If my nipples are so sore as they have been bleeding all day could i just give keep giving him cow and gate milk tonight then see how my nipples are in the morning to give them a break there killing me and i dont know what to do he was only born last thursday but he feeds nearlly all night on and off and im worried its gonna hurt too much xxx

Have you tried nipple shields? I really sympathise with you, my nipples also were incredibly sore for ages and even bled. I just had to grit my teeth and bear it, it all worked out in the end though and I've been pain free for months now. What you have to watch with supplementing with a bottle is that they can quickly become used to the bottle and refuse the breast. You're maybe better using a spoon or a feeding cup - I had to do this with Kaya before my milk came in.

I found this here - http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...lehealing.html

During the nursing session
Breastfeed from the uninjured (or less injured) side first. Baby will tend to nurse more gently on the second side offered.
The initial latch-on tends to hurt the worst - a brief application of ice right before latching can help to numb the area.
Experiment with different breastfeeding positions to determine which is most comfortable.
If breastfeeding is too painful, it is very important to express milk from the injured side to reduce the risk of mastitis and to maintain supply. If pumping is too painful, try hand expression.

After nursing
Salt water rinse

This special type of salt water, called normal saline, has the same salt concentration as tears and should not be painful to use.

To make your own normal saline solution:

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt in one cup (8 oz) of warm water. Make a fresh supply each day to avoid bacterial contamination. You may also buy individual-use packets of sterile saline solution.
After breastfeeding, soak nipple(s) in a small bowl of warm saline solution for a minute or so--long enough for the saline to get onto all areas of the nipple. Alternately, put the saline solution into a squeeze bottle and squirt it on gently; use plenty of saline, making sure to get it on all areas of broken skin.
Avoid prolonged soaking (more than 5-10 minutes) that "super" hydrates the skin, as this can promote cracking and delay healing.
Pat dry very gently with a soft paper towel.
If baby objects to the taste of the residual salt from the saline rinse, rinse directly before nursing by dipping nipple(s) into a bowl of plain water. Pat dry gently.
After the salt water rinse

Apply expressed breastmilk to the nipples to promote healing--this can be done in addition to other treatments.
To promote "moist wound healing" (this refers to maintaining the internal moisture of the skin, not keeping the exterior of the skin wet) apply a medical grade lanolin ointment (e.g., Lansinoh, Purelan), soft paraffin/vaseline or a hydrogel dressing (e.g., ComfortGel, Soothies).
If you have thrush, follow the saline soak with an antifungal ointment or other thrush treatment.
If needed, apply an antibiotic ointment (e.g. Bactroban/mupirocin, Polysporin) or Dr. Jack Newman's All Purpose Nipple Ointment (APNO; an antibiotic/anti-inflammatory/anti-yeast combo) sparingly after each feeding.
Per Hale, Bactroban ointment (mupirocin; lactation risk category L1/safest), available only by prescription, may be the best choice for nursing mothers.
Of the over-the-counter treatments, Polysporin (Polymyxin B Sulfate and Bacitracin Zinc) may be preferred for topical use in the nipple area of nursing moms over antibiotic ointments containing neomycin (such as Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment). Neomycin carries a small risk (1-2% of the general population) of contact dermatitis (see The Role of Topical Antibiotics in Dermatologic Practice by J.J. Leyden, MD).
It is not necessary to wash small amounts of antibiotic or APNO ointment from the nipple prior to nursing, even if baby nurses again within minutes (see Dr. Jack Newman's Sore Nipples handout). If too much ointment was used and there is an obvious amount remaining when baby is ready to nurse again, gently wipe the excess off with a damp cloth.

Between nursings

Keep nipples exposed to air when possible. When wearing a bra, use fresh disposable pads (change when damp). Some mothers use breast shells to protect the nipple from the dampness and friction of the bra.
If there is a specific injury--like a bite--cold compresses (ice packs over a layer of cloth) may help: 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off; repeat as needed.
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) is compatible with breastfeeding.
Once a day, use a non-antibacterial, non-perfumed soap to gently clean the wounded area, then rinse well under running water. Using soap on the nipple area is not recommended unless the skin is broken.

Also this

Nipple Pain: Causes, Treatments, and Remedies
Jahaan Martin
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 36 No. 1, February-March 2000, pp. 10-11
We provide articles from our publications from previous years for reference for our Leaders and members. Readers are cautioned to remember that research and medical information change over time

Throbbing, aching, cracked, bleeding, peeling, itching, burning, oozing, hurting, or simply sore are adjectives many new mothers use to describe their nipples when calling La Leche League for assistance. Studies have shown that 80 to 90 percent of breastfeeding women experience some nipple soreness, with 26 percent progressing to cracking and extreme nipple pain (Huml 1995). Sore nipples associated with breastfeeding are still a common problem. When nipples hurt, breastfeeding is in jeopardy and when breastfeeding is in jeopardy, the expertise of Leaders can do much to help.>

Causes of Nipple Pain
The most frequent causes of sore nipples are incorrect positioning at the breast and suction trauma. During the first two to four days after birth, the mother's nipples may feel tender at the beginning of a feeding as the baby's early suckling stretches her nipple and areolar tissue far back into his mouth. If a baby is positioned well at the breast, this temporary tenderness usually diminishes once the milk lets down, and disappears completely within a day or two (Mohrbacher and Stock 1997).

