Sore nipples

[Dani]

Any advice for sore nipples? Our baby is in the NICU and is still too
young to BF. I have been exclusively pumping and I am keeping the
suction as low as possible but the nipples are really sore. I have been
putting purelan 100 on each time I pump and it is helping but they are
still very sore.
Thanks

Dani

Jeffrey 1/7/06
http://babymeehan.blogspot.com

[Amy]

Dani wrote:
> Any advice for sore nipples? Our baby is in the NICU and is still too
> young to BF. I have been exclusively pumping and I am keeping the
> suction as low as possible but the nipples are really sore. I have been
> putting purelan 100 on each time I pump and it is helping but they are
> still very sore.

Have you tried it without the purelan? That might be causing
greater-than-normal suction, by creating a better seal between your
breast tissue and the pump. It seems to me that using purelan and then
pumping would make it worse.

It's normal to experience soreness at first, by the way. Your breasts
haven't done much up to this point, and it's normal for them to
protest, just like any muscle that's never been used before would (not
that it's a muscle, but you know what I mean...). Try some ibuprofen.
Maybe some frozen peas used as an ice pack (don't eat them once they've
thawed and re-frozen). Heat might feel better. Maybe heat before you
pump (to get things moving) and cool after (to soothe). Or vice versa
- cool to numb before, and heat to soothe after. Try both and see what
works best for you. Everyone's different.

I read your blog and it broke my heart. I hope your little one has a
wonderful day tomorrow. I think it would be easier to take things one
day at a time, or one moment at a time, in your situation.

Sending hugs from here,
Amy

[Jess]

"Dani" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Any advice for sore nipples? Our baby is in the NICU and is still too
> young to BF. I have been exclusively pumping and I am keeping the
> suction as low as possible but the nipples are really sore. I have been
> putting purelan 100 on each time I pump and it is helping but they are
> still very sore.
> Thanks

Check the horn size. You might need a bigger set of horns-if you're trying
to cram yourself into a set too small and pump, it's going to hurt.

Jess

[Mary W.]

Dani wrote:
> Any advice for sore nipples? Our baby is in the NICU and is still too
> young to BF. I have been exclusively pumping and I am keeping the
> suction as low as possible but the nipples are really sore. I have been
> putting purelan 100 on each time I pump and it is helping but they are
> still very sore.
> Thanks

Did you have antibiotics during your delivery? It may be a case
of thrush. Lotrimin cream 4 times a day always helped me for
thrush.

Horn size is another possible problem.

Good luck!

Mary W.

[Dani]

I've only been using the purelan after I pump. I did use it once
before and it definitely created too much suction. I'll try heat and
cold and see if it helps. They're not killing me but its definitely
uncomfortable. It probably doesn't help that I'm immediately throwing
on a bra and running somewhere after pumping.
As an update, I called the NICU this morning and Jeffrey seems to be
responding well to the antibiotics. Hopefully that means that he only
has an infection and that the brain bleed was asymptomatic and happened
during birth. I'm trying to take it one day at a time.
Thanks for the advice!

Dani
Jeffrey Loren 1/7/06
http://babymeehan.blogspot.com

[Dani]

I have one set of larger horns. I'm trying to rotate between the larger
ones and two sets of smaller ones. I use the three setups so that I can
get some sleep at night and not have to worry about cleaning and drying
before it's time to pump again.
I'm not sure if it feels any different between them, but maybe I'll try
just the larger ones for awhile.

Dani
Jeffrey Loren 1/7/06
http://babymeehan.blogspot.com

[Dani]

I did have antibiotics during delivery. We were delivering because I
had an infection and the amniotic fluid had become septic (and was
leaking). What are the hallmarks of thrush? Do you have to have a
prescription for lotrimin or is it OTC?
Also, I thought that you got thrush from the baby. Is it possible that
I have it when I haven't been able to begin breastfeeding yet?
Thanks


Dani
Jeffrey Loren 1/7/06
http://babymeehan.blogspot.com

[Amy]

Dani wrote:
> I've only been using the purelan after I pump. I did use it once
> before and it definitely created too much suction. I'll try heat and
> cold and see if it helps. They're not killing me but its definitely
> uncomfortable. It probably doesn't help that I'm immediately throwing
> on a bra and running somewhere after pumping.

I know it's uncomfortable... In your situation, the last thing you
need is one more thing to deal with, but the best protection you can
give little Jeffrey against infections (like the one you mention below)
is breastmilk. The more, the better. I am SO proud of you for
sticking with it. You are so brave.

> As an update, I called the NICU this morning and Jeffrey seems to be
> responding well to the antibiotics. Hopefully that means that he only
> has an infection and that the brain bleed was asymptomatic and happened
> during birth. I'm trying to take it one day at a time.
> Thanks for the advice!

I'm glad it's going better today. I hope tomorrow is even better
still.

