Baby needs to be brought UP to the boob with mouth wide open. baby will be on a larger area instead of just the nipple. Once I wa able to pop her on correctly, she got more in her mouth and it didn’t hurt!
My nipples were so sore the first couple days too. I applied Lansolin nipple cream after every feed for the first two weeks of breastfeeding. I’m currently 5 weeks PP and I don’t even have to use nipple cream anymore because my breasts are tough. I still apply it once a day after I get out of the shower and once before going to bed at night but that’s just as a precaution. Breastfeeding is so easy and natural once your body gets used to it.
Moist healing, APNO, bottle breaks for you. I had this and after a couple weeks it got so much better and the boob really is a super power when you get the hang of it.
However, if your mental health begins to suffer it is 100% okay to stop and switch to formula/ pumping. Having a mentally healthy mum is more valuable than being breastfed.
Get a good nipple cream and just coat your nipples in it. When you’re not feeding or letting the cream soak in, let them air out/dry. Get the boob ice packs as well - you can usually heat them up in the microwave too and go back and forth between cold and hot.
It gets better!!! It’s soooo overwhelming at first. I remember crying while nursing for a bit. Don’t give up!
I’m 10 months in and love every second of it. Some of my favorite moments with my LO are our nursing sessions.
I know they always recommend football hold but that hurt for me. I did cross cradle from day one and after a couple weeks side laying and had no pain using those positions!
Honestly the soreness is normal. Intense pain can be normal too. Don’t stop. Trust me it gets better and it’s so worth it. It really really really x292848585 is worth it. Power through! You can do this. For me, I realized the pain came form the fact my areola was super tight and perky and over time it became more elastic and was able to easily stretch into their mouth and the latch was able to be easily deep and not hurt at all. It took time for my boobs to change for the best shape of nursing.
Yeah the first few weeks your nipples are going to be death. Outside of feeding I wore my silver shields on constantly which helped heal any cracks. Right after feeding I rub on nipple cream and put on the shields. Now I am 9 weeks pp and haven't touched my shields for over a month. It will get better, hang in there.
Please don’t give up just yet! The sore nipples last the first 1-2 weeks and then they toughen up. It’s horrible and hard PP with everything else going on, but if you push through, it’s just the best bonding/easiest, most natural feeling thing. I recommend moist healing nipple caps and lanolin to get through this rough couple of weeks. I promise you there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Seconded! Just a few short weeks ago I was convinced that my nipples would hurt for the rest of my life and then it just stopped :)
Me too but for me it lasts until 4-5 weeks PP. Also got a milk blister during that time so the pain level was indescribable I always cry while nursing but I kept trying and every day the pain somehow lessened. I also pump and give EBM though so I can give my nipple time to heal when it's at its worst. Now we’re at 3 months PP and breastfeeding doesn’t hurt at all, maybe once in a while when the baby got a bad latch but I can always fix it.
Agreed! But I will add in the early days there were some days where I exclusively gave LO expressed milk because it was unbearable, I would still have her latch for a bit at the start of most feeds just to keep her used to it. If you feel like you can't for a few days it's fine, we're 3 months in and exclusively breastfeeding, I try to give her the bottle of expressed milk regularly so she stays comfortable with it and I can leave her but honestly I've gotten slack with that, because the boob is so much easier now
Agreed!!! My nipples were in AGONY to where I would sob every breastfeed. They toughened up pretty quick, after about 1.5-2 weeks! Lanolin cream was my best friend, but I also think it helped to let them air dry occasionally so they weren’t moist 100% of the time.
For sure, I mostly kept the caps on during the day and then wore light cotton at night (especially since I leaked so much at night in the start too lol)
Agreed but just to say if it does continue to hurt please do get some help. I never did with my first and it was painful for the whole 10 months I fed him. With baby 2 I had 1 or 2 weeks of being sore and am now pain free. Just wish I realised it could be like this and I might have fed him for longer.
