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How do I treat sore nipples?.
Some amount of tenderness at first is normal, but if the baby is held in the correct position, nipples should never blister,
crack or bleed. If your nipples do get sore, you should do the following:
*Change positions at every feeding. This puts the pressure of the baby's gums on a
different spot each time. (Cradle hold, lying down and football hold.)
*Nurse more often, but for shorter lengths of time. If you go longer between
feedings, the baby will be hungrier and nurse too hard and make your breasts even more
sore.
*Rub breast milk on the nipple after each feeding and let dry. It actually helps
heal them.
*Don't use soap or alcohol on the nipples.
*If the pain is severe, take a mild painkiller about 30 minutes before nursing.
If your nipples are CRACKED OR BLEEDING, rub a small amount of medical
grade modified lanolin (made specifically for breastfeeding mothers) on the
nipples. This treatment, called "moist wound healing," will relieve pain,
and provide a moisture barrier that will slow the evaporation of moisture that is present
in the skin. It will allow the wound to heal much faster without forming a scab.
Pure lanolin does not have to be removed before the baby nurses. (1)
Nursing to me is painful (baby bites down and sucks hard in any position),
inconvenient when we are out and busy, and is not a bonding experience for me. My husband
also feels helpless when our son is crying because he is hungry and I am the only one that
can help him. I want to switch to bottles. How often do I need to pump per
day?
My heart goes out to you. I had such a bad experience with my first daughter that I
actually said I would never try breastfeeding again. My two daughters are 15 years apart
though, and time has a way of dulling memories, so I decided to give it another try. Pain
again!
This time I got help, and after I found out that breastfeeding could be pain-free, I began
to enjoy it. As time went by, I began to love it, and as you can see now, I decided to
change professions!
There is nothing in the world more wonderful than breastfeeding your baby--but it will
never be understood when you are in pain. Feeding time with your baby should be happy and
fun, so of course yours hasn't been a bonding experience! I understand your decision to
change to bottle feeding, but would encourage you before you do to try to find help.
Breastfeeding is meant to feel good! If breastfeeding hurts, it's WRONG.
It could be simply a positioning problem-- something that a lactation consultant could
help you with very quickly. It could also be a yeast problem (very likely) which causes
exquisite pain. It could be a suck problem. But regardless of what is causing the pain,
there is help available. La Leche League can also be a great help to you. It was
there that I learned how to breastfeed my baby when I was out and about and later even to
discretely nurse in public. (No bottles to fool with).
As to your husband feeling helpless, he can certainly give your baby a bottle. It is only
during the early weeks that women should avoid bottles because of nipple confusion.
Once a baby is a month old, he should be able to go back and forth from one to the other.
If you are sure that you don't want to seek further help with breastfeeding, and you want
to change to pumping bottles, my first advice to you is to get a good hospital-grade
breast pump with double pumping. Double pumping has been shown to actually help increase
supply, in addition to cutting your pumping time in half. You will need to pump on a
similar schedule to what your baby has been doing--approximately every 3 hours during the
day, and at least once at night. As your baby grows and you need more milk, you can
increase frequency for several days (every 2 hours while you are awake) to help increase
your supply. Double pumping only takes 10-15 minutes total.
Cher Sealy, RN, BSN, IBCLC, LLLL
Can I get pregnant while nursing?.
YES, YOU CAN get pregnant while breastfeeding, but it is rare to ovulate before
you have your first menstrual period. Complete breastfeeding (no solids, formula, or
even pacifiers) will probably protect you for the first 4 or 5 months. If it is
important that you NOT get pregnant, use some other type of birth control. Ask your
doctor for advice on other types of birth control.
In countries where MOST women breastfeed, and they use NO birth control, the babies come
about every two years. (1)
Can I take birth control pills?.
Yes. Birth control pills are used by many nursing mothers, but other
contraceptive methods are better. The "mini" pill, (progestin only) or the
Norplant are commonly used. These appear to have less effect on your milk supply and
your baby's growth than the other pills. But they probably will affect both.
The "regular" birth control pill (estrogen-progestin) definitely affects your
milk supply and your baby's growth. It is better to wait at least 4 to 6 months
(when your baby is taking solids) before taking them.
There are other birth control options. Condoms and diaphragms are excellent choices
that don't affect your milk supply or your baby's growth. (1)
Are there foods I shouldn't eat?.
Generally speaking, you can eat anything you want to, IN MODERATION. Most
mothers are able to eat anything they want with no problems. However, there are some
babies whose digestive systems are not fully mature, and spicy and gassy foods like pizza,
onions, cabbage, broccoli or beans MIGHT make them fussy. Chocolate and caffeine may
also give them problems. Try eating different foods, one at a time, to see how your
baby reacts to them. If something really makes him fussy and uncomfortable, don't
eat it for a couple of weeks. As his digestive system matures, he can handle much
more. (1)
Can I have caffeine drinks?.
Coffee, tea, and soft drinks with caffeine should be limited. Caffeine does
pass through the milk and makes some babies restless and fussy. Try decaffeinated
coffee and tea and caffeine-free soft drinks. (1)
Can I drink alcoholic drinks?.
Alcohol is a drug and it does pass through the milk to your
baby. Nursing babies whose mothers are heavy drinkers sometimes don't gain enough
weight and their central nervous systems are affected. It also affects your
"letdown." If you do want to drink occasionally, make sure you do it right
after you nurse. Drinking after nursing means the alcohol level in
your milk will be low (or gone) by the next feeding. (1)
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