Hi,

After having posted my earlier message, last sunday I developed fever where the temp went upto 103.6. Next day, I went to my gynac and consulted her on the cracked nipple as well as fever (which still remained above 100). She prescribed antibiotic for 5 days and suggested that I do not breastfeed my baby for 3-4 days, apply nipcare cream (modified Lanolin USP).

Even my son's paediatrician suggested that I do not breastfeed my baby for 4-5 days and only after experiencing no pain for an entire day start breastfeeding. In the meantime, he suggested that I express breastmilk and feed him the same with spoon. Similarly, I can try some formula feed till my cracks heal. He had also suggested to try and avoid bottle feeding. He also suggested that there is no need to wash of the nipcare cream before feeding the baby (if at all I breast feed him)

After taking the antibioticsfor 2 days, my fever has gone down and by not breastfeeding my baby for 2 days, my cracks had improved to some extent.

Now my problem is that since yesterday my baby is not ready to take milk from spoon. He just keeps crying for 3-4 hrs at night, refuses to take milk unless I breastfeed him. No amount of pacifying has helped. Everyone in my house find themselves very helpless (my parents, husband, sister try to take him around the house, pacify him , but nothing works). Day before yesterday, he just kept all of us awake from 2 a.m and he went of to sleep only at 9.00 a.m. I got so frustrated in the end that I just offered him my milk ( I feel very bad that everyone sacrifice their sleep for the baby) So since yesterday, he is taking only my milk and now the crack on my nipples have again become bad.

Now my parents suggest that I try bottle feeding him as it may pacify him a bit (since it is only till my nipples heal) and my husband has also reluctantly agreed to that. However I fear, that once I bottle feed him, he may not start feeding from my breast as I had read about nipple confusion. Secondly, after my nipples heal, what if I develop these cracks again. I just feel so bad and have no idea as to what is to be done and what will be the ultimate result of all these.

During my daughter's time too I had sore nipples which healed in 10-12 days time and thereafter I had breastfed her till she was 1.5 years. But now I have no idea, if I will ever be able to breastfeed my baby.

Please help and suggest something as I am losing out on all the patience that I have. Hetal replied. i would suggest what your parents say..
i did the same thing,,rem my prev post i mentiond,,i too had the crisis...and frankly sayng that for me it was practical enough to take a break to breastfeeding and opt for bottle.
it worked for me,,
i too had same fears and it took me a while to relatch but as i said earlier,,no baby can be arrogant enough before his mom when it comes to breastfeeding,,,please remember nipple confusion does happen with breastfeed babies but that should not stop you from offering bottle,,atleast considerring your current situation...and nor does it mean that your baby has to remain hungry.

there are other alterrnatives as well,,see if you feel comfortable in trying them out,,for me bottle feeding was most comfortable...:

1.cup feeding,,use the small cup that hold very less milk,,look for the one that has spout,,and there are special cups in US for infant feedng,,check out amazon dot com or leche league internation and sometimes even hosptals and lactation consultants keep them/sell them ! ask for those,,see iff it works ofor your baby.

2.make a small nipple like knot with a 100%cotton napkin,and dip it in bowl of bm and let baby suck it ! and with a small dropper keep the knnot wet enough that baby can suck,,with bm...

3.there are droppers and feeding syringe available,,ask your lactaction consultants or dr or hospital nurse about it,,she will suggest you the most pref brand..

4.spoon feeding has not worked for you,so i will not talk about it,,bt you can try finger feeding,,there are special feeding syringe available for finger feeding,,,just insert the tip of syringe alongwiht your first finger tip and its taped with finger,,let the baby suck the finger and in that hewill be takng bm by depressng the plunger,,,ask your hospital or search for a good one that has good reviews,,make sure in syringe is of trusted brand.

5.you can try for haberman feeder,,these are special bottles available in stores,,you might have to search for them,,as they are not a normal sales,,,you can find these on lalache league website or some other breastfeeding org site..

so you can try these,,see if ne of above works out for you,,for me, bottle was easier option, easily avialable !

now about spoonfeeding,,
spoon feedng is frustrating for breastfeedng baby compard to bottle feedng,or the above alternatives as baby does not get the sucking satisfaction !

if you are worried about nipple confusion,,you can try for the wide neck bottles and now there are so many diff brands available in market..check eopinions dot come, amazon dot com and you will get some option.i liked dr.browns and my baby was comfortable with it.
pleasee maintain your milk supply by pumping regularly or or during baby feeding times,, and store that milk(make sure no blood in that),,storage intructions often comes along with breastpump,,,or go to medella pump website and it has it all,,,

as and when your nipples are healing,,start latching,,and likewise pump the rest of the feeds,,,

development of cracks depnds on the cause of it,,its baby hard sucking or palate thn it will give you soreness,,as it did give to me thru out my breastfeedng,,,breastshells,shields, and also nipplees helped whnever the soreness was severe,,and atleast preventd the cracks. the other reason like baby latching wrongly and such are unlikely since you are a second timers,,still if you want,,you can consult a good lactation consultant and learn other styles of breastfeeding,,see if that does not hurt you and your baby is comfortable with the other styles...on la lache league,,you will find them online !

dont losn your heart,,,if you want to breastfeed,,right now its advisable for you to recover from cracks first,,,

and let me give you pracctical view further,,even if you are not able to breastfeed again or say could not relatch your baby,,,,,wat are you worried for,,,you have maintained your milk supply and you can still offer BM,,and thats wat is important !!!!!!!

i was same fear,,and i was out of it,,,so i advice you the same,,

Lata,,having fear is a good thing,, but lettting that fear control you,is no good...and your situation is not that bad right now,,and you can still avoid making it worst further by feeding your baby on time,,irrespective of type of feeding alternative you use..
your baby needs feeds on time right now and you have to recover first,,so what is good for you,,now you decide...

good luck...recover first. moa replied. sorry to be straight and blunt ..

but looks like you are trying to achieve everything ideal, which is not always possible.

The baby is going hungry, poor one keeps crying, family sleep is disturbed, your health is affected ...

above all, you are not getting any rest, but getting tension.

First things first.
No hungry baby. Give him milk. If not bm, give him formula in bottle. No one is asking u to quit breastfeeding, this is just a temporary solution.
Get your health right. U want to breastfeed ?.. but thats not possible with cracked nipples. If baby is full, family can take care of rest things so u can rest, apply medicines, whatever.
If baby is full, he will sleep, family will sleep.

Meanwhile, check with your Dr how u can maintain breastmilk/breastfeeding so that u can get back to it when u r fine.

Many mothers have successfully maintained bottle+bf. Dont worry.

wish you recover soon.