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Ouch! When Breastfeeding Really Hurts 🧑‍🍼
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Stephanie Hunt profile picture
Stephanie Hunt
This is what worked for me when “air dry some breast milk 🙏” was absolutely not cutting it. The biggest tip I have is to meet with a professional IBCLC, but these are the specific products I liked. I am not a doctor, so don’t trust me (or anyone els...
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Start here - seriously.
 
Product Recommendations
 
Worth a shot!
 
Also an amazing option!

Start here - seriously.

Don’t pass go, don’t spend hours on Reddit alone in the middle of the night.
 
Stephanie Hunt profile picture
The most important piece of advice is hire an IBCL. They’ll help you get through the immediate issues and also help find the root cause. I basically had a panic attack in one office and I’m successfully nursing a 10 month old as I type this. Would no...
The Lactation Network
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Product Recommendations

After a lot of pain, trial and error, and tears, these are the specific things that helped me get through the painful stuff!
 
Stephanie Hunt profile picture
I tried about 7 brands, and these were the only hydrogel pads I liked. Use these between feeds and wash before baby comes in contact with your skin. Personally, I cut them in half to prolong use.
Medela Hydrogel Pads
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Stephanie Hunt profile picture
These nursing pads chaffed the least of any I bought. A close second was the target store brand.
Momcozy Ultra-Thin Disposable Nursing Pads
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Stephanie Hunt profile picture
When I had a lot of open wounds (đź« ), these were amazing to put underneath a nursing pad - they kept the nursing pad from drying onto the wound and sort of re-opening it when I removed it for the next feeding.
Band-Aid Large Non Stick Pads
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Stephanie Hunt profile picture
I used this on wounds to gently clean hydrogel pad residue or medihoney off before feedings and as needed during the day to keep things clean. Very gentle and didn’t sting.
Saline Wound Wash
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Stephanie Hunt profile picture
Sometimes when the thought of anything touching me was terrible, I would wear these without suction inside of a nursing bra for 30 minutes or so for some relief. They don’t have any airflow, so I don’t think you’d want to keep them on too long. These...
Boon Trove Milk Collector
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Stephanie Hunt profile picture
As we all know, honey cannot be given to babies. This is medical grade honey that has been irradiated to eliminate the stuff that can lead to infant botulism. I think it’s generally used for burns. All of that said, I checked with my OB, lactation co...
Medihoney Wound Gel
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Stephanie Hunt profile picture
Using a manual pump would allow me to control the pressure a little more than the electric would. I also had this with me when I was out and about in case a feeding really went south and I needed a way out.
Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump
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Stephanie Hunt profile picture
I used this both before a feeding to help get things moving along, and also after to soothe. I realized I was probably dealing with some Raynaud’s/vasospasm issues and this thing was in constant rotation.
PureRelief® XL – King Size Heating Pad
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Worth a shot!

These things weren’t total lifesavers for me like the last section, but I do think they were helpful and I hear a lot of good things! Every person is different, so hopefully my research helps you narrow things down.
 
Stephanie Hunt profile picture
This was nice once the major injuries were healed, but didn’t really do much when I was googling “crater wounds” in the middle of the night. I do still use it months into breastfeeding, though! Sort of smells like chocolate. I keep it in my diaper ba...
Earth Mama Organic Nipple Butter
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Stephanie Hunt profile picture
I wouldn’t use these without a pro helping you get a game plan, but they were vital in getting me healed enough to continue on.
Medela Nipple Shields
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Stephanie Hunt profile picture
I used both a homemade version of this and an Rx version with a steroid from my OB at different parts of my journey. Talk to your healthcare pro to see what might help you!
All Purpose Nipple Ointment (APNO)
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Also an amazing option!

 
Stephanie Hunt profile picture
You can stop any time you want. Formula is amazing! I have a formula fed kid too and he’s perfect. Make sure you’ve got someone to talk to who sees you as more than a milk factory if things feel overwhelming. Whatever your baby eats now, they are g...
Formula!
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