Amy

[Kim E]

"Dani" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Any advice for sore nipples? Our baby is in the NICU and is still
> too
> young to BF. I have been exclusively pumping and I am keeping the
> suction as low as possible but the nipples are really sore. I have
> been
> putting purelan 100 on each time I pump and it is helping but they
> are
> still very sore.
> Thanks

Try a little dab of olive oil instead of the purelan. If purelan is
anything like lansinoh, it actually adds more friction when you
pump.

-kim

[Mary W.]

Dani wrote:
> I did have antibiotics during delivery. We were delivering because I
> had an infection and the amniotic fluid had become septic (and was
> leaking). What are the hallmarks of thrush? Do you have to have a
> prescription for lotrimin or is it OTC?
> Also, I thought that you got thrush from the baby. Is it possible that
> I have it when I haven't been able to begin breastfeeding yet?
> Thanks

I'm not exactly sure how you get thrush, just that antibiotics
will kill the good stuff that keeps it at bay, so that's
why I asked. I've had it several times and only once has
my baby been symptomatic for it.

I usually buy (OTC) the monistat lotrimin cream for a
vaginal yeast infection and use that. If you try it, you
might want to put it on after pumping and wash it off
before you pump the next time. I never wiped it off (it
rubs right in) but I didn't have a preemie. You may
want to run it by a LC, but I think its a pretty benign
treatment, and you should start to get some relief very
quickly (unless you've got a resistant strain).

When I had thrush, latching on was very painful, I got
cracked nipples, the nipples tend to look a little pink
and kind of shiny. Pumping hurt less than direct nursing,
but it was still more uncomfortable than when I didn't
have thrush. Here's all you've ever wanted to know:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/thrush/index.html

Good luck!

Mary W.

[Benevolent Prof]

Mary W. wrote:
> Dani wrote:
> > Also, I thought that you got thrush from the baby. Is it possible that
> > I have it when I haven't been able to begin breastfeeding yet?
> > Thanks
>
> I'm not exactly sure how you get thrush, just that antibiotics
> will kill the good stuff that keeps it at bay, so that's
> why I asked. I've had it several times and only once has
> my baby been symptomatic for it.

Thrush is just another name for a yeast infection. You get it the same
way that you get vaginal yeast infections after a course of
antibiotics. Your skin normally has a flora of bacteria and fungus on
it. Infections flare up when this flora is disturbed. Antibiotics kill
off bacteria indiscriminately, including the good bacteria that keep
the yeast fungus in check.

I had thrush when my baby was a couple of weeks old and boy, did it
hurt! I'm on antibiotics for mastitis right now, so I'm treating for
thrush prophylactically.

Susan

[Dani]

I will try. Thanks for the advice

Dani

Jeffrey Loren 1/7/06
http://babymeehan.blogspot.com

[Dani]

Thanks, I'll run it by one of the LC's at the NICU and see what they
think. Thanks for all the info :)

Dani

Jeffrey Loren 1/7/06
http://babymeehan.blogspot.com

[[email protected]]

Dani wrote:
> Any advice for sore nipples? Our baby is in the NICU and is still too
> young to BF. I have been exclusively pumping and I am keeping the
> suction as low as possible but the nipples are really sore. I have been
> putting purelan 100 on each time I pump and it is helping but they are
> still very sore.
> Thanks
>
> Dani
>
> Jeffrey 1/7/06
> http://babymeehan.blogspot.com

Responding to multiple threads here....sorry.

I don't have much advice on the sore nipples, except recommending the
purelan and ice packs and time. They eventually get used to all this
new activity.

As far as your output goes....it's sounds like you're doing pretty
good. Being able to keep up with his feedings is a good thing. One
thing I will suggest, is when he starts feeding, try pumping on the
other side while he feeds on one side. I do this with Jeremy in order
to build up my freezer stash for when I go back to work. I got a chest
freezer a couple months ago, so if you want a place to store your
freezer stash...let us know!

I just got updated on the blog and was sorry to hear about Jeffrey's
troubles. When I had talked to Brian everything sounded SO good, it
broke my heart to read the latest postings. We had been hoping to come
and visit, but Nathan and I both have a cough and Jeremy is on
antibiotics for infected seborrheic dermatitis. SO, it looks like
Jeffrey and Jeremy already have something in common...staph! (that's
what they think the culture they took of his face today will come back
with....) It's important for future best friends to have something in
common don't you know! :)

Hang in there and if you guys need anything...just give a call.

Joanne
Mom to Nathan (09/28/02) and Jeremy (10/27/05)

[[email protected]]

Dani > writes:
: Thanks, I'll run it by one of the LC's at the NICU and see what they
: think. Thanks for all the info :)

: Dani

: Jeffrey Loren 1/7/06
: http://babymeehan.blogspot.com

I don't want to be rude or skeptical, but sometimes hospital LCs can
be less than helpful. Are they IBCLC certified? That would help.

Regarding the thrush possibility, I would try the Lotrimin treatment
as a precaution anyway.

Larry