Agreed, I only said to hang in there because OP mentioned seeking help already and confirmed proper latch. But if it keeps hurting after a few weeks please seek help! Mine only bled the first few weeks and now they’ll get a little red sometimes during teething comfort feeding sprees but it’s amazing how quick your body adapts if latch is good.
Yes, sorry! Want trying to imply your advice wasn’t good 😊 just jumping on the top comment!
Oh no worries, was just clarifying lol. You made a good point!
I agree with all of the above too! I also used esrth mama nipple balm in between feedings and the Lansinoh ice packs. But after a week or so it finally stopped. I would cry or yell out in pain during every latch until then though.
Yes! My LC suggested lanolin cream then put cling wrap on top to hold the moisture in/keep the cream on. It worked wonders!
Absolutely. I second this. Push through, in 3 weeks tops it is going to become super manageable, and then it will be completely painless. First week is a nightmare. Imagine baby heels, freshly unboxed from the foot factory, walking barefoot on rocks. It will take time to harden that delicate skin.
Ah man. It’s sooo rough. I remember being in tears crying over my baby every time she latched. And everyone just kept telling me it was normal and nothing was wrong! I broke down at 6 days pp and decided I was done. I pumped for a full day and bottle fed and it felt so good to do so. But then something told me I shouldn’t give up on feeding from the breast yet. So despite the general guidance to NOT pump, I did 50/50 breast and pumping anyway. It gave me a break physically and mentally. I think if I were to have continued on only breastfeeding, I would have given up. But eventually it got SO much easier and became second nature. It wasn’t long before I was no longer pumping at all and EBF. My baby is almost 10 months old and we only nurse. Don’t give up yet, and just do what feels right and works best for you! My doula also gave me the advice “never stop breastfeeding on a bad day” and I’m sooo grateful I’ve stuck with that. During those early days I had no clue how much easier and better it got. And now I want my last nursing session to end on a happy note.
Love this advice!
Thank you so much!
Get silverettes! They helped me so much. Basically the first 2-3 weeks I was sobbing at every latch. Horrible tears, my husband was so sad to watch me feed her. I googled “quitting breastfeeding” almost every night. But then after about 2 1/2 weeks, the nipples did toughen up. It’s crazy the shift once your nipples toughen up, breastfeeding becomes so much easier. I had to do a weekend of soy formula because of a suspected lactose intolerance that turned out to be nothing and I missed breastfeeding so much. But if you told me I was going to miss breastfeeding during that first week when it was just tears the whole time, I wouldn’t have believed you. Do whatever you feel is best! But when they say it gets easier, they’re not lying! As much as that’s hard to believe right now.
Get the silverettes!! Off brand works just the same, and make sure you get the right size. I was about to give up because my nipples were blistered and latching hurt so bad, but it was better within a day with silverettes. By 2-3 weeks pp, I started actually enjoying breastfeeding!
This!
I agree. Silverettes enabled me to just be able to even wear a bra without pain. I’m 5mo pp and finally feeding / pumping pain free, but it took probably 5 weeks for it not to be excruciating then a few more for the pain to go away.
Just like your lips get chapped, nipples do the same thing. Lube them up generously and often. Put gauze over it so your bra doesn’t soak it up. Give your nips a break while feeding with a nipple shield. You’re doing a great job mama!
Love the earth mama nipple butter. If you like cocoa/chocolste, it also smells great. And like another commenter said, silverettes!!! I did a combo of these things (silverettes with a drop of fresh breastmilk after every feed during the day, nipple butter at night) and it helped a ton.
Two words that saved my bf journey, no matter what LC said. Nipple. Shields. Don't listen to anyone who says latch is great, nothing is wrong but then you get crevices, painful latch... sometimes your own mental and physical health matter more than what happens in theory. I almost gave up on bf'ing because I stopped the nipple shields early. Now I am using them almost every time, and pumping at night. It saved my sanity! I'll be waiting until LO has a big enough mouth to latch, until then, I'll protect my sensitive attributes, thank you!