When helping a mother to overcome nipple pain caused by improper positioning, Leaders need to ask the mother about both the position of the nipple in the baby's mouth and the position of the baby's body in relation to his mother's body. A poorly latched baby may pinch off the nipple to protect his airway from a forceful milk-ejection reflex. Sometimes a baby will pinch the nipple or irritate it due to a short frenulum, short tongue, small mouth, receding chin, a high palate, or other anatomical condition (Wilson-Clay and Hoover 1999). THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK, and several other reference books and pamphlets available through La Leche League International's catalog offer detailed information about proper positioning and evaluating latch-on for those who need more information.

Nipple soreness that increases or lasts beyond the first week should be interpreted as a warning that something is wrong. Once adjustments in positioning and latch-on have been made, a few days with little or no improvement suggest that the source of the pain lies elsewhere. Sucking problems, a retracted or improperly positioned tongue, strong clenching response, nipple confusion, and improper breast pump use are possible causes of nipple soreness.

Engorgement has been known to cause nipple pain (L'Esperance 1980). Engorgement of the breasts may predispose a mother to nipple tenderness, fissures and abscesses, and may lead to breastfeeding cessation (Hill and Humenick 1994). Hand-expressing a little milk ahead of time can soften the nipple and areola enough to avoid these problems.

Traumatized nipples can readily become infected with bacteria or yeast, delaying healing and causing pain even when positioning and latch-on are corrected (Brent et al. 1998). Another less common cause of nipple discomfort is a bleb, a smooth, shiny, white dot found at the nipple's tip, usually at the opening of a duct (Lawrence 1999). Sometimes a white, clear, or yellow milk blister appears on the nipple or areola causing soreness during a feeding. Warm compresses and frequent nursing are the keys to overcoming this obstacle.

If a mother has extreme pain when the nipples are exposed to the cold or when she is particularly stressed, she may be suffering from nipple vasospasm, also called Raynaud's of the nipple. The nipples will appear blanched after a feeding; sometimes they turn blue or red before returning to their normal color. A warm shower or heating pad can help to alleviate discomfort (Riordan and Auerbach 1999). The mother could also consider a suitable pain relieving or anti-inflammatory medication.

Skin conditions such as thrush, eczema, psoriasis, and poison ivy can be responsible for nipple soreness, as can allergic reactions to shampoos, deodorants, ointments, soaps, detergents, medications, or food particles in a baby's mouth. Some women are sensitive to the plastics in breast shells, nipple shields, and pump flanges. Sore nipples in later months may be related to sucking pattern changes in a teething baby. Even changes in saliva associated with teething can be responsible for nipple pain (Wilson-Clay and Hoover 1999). The hormonal changes of pregnancy can also cause sore nipples.

Treatments and Remedies
Surprisingly, clinical research has found that warm, moist compresses can be soothing for sore nipples (Buchko et al. 1993; Lavergne 1997). Bathing a crack with freshly expressed human milk may aid healing and offer antibacterial protection. Breast milk is readily available and has no adverse effects for either mother or baby, unless the mother has a yeast infection. Because yeast thrives in human milk, mothers with thrush should rinse their nipples with plain water to remove surface milk after feeding (Mohrbacher and Stock 1997). In all other cases, expressed breast milk, in conjunction with correct positioning and latch, is the remedy of choice in much of the world.

In some locations, wet tea bags remain a popular folk remedy for the treatment of nipple pain. They are inexpensive and can be found in most homes, making them easily accessible at the onset of difficulties. They may be soothing because of the moist warmth. Tea bags have been the subject of a number of studies; they appear neither to prevent nor reduce nipple soreness (Lavergne 1997). Furthermore, the tannic acid in the tea can act as an astringent causing drying and cracking, rather than healing.

Once the recommendations for treating sore nipples included drying the skin with a hair dryer or sun lamp. Then researchers discovered that healing is facilitated when the moisture already present in the nipple and areolar tissue is preserved. A moisture barrier applied to the injured area slows the evaporation of moisture naturally present in the skin. The resulting moist environment typically causes wounds to heal in 50 percent less time, without scab or crust formation (Huml 1995).

Most commercial preparations sold for the treatment of sore nipples are not useful; some may even cause harm. Home remedies like cooking oils or honey are also inappropriate. If a mother wishes to apply something to her nipples other than water or her own milk, Leaders should suggest only substances that are safe for human consumption and free of allergens; Lansinoh for Breastfeeding Mothers is such a product. This 100 percent anhydrous modified lanolin was developed specifically to create a moist healing environment for injured nipples (Huml 1995). It has been endorsed by La Leche League International in the USA, and is considered to be the purest and safest brand of modified lanolin available (La Leche League International 1997).

Recently some hospitals began providing mothers with hydrogel dressings to treat nipple soreness. However, one study was discontinued due to a high infection rate. The dressings are available in a variety of shapes and sizes and are comprised primarily of water without any added medication. Proponents claim that hydrogel dressings create a moist environment for healing, provide immediate pain relief upon application, absorb some drainage, act as a barrier, are non-adherent, and are cost-effective because they are designed to be reused. Hydrogel dressings should not be used in treating a wound if a bacterial or fungal infection is suspected, however. (Cable, Stewart and Davis 1997; Brent 1998). These dressings were designed for treatment of other types of wounds and there are unanswered questions concerning their use for sore nipples.

I would use a nipple shield when feeding until it feels a bit better. Pick of some Hydrogel pads by Medela, you wear them in between feeds and they feel fantastic. They are cool pads that stick to you nipples and they really help with the pain. Hope your nipples feel better soon.

thanks everyone, its so annoying, today has been fine untill tonight now there so sore again xxx

i think im going to buy some nipple shields and cream tomoz xxx

Hope they feel better soon!

I was having trouble with very sore nipples so bought some shields but found that they were too big for Hannah's mouth so ended up just having to grin and bear it (or to br honest, cry through the pain!)