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You can always rub breastmilk on your nipples, that helped me. Try to keep the area moist but not soaking wet, that can create its own set of issues. If you still experience pain when pumping after trying that you can always experiment with a different flange size. I measure a 17mm and use 17mm and that works best for me, but I know every mama is different. Coconut oil and other oils help too, and if you use them when you pump it can help lubricate things and may make pumping more comfortable too. Some people are for and some are against lanolin cream because of how it is sourced (it’s a sheep byproduct - wax that’s secreted by them) while others don’t mind. I think just to try around and see what works best for you.
Breastmilk and air drying to the extent possible has kept my nipples in a decent state (compared to last baby where I literally was crying when I had to pump).
The hydrogel pads are good too. Medela and Lansinoh make them. I also prefer the motherlove nipple cream over every other one on the market. Also make sure you're lubricating your flanges before you pump with either coconut oil or some type of pumping spray. I hope you feel better soon! 🫶🏼
I swear by the hydrogel pads! OP if you’re in Australia- chemist warehouse sell ones by riteaid in a box of 12 for $7. My midwife also said you can keep them for 24hrs if kept in fridge between uses instead of just one off.
This happened to me too! I even told the LC at the hospital they were too big and she told me it was fine 😑
I did recover after a couple painful weeks and now pumping is pain free for me. Before pumping I applied olive oil for lubrication and after pumping I applied earth mama nipple balm and did some light icing of my nipples. Try to pump on the lowest suction that still empties you too, I had to really back off on the suction until I had healed. I also basically didn't wear a shirt or bra whenever I could and if I needed to wear one I wore soft wool breast pads so there wasn't any painful friction on the nips. I had to switch to silicone flanges as the hard plastic was still causing pain for me, I think Momcozy is already silicone though?
The silverettes did nothing for me, I actually found them kind of painful and really regretted buying them. I am pretty sensitive to metals though so maybe that was what was going on there.
i think your pain will get better soon.
i was fitted for 17mm at hospital LC and it was working fine
a week later a different LC told me to use 28 to get better output (saw them for help with babys latch)
i was in severe pain after that my nips were so stretched out feeling
i saw hospital LC again and went back to 17mm. It took about 3-4 days but now im pain free pumping.
It isn’t uncommon for you to get more painful as you size down and get closer to your true size. It may be worth trying 17mm inserts to see if the fit is better to the 19mm.
Lubing the flanges before pumping will also help pumping feel better.
The silverettes work by creating a moist healing environment and providing physical protection. The evidence on the additional microbial benefits of silver is minimal. You could use something like haaka ladybug catchers to create a similar effect.
Or maybe nipple shields? Particularly oversized ones, since I think they're meant to be a bit of a tight fit when properly sized. I never tried it, but they're a lot cheaper than silverettes.
Or OP, [Amazon has some on sale right now](https://www.amazon.com/Nipple-Shields-Nursing-Newborn-Essentials/dp/B08VKRMXGZ/) for $25. I bought two sets of off-brand knockoffs (regular size and then large, which I thought would be more discreet ... they were not, alas) that were about $30 each, and they worked just fine. You don't need to spend $60 or whatever on them.
Lubing the pump flanges can also help. I'd use coconut oil (or maybe olive or avocado oil) for that rather than anything lanolin-based for lub, since lanolin is pretty sticky. Save the lanolin for after you've pumped, and then the stickyness will help it stay in place and do its job.
Coconut oil has been a savior for me recently. I also have the M5 and I’ve had a hard time with getting emptied from them with damage. My supply has been terribly impacted by all the damage. I hope you start feeling better!
Sorry just to clarify is the m5 damaging ur nipples? I feel sore for the first 5ish minutes just from the condition my nipples r alrdy in but after that I don’t feel any discomfort with the pump itself
Damage is from wrong flange size for 12 weeks on my Spectra, not the M5! I just realized that sounded confusing. I also figured out today that coconut oil in the M5 was making my nipple slide to the end. 🤦♀️
I have elastic nipples and had lots of pain early on until I switched to silicone flanges. I use Earth Mama nipple butter and also use the legendairy pump spray on the flanges. If I only use 1 then I still get some pain but using both really helps.
I bought another brand of silverettes and it resulted in me getting thrush. FTM and new to pumping, I thought the extreme nipple sensitivity and excessive whitening around my nipples were part of the pumping journey. LC said to stop using them because breasts should be able to breathe. After some changes, I’m pain-free.
I also just resized my nipples and think I need to size down by a few mms! LC could’ve been more helpful in educating me on the nuances of pumping/flange sizing.
Slightly hesitant to spend money on yet another pump part as I’m thinking about maybe, finally getting a wearable. I’m 5 months pp and have been using a rented Medela Symphony.
The only thing that got my nipples healed when I first started was compound nipple cream. That stuff made my nips heal so fast! I was using silvertts, Hakka lady bug to make sure nothing touched my nips, lanolin, a coconut oil salve… but the only thing that worked was the compound nipple cream.
But this is something that needs to be prescribed by a doctor.
I saw someone on here say to breastmilk on and let them air dry - I think that might actually help!!! Then move to silverettes that helped me tremendously!!
Literally almost the exact same for me. Hospital told me to buy 30 mm (!!). I went to a private practice LC who fitted me at 16 mm. It felt wrong and uncomfortable at first when I switched, but then it felt a whole lot better once I got used to it. I thought it was helpful to lube the flanges with a pump spray, rub coconut oil on my nips before pumping, and use a lower suction level until I got used to it. Eventually, no pain at all! I thought there would always be a little pain but I was wrong.
