Please my sis needs help!

[stasztk]

Hi guys!

My sister really needs help her nipple is torn open and is bleeding. I think it has been going on for a couple of days. She won't let her boy nurse at all on that side. Braxton is almost three months old. They seem to have been doing very well, since this is her first problem. What should I tell her to help her? Any thoughts?

[Katet]

Teresa, I had a torn nipple with Aiden, I fed from the other side & then expressed from the sore side (that was do-able pain wise for me) & then gave him that from a bottle. I kept doing that for about 4 days & then I could "cope" feeding again if I took regular paracetamol... I still have a scar for the memory

[stasztk]

Wow Kate that sounds bad, a scar? youch! She wants to us we formula. Can one breast sustain a baby?

[Katet]

One breast can sustain a baby, I'm pretty sure Monika (annamom) only feeds from one side & pretty much always has. I feed about 80% from one side as Liam won't start on my right side & only takes both sides for 2 feeds per day & he is a very big boy so she could just stop feeding from the one side if she wanted.

[annamum]

I breastfed from one side only from the 2nd week on. And I never had issues with low milk supply. Our body will adjust and produce enough for a baby regardless of the way you feed your lo. If you want to know more, I can think of more details later, when Anna naps :lol:.

[stasztk]

They just fd him some cereal. I personally think is too young but I am glad they didn't give him formula like they were talking.

[Chantel03]

What about a breast shield on the sore side?

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

How did it get torn and bleeding?  This isn't usually something that happens overnight...but you said she wasn't having problems before?

[stasztk]

You know, Erin I asked her the same thing and she couldn't tell me. So I thought it was thrush but she says there are no white patches :?  I don't know.... I suppose there must be a latch problem.

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Any chance she could get the latch checked?  I'd hate for this to keep happening...  And in some babies and mothers, the thrush isn't as obvious...she might be missing the white patches.  Although I imagine if it was thrush, she'd be having problems with both sides - is the other side A-OK?

[stasztk]

Thanks Erin I appreciate it.

No she seems to be good on the other side. But when I had thrush I only was bothered on one side at first. I will ask her what her latch looks like, seems a little funny that this would be the first time she had a problem with it???

[GraceKellysmom]

It could be that she has been using a new nursing position or nursing without support pillows. Or baby may have bit her, or clamped down hard?

My sister just went through cracked bleeding nipples and they found her baby was tongue-tied. She got Newman's triple nipple cream and a better nursing pillow/nursing stool, and things improved dramatically. She did get thrush a bit later, but genetian violet killed it fast.

You could suggest she see a l/c and get a nipple shield, or pump the one side until it heals. She should be able to get her baby back on both breasts.

[Lara's Mum]

i have the same problem, but with both sides, i stopped for a couple of days and expressed, but be careful, if she doesn't express properly and empties the breast, she can develop clogged ducts. i also applied a local anaesthetic for sore nipples and washed it off before each feeding, it somehow quietens things down. the anaesthetic is Lignocaine 5%. if it is thrush, gentian violet is good but messy, and ur dn will have something that looks like a stuble of beard till it wears off .