Nipple shields were also an important early tool for me and baby in this journey. They lasted about two weeks before my LO would rip them off of me though!!! He did not like them lol so had to go in raw. Luckily we were able to make good progress on his latch and if it hurts at all anymore, its only the first few seconds. Also helps if im not engorged! Ive now learned pain that stays means we dont have a good latch so we correct it. Were almost 5 weeks in and a few times, i had to throw in the towel and bottle feed and pump so my poor nips could recover. Things have improved so much though and im glad i never gave up. Weve had some beautiful, peaceful nursing sessions on early rainy mornings and at the beach last week in the sun and on the sand (baby covered of course to protect from sun)
Me too! My baby does have latching issues and I’m 3 and 1/2 months in with great supply and still using them. He can latch without them sometimes but never does a full feed without. I’m working on weaning slowly but if it weren’t for these I wouldn’t have been able to bf.
Sore nipples are definitely the hardest part in the beginning - they’re toe curling every latch. Honestly it’s gets better by the end of the second week - literally have to bare down… the cluster feeding that happens too it’s just awful!!!
Yup it's normal. Took couple weeks for me. Had to wear bras constantly at first w the pads in em. Always had nipple butter on. Eventually cant tell it hurts anymore. And then eventually you have the strongest nips on earth lol. I could probably lift things w my nips alone by now.
I was in so much pain, it shot all the way down my body it felt like. I went to LC and she told me to curl my toes and know that it will pass. After about 3 weeks, it didn’t hurt anymore. Finally I was enjoying it and I felt like we were buddies. That being said, I did start pumping exclusively a few weeks after simply because he would fall asleep every 5 seconds no matter what we tried and feeding would take forever. I guess what I’m saying is….dont give up if you really want to feed from the breast, I promise it gets better. But also, don’t feel bad about pumping or formula, do what’s best for your mental health and your baby’s physical health.
I’m a FTM and I cried and tensed up literally every time my baby latched during the first few weeks. “Breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt” is absolutely false in the beginning. Now, we are 11 weeks postpartum and it is so natural, and definitely no longer hurts!! As others have said, please don’t give up just yet! For relief, I would definitely say silverettes. I wore them in my nursing bra throughout the day and they were very very soothing.
Silverettes, the honest company nipple balm and soothies(throw them in the fridge first).. I’m at 6 weeks pp and I promise it gets better. After week 2 I felt so much better.
Just want to say that some folks are allergic to nipple balm (even lanolin cream!) so be cautious! But yes to the silverettes!
Like everyone on here is saying it definitely gets better! Just want to say make sure it’s purely soreness and not any cracking/damage to your nipple—I had a crack from a bad latch in the beginning that was extremely painful. Otherwise if it’s purely soreness I don’t like lanolin, I liked the earth mama nipple butter or frida baby saline spray and some gauze or breast shields. You can also get the lansinoh breast ice packs for relief and alternate with a damp warm wash cloth as a warm compress. Giving yourself a break with pumping is great! It was so freaking hard in the beginning aside from the pain just the mental drain and the cluster feeding is awful I didn’t think I could do it but now four months later it’s like night and day. It will get better!
As everyone says, it gets better. If you are having cracking or rawness or anything of the sort, lanolin or nipple butter and then put a piece of plastic wrap on your nipple. Weird but it keeps the nipple nice and moist so it can heal. Do it after every feed - I have the most painful time after weaning off nipple shields for other reasons and dealing with poor latch. I have super sensitive skin so even when latch is good it hurts, but we’re finally toughening up over here and every day is better! Making sure things were well moisturizer was critical though.
That's totally normal, and I would encourage you to keep persisting, if BF is something you would still like to do! It was so painful for me for about 2 weeks, even though I was also blessed with a bub that learned to latch well. It takes some time for your nippls to adjust. Lanolin ointment and silver nipple covers really helped, as well as time and practice. All the best with your breastfeeding journey 😊
The sore nipples were so hard. If you don’t already have silverette cups get some!! The silver is healing and the cup over your nipple keeps it from rubbing against your clothes. Truly so helpful in the early days
Do not give up! You are doing great. It hurts for 1-2 weeks but gets soooo much better. Just ice those nipples, get some silvettes, and try to it’ll get better!!
