Breastfeeding after childbirth

[fatma]

A thirty year old new mother I have just given birth by caesarian to a beautiful daughter.Through breastfeeding for only three days my nipples are most uncomfortable through a most agressive baby during feeding.If the milk is expressed and kept in a refrigerator,do I have to re heat before giving to baby.Living outside the UK aftercare is not readily available

[awol]

Congratulations on the birth of your baby. Sore nipples are very common but can be overcome. One thing you can do is wipe them with some of your milk after feeding and let then dry in the air - keep them as dry as possible. Can you buy plastic nipples shields? Some mothers find them helpful. There is are various creams especially designed for sore nipples (many containing calendula) - a pharmacist can help you. A good herbal remedy is a tincture called hypercal (made from hypericum and calendula). If you can get this, dab a little on after feedling and allow to dry. Wipe your nipples with plain water before feeding again. You can use this until the soreness stops. As for the expressed milk - yes, it's essential that it's heated before giving it to your baby - but take care that it's not too hot. For more advice, see these websites: breastfeeding problems - http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/sci_tech/feature
s/health/sexualhealth/parents/breast3.shtml usung expressed milk - http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/page.asp?pa
ge=921 breastfeeding problems - http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/page.asp?pa
ge=793

[sabrinah]

After your baby has finished feeding, squeezing a bit of milk out and rubbing it over your entire nipple and letting them dry naturally, as the previous person suggests is definately teh best way of sorting out sore nipples. Once they're better it's a good idea to keep on doing this to stop them getting sore again.

Make sure you're positioning the baby correctly too, the idea is that the baby really opens wide and has as much breaast in it's mouth as possible.

As for the temperature of the milk, if you drop a bit on your hand and can't feel it then this is around about the right temperature, ie body temperature.

[vittoria]

Congratulations on the birth; when I was breastfeeding I used Savlon cream on my nipples and it worked a treat; (my mother in law's suggestion). Can you get it in your country? As someone else has replied, yes you must reheat the expressed milk before feeding it to the baby.

[MistyLady]

I suffered the same and my sympathies are with you. I would watch what creams you use, my health visitor advised against this for the health of the baby. The nipples are sore for some time during the early days of feeding and by the time you read this you may have already got over the soreness.