Sore nipples

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

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

"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

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.

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

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

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

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

"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

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.