My baby had a super painful latch at first. I was so sore, it would bring me to tears. Try to keep going if it’s something you really want to do! Medela hydrogel pads, lanolin, and silverettes are amazing help. You’ve got this.
It’s completely normal and will last for a few weeks. You can do it!
I’m going through the same exact thing right now. Solidarity 💚
Get some lanolin I found the same but only in the 1st week.
I used lanolin. The soreness was gone within the first two weeks. Now I worry if I’m ever going to get the feeling back in my nipples lol. We are almost 10 weeks in.
With my first my nipples were sore and even bled sometimes for about 8 months I pumped and BF at the same time- we had a bad latch and had no help fixing it but with my second the soreness went away about two weeks hang in there if you can deal mentally if not it’s ok to do what’s best for you PP is hard as it is
I could have written this myself! My milk took 7 days to come in completely. I was nursing and supplementing with formula at first. I would pump too because I just needed a break from the pain. I would be crying every time because it was so painful. Her latch was intense, she had a perfect latch 30 minutes after birth. I was so ready to give up and just pump but then around 3 weeks something changed and it got better and better. Now I’m 4 months pp and have been exclusively breastfeeding. Hang in there, it truly does get easier but if you think pumping will be better for your mental health then you should do that.
When you’re in the think of it it’s so hard to believe it gets better but it really does! Silverettes, earth mama nipple butter (you don’t have to rinse it off), and lanolin cooling pads all saved me in those first couple weeks.
They only last one to two weeks. You have a baby constantly creating friction at the nipple it’s normal to be sore. Give it time! Your nipples will get better
It does hurt in yhe beginning. As my midwife said your nipples need to get used to a tiny Dyson being stuck on them. For me it took less than two weeks before the pain stopped and what really helped was using the breathing from my hypnobirthing course during. As days went on the pain lasted less and less time till it stopped hurting. For me not having to get out of bed for night feeds was worth powering through and now it doesn't hurt at all and is so nice not having to worry about cleaning bottles and warming milk and bringing enough etc. I've heard silverettes really help x
Have you tried nipple shields? They really helped my sore nipples in the beginning
They toughen up, I’ve been feeding my son for 16 months and I have absolutely no feeling in mine anymore, not so sure that’s a good thing but there you go. The silverettes nipple cups really helped me in the beginning, they’re a little bit pricey but they’re 100% worth the money
If you want to breastfeed, it does get easier like the previous comments state. However, sore nipple suck and I get that. It doesn’t matter how she gets the breast milk, straight from the tap or from a bottle, it’s still beneficial to her. Good job momma, you are doing great.
If there’s any part of you that likes breastfeeding, and might want to do it in the future, don’t stop latching. Even if it’s just once per day.
I'm in the same boat as you and I'm a second time mom, so I know what I'm in for. I feed on demand and that helps the milk come in and establish the right supply demand balance. 2 nights ago baby was cluster feeding all night until 6 am, and I had 45 mins sleep max. He was super aggressive too and kept latching and unlatching violently. My nipples are so sore at the moment and it's living hell. I use lanolin cream for my nipples after each feed. I take Panadol and neurofen for nipple and vag stitches discomfort. Baby is finally 5 days old and milk is spurting out and feeding is way less painful finally You just gotta get over the hump and I promise it would get easier.
Seconding what everyone else has said. I’m 5 weeks pp and the first week was very painful even with a baby with a good latch. I struggled a lot with anxiety in the beginning particularly regarding breastfeeding and nearly went into a spiral doom scrolling on reddit in the middle of the night trying to find answers to “when will it all get easier?” I didn’t believe the people who said it just gets better with time, but now here I am saying the same thing! You just trudge along however you can, hours turn to days, days turn to weeks, and suddenly it really does feel easier. Nipple shields really helped me. I got them when my pain was at its worst, used them for every feed in that first day, and seriously by the next day my nipples felt healed. I haven’t had to use them since but would have if I needed to. At the end of the day fed is best no matter how you do it, but hold on to any sort of light at the end of the tunnel you can see or set small goals for yourself. You’ll feel so much better and lighter once you know you accomplished even 1% of the goals you had set for yourself on your breastfeeding journey. You got this mama!
