Re: Breastfeeding Questions
From: Marcia (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu, 27 May 1999 21:42:46 -0500 (CDT)
I am forever grateful to my sister-in-law for telling me that nursing
would be painful for the first few weeks. I've known other women who
were never given this information or were told that it *shouldn't* hurt
and if it did, they were doing it incorrectly. Anyway, you've figured
out that part for now, so let's not dwell on it.
Lansinoh can be found in drugstores. It is in a purple tube. I think
it is somewhat expensive, but you only need a small amount. You should
dab it on your nipples, rather than rubbing it in...I learned this the
hard way. Another thing that helped was cloth (not disposable) nursing
pads to fit inside your bra. They really felt soothing to me!
I never had cracked nipples with either of my kids, so I can't comment
on that. It may help to watch the baby's mouth as it latches on. If it
feels uncomfortable, break the latch with your pinkie and try again. It
might take a few weeks for the baby to learn what the nipple should feel
like in her mouth. With my second child, I couldn't nurse without a
light on for a couple of months because he would latch onto the side and
cause pain.
Most of all, know that most new mothers (and even some of us *old*
mothers) have been through it. To me, that's half the battle! Good
luck!At Thu, 27 May 1999, mary wrote:
>
>> I posted on May 13 about losing my mucous plug, and guess what? I had
>> our little girl the next day on the 14th!!! I am trying to breastfeed
>> but I am so sore from doing this. What can I do to get rid of the sore,
>> cracked nipples that I have now? We had such a hard time getting her to
>> latch on because of flat nipples and finally a week ago she did it:) I
>> do not want to give this up, but I am so sore and miserable everytime
>> she starts to eat. It is almost painless to spend 15 minutes expressing
>> milk. Also, how long should she be eating? She will suck for 30-40
>> minutes and still be hungry an hour later, or if we give her a bottle of
>> expressed breastmilk (which we have done because I am so sore) she will
>> be satisfied for at least 2-3 hours (2.5 - 3.0 oz of breastmilk)! Thanks
>> in advance for any suggestions!!!
>
>Hi Chelsey,
>
>Congratulations on the birth of your little girl!
>
>You have some great questions here and I admire your determination to
>breastfeed. You'd think something so natural would be easy. Ha!
>
>Okay, let's start at the top. First of all, you need to get some Lansinoh
>for your cracked nipples. It's pure lanolin and it is THE BEST! I had the
>same problem and it cleared up the painful cracks in no time. I got a
>sample from the hospital prior to discharge when my daughter was born. I
>would imagine you can buy it at a pharmacy. Here is a link to the Lansinoh
>website:
>
>http://snj.com/lansinoh/
>
>Usually sore cracked nipples are a sign of an improper latch. You may want
>to contact a lactation consultant for help in this area, or the LLL.
>
>http://www.lalecheleague.org/
>
>Newborns seem to suckle all day long. My daughter would nurse for 10-15
>minutes every hour round the clock for many weeks. She would only nurse
>from one side at a time so I was always off balance. :) It's exhausting
>but there are benefits - she is getting the best nourishment available and
>the weight dropped off me! As long as your baby is gaining weight and is
>satisfied and healthy, I wouldn't worry about how long she is nursing.
>
>I hope this helps. I am sure some of the other veteran moms will jump in
>and offer advice.
>
>Marcia, Noelle, Carolyn......where are you? :)
>
>Hugs,
>Mary Shoup
>Pregnancy & Birth Coordinator
>mary.shoup@obgyn.net
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