I remember with DD1 i did it for a bit and breastfeeding didnt hurt that much but i did nothing with DD2 and you can just imagine the pain i was in...i had a bite cloth (which i used to bite on with all my mite), a towel for me to squeeze while i watched her b/f with blood coming down her cheeks.....thankfully that only lasted for 2weeks

So as you can probably figure out i DO NOT want to go through that again so i am starting to manipulate my nipples from now, so i was just wondering if anyone who plans to Breastfeed is doing anything to get your nipples ready?? i am just after ideas/different ways to prepare them as much as possible

I am still nursing my dd who's 3.5 and I am sorry you had such a bad experience nursing your dd2, it sounds to me like you had a latch problem to cause such pain and bleeding. There's really no reason to  "prepare" your nipples before your baby's birth. It might be in your best interest to attend some LLL meetings near you, or seek out the advice of an experienced lactation consultant to help you with your latch after the birth of you baby.

Agreed - the latch is key.  I have a friend who started using the lanolin cream daily a few weeks before she delivered, and that seemed to work for her.  I always meant to do that - maybe this time I'll get my act together!  I have also heard of using a bit of a scratchy washcloth on them in your shower.  I'll keep my eye on this post as I am interested in what has worked for others too. 

 I am a nursery nurse, and I must agree with the PP, if you have a proper latch breastfeeding may be a little uncomfortable at first, but should never ever hurt the way you describe! I cannot imagine seeing blood running down my baby's face, you poor thing! But really, there isn't anything you can do to prepare your nipples. I would just ensure that baby gets a good latch, and isn't tongue tied and keeps his tongue down while eating. 

I also remember my nipples being so cracked that DD2 never let them heal because she was constantly eating.....so i would put breast milk on them and air them out a bit to help the healing process 

maybe it was because of a bad latch. Hopefully this time round i would have a midwife telling me that that baby is latched on properly..Didnt really have any help with DD2

Oh my.....I don't have any advice as I've never done anything to prepare for nursing.  I just want to say what a brave woman you are for continuing on with that much pain and (gasp) blood!  DS3 I had to get the lanolin cream for cracking, but they never bled, and after the first few days we had no problems.  GL with getting thru better this time! 

pinkinourfuture?:

Oh my.....I don't have any advice as I've never done anything to prepare for nursing.  I just want to say what a brave woman you are for continuing on with that much pain and (gasp) blood!  DS3 I had to get the lanolin cream for cracking, but they never bled, and after the first few days we had no problems.  GL with getting thru better this time! 

Thanks Brandy. I wanted to persevere (sp?) with it since i loved it the first time round and i know breast is best for baby......Also i am too lazy to prepare formula,making sure it was right temp, boiling bottles and all that other work that comes with bottlefeeding....I love the convinience of flopping my boob out whenever baby was hungry.... 

Although they "SAY" you don't have to do anything to prepare your nipples beforehand, I truly belive it is in the SKIN, TYPE of the individual. I am the type of person that burns easily never tans, has very dry and senstive skin. This holds true for my nipples too--they of course are more oily than the rest of my skin but they are probabally more dry than the average individual. I have breastfed children for a combined 5 years so I know that preparation DOES help for ME. I use (and swear by) the Lansinoh lanolin cream. It is miraculous. I even use it to this day on small cuts and they disappear overnight! I would take a small tab, warm it between my fingers and rub it all over the nipples and areola. I did this for about 1 month before delivery. I had NO problems with my 3rd child and when I got problems with my 2nd I used it immediately and it helped a lot. It is safe for baby to get in mouth too so you can use it before feedings. GL with your breastfeeding experience! :)

try a nipple sheild. my sister used one with her baby..she said it still hurt to latchon but she had no cryness cracking or bleeding. she weened her away fromt he niple sheild at about 2 months when breast feeding was well established and the latch was good and tight.

I don't believe there's any need to prepare your nipples.  Proper latch is the key.  if there is nipple trauma however, I swear by Jack Newman's All purpose nipple ointment.  I had major problems last time round which resulted in cracked nipples.  lanolin cream didn't help at all, but as soon as I got the APNO, it was 100X better by the next day. this time, I already got a script from my OB and it is ready and waiting in my hospital bag, just in case.  I wish I'd done that last time. 

  it has to be compounded in a pharmacy.  the recipe is here: http://www.kellymom.com/newman/03b-treatments_sore_nipples_breasts.html