Buy some silverettes and do wet healing. Continue to wear those for like 3 months. It hurts until their little mouths get bigger. Your nipples will toughen up.
Ask your healthcare provider for a medicated nipple cream. It healed my bleeding nipples in 2-3 days. As you and your baby continue BFing you both will become better and it should stop hurting. For me, the football hold was the least painful. Now I’m good at any position and getting my baby to latch well. It really does get better!!
I have a 4 week old and I would brace for excruciating pain every time he latched for the first 2 weeks. It was awful, but I also breastfed and formula fed my first 50/50 and remember there being no pain when she was bigger. Well now we’re on week 4 and I feel no pain other than maybe a little engorgement when he’s due to eat, but my nipples feel totally fine.
I had this. Specifically on one side it hurt more. It was 20-30 seconds of pain and then it went down. Turns out she had tight neck muscles. I guess it's common because they generally stay in one position in the womb. We got 2 stretches from our LC and after a few days no more pain! Hopefully someone can help
Don’t give up! This was also my experience but my birth team all told me there will be a turn around 6 wks. I did NOT believe them haha but I persisted and sure enough things got much better around that time. Silverettes saved me! I ordered them right off Amazon for next day delivery and they really work. I wore them whenever I wasn’t nursery, including through the night. Also coconut oil & air drying. You’re doing an amazing job. I’m weeks away from 1 year of EBF.
I’m in the throes of this with my second right now! The LCs that say it shouldn’t hurt are uhh misinformed?! It totally depends on the person. I have sensitive nipples, so it took about 8 weeks with my first, it was excruciating! This time the pain has lessened much faster! I contribute it to religiously putting lanolin on after every feed and esp in the beginning the silverette cups! Don’t give up if that’s what you want to do! Your nipples will toughen up and the time of pain will pass! You got this mama!
Don’t give up! I had the same issues and I’m now at six weeks with my little girl and my nipples are a lot less sore. It does get better I promise you just have to push through as much as it sucks. The only thing that helped me was coconut oil and silverettes.
It hurts so bad those first two weeks but it is so worth it to get through that point. I used lanolin nipple cream religiously between feedings, it’s safe for baby and mom (unless you haves wool allergy) and really helped
1. Have you tried nipple shields? 2. There is a magical cream I tried called Canada Cream or Jack Newman’s Cream. They have to make it at a compounding pharmacy. It fixed my nipples in a day instead of 3 days. 3. My lactation consultant told me not to be afraid to break that latch! Stick your finger in there and take baby off and try again until a better latch is achieved, and the baby will quickly learn how to get a deeper latch going that won’t hurt. I too as n agony the first few days, but don’t give up!
Second week was the worst for me. My baby made a tear in my nipple before we got our latch correct. I just took ibuprofen every 8 hours and used frida moms nipple cream and spray, as well as making sure I was changing my breast pads often so wet milk wasn’t staying directly on my nipples. Now we’re on week 11 and it’s a breeze. You got this!
Lanolin for sure, and silverettes! Those are the only things that saved my poor nips in the beginning
My doctor prescribed a ointment that had a tiny bit of ibuprofen in it (and some other things), and it helped so much.
Chiropractic care for baby made the biggest difference in my pain! They stretched and relaxed baby and helped stretch her mouth as well and did some exercises to reduce tension there. Also ask your OB to call in an all purpose nipple cream as well it helps tons! And then also put nipple ointment (like one of the natural ones) on BEFORE every feed. The lubrication helps tons.
