How do you heal a breast wound while nursing?

[ChristinaLucia]

I had a wound that wouldn't heal and hurt like crazy. It lasted months. Finally I religiously applied organic coconut oil to it. It stained all my tops, but I did heal up. I also tried to nurse on that side very infrequently. As soon as it healed we went back to normal and everything was fine.

[basil]

Oh yeah I invested a fortune in gel pads... They feel good but I wasn't convinced they were actually healing things and using them for weeks on end was getting $$$. Maybe I'll pick up another pair.

I haven't tried what you're describing but it seems like the baby would be pulling the nipple down. That is the worst. It's hard to describe what this looks like, sorry to be so graphic, but it's almost looks like someone started to cut the nipple off at the top, got through the skin then stopped. So I was thinking that if DD was sucking vertically with her palate on that area that's worse and that was supported by how that hurt more. But maybe I'll try it again. I'm desperate!

I haven't nursed her on the left side since 5 am this morning. It maybe feels a little less sore to touch. She got 3 pumped bottles which she seemed ok with. After one pumping session the wound started bleeding though, which can't be good.

[mikala]

I don't have much new advice to add but wanted to send sympathy your way! Ds2 had a crazy strong latch at birth and caused some nasty trauma and excruciating nursing on one side in the early weeks. I used soothies pads and tried to let a little breastmilk dry on the injured area after every feeding before I covered things back up. The worst was right before a weekend so I nursed the other side, pumped that side and had DH give a few bottles. It was miserable but finally healed and he is still nursing at almost 2 years. I used larger than standard flanges while pumping (27mm?) and that really helped avoid the injured area. I tried a nipple shield but it just made him chomp harder and seemed to make his latch more painful on the other non-shielded side.

Hope it heals quickly!!

[maybeebaby08]

A saltwater soak is what finally healed the wound on nipple that sounds like yours. I still have a scar, very painful!


http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/nipplehealing/

These helped too, I got them at our hospital from the LC. Keep them in the fridge and very soothing between nursing sessions.
http://www.amazon.com/Kendall-Aquafl.../dp/B0013Y6FNS



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[mikala]

Maybeebaby's post reminded me of the saltwater soak. I felt totally ridiculous doing it but it definitely helped.

[lalasmama]

OP, how are things going?

[basil]

OP, how are things going?

Oh, thanks for asking, but unfortunately about the same..

I pumped that side and nursed the other for about 36 hours from Saturday AM to Sunday night. I nursed her on that side Sunday night and it felt so much better and even looked better, I was so excited. Now, since she's nursed there since then, I'm pretty much back at square one. I'm pumping again now, I don't know what else to do. I've tried every position I can think of and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

[lalasmama]

Just wondering out loud, so ignore me if you want Wondering if steri-strips (butterfly bandaids) would help keep the wound approximated well enough to avoid the pulling as much?

[basil]

Just wondering out loud, so ignore me if you want Wondering if steri-strips (butterfly bandaids) would help keep the wound approximated well enough to avoid the pulling as much?

Not through nursing, I don't think. There's not that much tissue at the far end for the steri strip to hold on to. And keeping it from gaping when not nursing isn't really a problem.

[elektra]

Not through nursing, I don't think. There's not that much tissue at the far end for the steri strip to hold on to. And keeping it from gaping when not nursing isn't really a problem.

Have you tried a nipple shield yet?