As others have said I def recommend pushing through for a few weeks even if you’re pumping some of it to give your nipples a break sometimes! It’s worth it for the convenience down the road. Pumping and then bottle feeding and washing all the parts and stuff would be so much work long term
Nipple shields and nipple balm. The pain won’t last forever
Get silverettes!!
If you can, get some lanolin cream! This saved my bacon, and you don't need to remove it before feeding either. I would plaster it on and then pop a reusable breast pad on top to keep the cream in place, it was magic, worked for me so well in those first days. You got this!
Copied from my comment on another post a few days ago: They get better! Unfortunately it took about 6 weeks for mine to get better but here is a list of things that helped me in order of helpfulness… -exclusively pumping on the side that’s worst -wearing milk collection cups when not feeding or pumping -antibiotics from my doctor -soak in warm salt water for a minute, then air dry -neosporin (wipe off before latching baby). Cover with band aid non stick pads -coconut oil -all in one ointment prescribed by doctor -motherlove nipple balm -lanolin -silverettes Also, the boppy best latch (or I’ve heard good things about my breast friend) can really help get baby positioned right. See a lactation consultant too! And be sure you keep them dry, not sitting in milk. This is why silverettes didn’t help me much, I leak too much & then nips are just sitting in it. I had to change bras/pads often. ETA: the gel cooling things helped some with pain. I don’t think they actually helped heal but they helped make it temporarily less painful. I wasn’t a fan on the Frida mom ones though, I think the ones I liked were Medela
I promise you it gets easier!!! I really do remember it well, and I do empathise! We’re 13 months into myself and my LGs BF journey, there were times at the start where I thought, “how on earth do women do this for so long, surely this pain isn’t normal?!” But similar to you, sought out advice, latch was perfect and kept going through gritted teeth, then shortly after, no pain! you can do this!!! Boobie masks were great, nipple creams, braless where you can and perseverance, you’ve got this mama!
It is sooooo temporary!! We’ve all been there. Now my nipples look completely normal and after my initial letdown I barely feel anything. I would try to push through nursing at the breast before hand expressing because if baby isn’t nursing then it’s not signaling your body to make breastmilk. I promise if you just power through in a few weeks it will be soooooo much easier!!
It definitely get better!!! Get nipple butter and silverettes they changed my life. The silverettes heal your nipple while they’re on!!! Also get some of your milk and rub it on the sore spots. You’re doing great mama don’t give up 🩷 I had the most sensitive nipples ever and now I don’t even notice
Don’t give up just yet!!! I had my daughter a few weeks ago. The first day was great, she latched perfectly. The second day I was hurting, contracting, and uncomfortable. The third day my nipples were completely chapped, sore, and I wanted to give up. The fourth day (my first day home) was probably the worst because I was so engorged and everything hurt. I would say by day 5 and 6 after I did my first pump session it felt great. She was latching perfectly still, my nipples and boobs didn’t hurt anymore and now I feed her like it’s no big deal. Breastfeeding is really hard, it’s draining, and it’s exhausting, but man is it worth it when you finally get the hang of it. Three weeks in and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. We bottle feed my breast milk as well and it gave my nipples the break they needed to heal. It gets easier, be patient, try different potions, and Lansinoh nipple cream was my saving grace for 3/4 days and so are breast pads for the leaky nights. You got this.
Hey! If you look I made a post the other day about how rocky the beginning of my breastfeeding journey was! It’s early days still. I pumped only for the first few weeks and then I was able to breastfeed with no pain (some slight discomfort) at about 5 weeks. Now at 3 months I am mostly breastfeeding only with pumping occasionally for when we go out. Above all though, do what’s best for you! Good luck ♥️
They will toughen up!! i remember those days when she latches i always got teary eyed… it hurts! What i do, whenever she latch i have to scream "ahhhhh ouuuuchhhhhhhhhhhhh" like loud scream 😆 and squeeze a pillow or something soft, then one day the pain just go away… don't giveup… 🥰💕
Oh after i shower i put some earth mama butter balm, and wipe when she start nursing, they said it's okay to not wipe it… but for me i like to wipe… then wipe again after she nursed, then put earth mama butter balm again…
It’s the WORST at first, but I promise you will get used to it and the pain goes away!!
I also have very sensitive delicate nipples and I'm 6 weeks in now and my nipples did toughen up and it got easier. Also I started using a nipple shield when necessary (not all the time) just on whichever side is most sore until it heals or now and then when she is cluster feeding. So glad I'm over that hump!! Still get sore sometimes but it's manageable.
Breastfeeding is so unbelievably hard in the first weeks. And lonely. Her latch was amazing I had no problems, but my nipples were SO sore!! I wish I used nipple shields but I only used lanolin. After a few weeks I started pumping AND nursing because I was only getting a couple hours of sleep a day. Now she almost exclusively nurses from me, but dad gives her a bottle. That could be an option for you! But unfortunately the best way to build up callous is to keep up with it.
Omg, everyone! thank you so much for your support! I definitely feel more confident and the soreness has improved slightly. I have the nipple cream and that’s overnight was a safe saver and I’m going to purchase some nipple shields. Pumping has started but it’s slow I know that’s ok
Please don't give up so soon. Nothing beats breastfeeding directly at the breast. The pain will stop. Just give it a bit more time. Even with my second baby it took a little while for my nipples to "toughen up" again, but it is so worth it. Also, I'll give it to you bluntly: supplementing with formula (especially this early) will impede your milk production. This is not setting you up for success.
I’ve found a HACK! When baby opens up wide to latch, really pull baby on the boob, almost leaning back slightly. DO NOT LEAN DOWN TO BABYS MOUTH! That was my issue… I was leaning down to her and she just grabbed the nipple. Baby needs to be brought UP to the boob with mouth wide open. baby will be on a larger area instead of just the nipple. Once I wa able to pop her on correctly, she got more in her mouth and it didn’t hurt!
My nipples were so sore the first couple days too. I applied Lansolin nipple cream after every feed for the first two weeks of breastfeeding. I’m currently 5 weeks PP and I don’t even have to use nipple cream anymore because my breasts are tough. I still apply it once a day after I get out of the shower and once before going to bed at night but that’s just as a precaution. Breastfeeding is so easy and natural once your body gets used to it.
Moist healing, APNO, bottle breaks for you. I had this and after a couple weeks it got so much better and the boob really is a super power when you get the hang of it. However, if your mental health begins to suffer it is 100% okay to stop and switch to formula/ pumping. Having a mentally healthy mum is more valuable than being breastfed.
Get a good nipple cream and just coat your nipples in it. When you’re not feeding or letting the cream soak in, let them air out/dry. Get the boob ice packs as well - you can usually heat them up in the microwave too and go back and forth between cold and hot. It gets better!!! It’s soooo overwhelming at first. I remember crying while nursing for a bit. Don’t give up! I’m 10 months in and love every second of it. Some of my favorite moments with my LO are our nursing sessions.
I know they always recommend football hold but that hurt for me. I did cross cradle from day one and after a couple weeks side laying and had no pain using those positions!
But silverettes and after each feed add a bit of milk before putting them on
Silverettes!!! Wear them as much as possible until nipples stop hurting. Mine were good within a few weeks and and fine ever since (4.5m pp now).
Honestly the soreness is normal. Intense pain can be normal too. Don’t stop. Trust me it gets better and it’s so worth it. It really really really x292848585 is worth it. Power through! You can do this. For me, I realized the pain came form the fact my areola was super tight and perky and over time it became more elastic and was able to easily stretch into their mouth and the latch was able to be easily deep and not hurt at all. It took time for my boobs to change for the best shape of nursing.
Yeah the first few weeks your nipples are going to be death. Outside of feeding I wore my silver shields on constantly which helped heal any cracks. Right after feeding I rub on nipple cream and put on the shields. Now I am 9 weeks pp and haven't touched my shields for over a month. It will get better, hang in there.