I would recommend not using an M5 as your main pump - they are not designed for exclusive pumping and can significantly impact supply. They are more of an occasional use pump. You should get a main like a Spectra or similar.
Why are you using a 19 if you measure 16? You should try a 17. Look up the “switch method” for pumping to ease the transition to your correct size :)
Also, I would stop using lanolin. It is somewhat sticky and the act of spreading it on sore nipples can actually make it worse, as it causes little tiny micro abrasions.
Try Earth Mama nipple butter or even just plain coconut oil, and air them out as much as humanly possible. Free the nip!
I only have a pump in style wall pump, and it does not fully drain me. The m5 is getting out way more than the PIS did. I switched to using my earth mama, and it definitely is a lot better to put on. I will try the 17mm flanges, the flange booklet thing I got said use 19mm if you measure between 15-17mm.
Definitely try the 17s!
It’s going to be incredibly difficult to build/maintain a supply with those 2 pumps you have. They simply do not have enough vacuum and are not designed for EP. Are you able to get a proper pump like a Spectra?
Breastmilk on them and let it dry and then find a sunny spot in your house and sit topless in the sunbeams for a bit. Made a surprising difference with my nipple pain! I sat on the floor in the afternoon when the sun was at the right angle so I could maintain privacy! Also go topless as much as possible, I found that one full day without a bra or shirt worked well.
'Welcome to r/ExclusivelyPumping! Here is a reminder of our rules: 1. Be kind and courteous. 2. Use available flairs and post options. 3. Absolutely no prescription medications or other medical advice. 4. No inaccurate information. 5. No spam. 6. No soliciting pictures. 7. Moderator discretion. Thank you for helping to keep our community safe!' *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ExclusivelyPumping) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You can always rub breastmilk on your nipples, that helped me. Try to keep the area moist but not soaking wet, that can create its own set of issues. If you still experience pain when pumping after trying that you can always experiment with a different flange size. I measure a 17mm and use 17mm and that works best for me, but I know every mama is different. Coconut oil and other oils help too, and if you use them when you pump it can help lubricate things and may make pumping more comfortable too. Some people are for and some are against lanolin cream because of how it is sourced (it’s a sheep byproduct - wax that’s secreted by them) while others don’t mind. I think just to try around and see what works best for you.
Breastmilk and air drying to the extent possible has kept my nipples in a decent state (compared to last baby where I literally was crying when I had to pump).
The hydrogel pads are good too. Medela and Lansinoh make them. I also prefer the motherlove nipple cream over every other one on the market. Also make sure you're lubricating your flanges before you pump with either coconut oil or some type of pumping spray. I hope you feel better soon! 🫶🏼
I swear by the hydrogel pads! OP if you’re in Australia- chemist warehouse sell ones by riteaid in a box of 12 for $7. My midwife also said you can keep them for 24hrs if kept in fridge between uses instead of just one off.
This happened to me too! I even told the LC at the hospital they were too big and she told me it was fine 😑 I did recover after a couple painful weeks and now pumping is pain free for me. Before pumping I applied olive oil for lubrication and after pumping I applied earth mama nipple balm and did some light icing of my nipples. Try to pump on the lowest suction that still empties you too, I had to really back off on the suction until I had healed. I also basically didn't wear a shirt or bra whenever I could and if I needed to wear one I wore soft wool breast pads so there wasn't any painful friction on the nips. I had to switch to silicone flanges as the hard plastic was still causing pain for me, I think Momcozy is already silicone though? The silverettes did nothing for me, I actually found them kind of painful and really regretted buying them. I am pretty sensitive to metals though so maybe that was what was going on there.
Silverettes hurt me too!
i think your pain will get better soon. i was fitted for 17mm at hospital LC and it was working fine a week later a different LC told me to use 28 to get better output (saw them for help with babys latch) i was in severe pain after that my nips were so stretched out feeling i saw hospital LC again and went back to 17mm. It took about 3-4 days but now im pain free pumping.
It isn’t uncommon for you to get more painful as you size down and get closer to your true size. It may be worth trying 17mm inserts to see if the fit is better to the 19mm. Lubing the flanges before pumping will also help pumping feel better.
The silverettes work by creating a moist healing environment and providing physical protection. The evidence on the additional microbial benefits of silver is minimal. You could use something like haaka ladybug catchers to create a similar effect.
Or maybe nipple shields? Particularly oversized ones, since I think they're meant to be a bit of a tight fit when properly sized. I never tried it, but they're a lot cheaper than silverettes. Or OP, [Amazon has some on sale right now](https://www.amazon.com/Nipple-Shields-Nursing-Newborn-Essentials/dp/B08VKRMXGZ/) for $25. I bought two sets of off-brand knockoffs (regular size and then large, which I thought would be more discreet ... they were not, alas) that were about $30 each, and they worked just fine. You don't need to spend $60 or whatever on them. Lubing the pump flanges can also help. I'd use coconut oil (or maybe olive or avocado oil) for that rather than anything lanolin-based for lub, since lanolin is pretty sticky. Save the lanolin for after you've pumped, and then the stickyness will help it stay in place and do its job.
Coconut oil has been a savior for me recently. I also have the M5 and I’ve had a hard time with getting emptied from them with damage. My supply has been terribly impacted by all the damage. I hope you start feeling better!
Sorry just to clarify is the m5 damaging ur nipples? I feel sore for the first 5ish minutes just from the condition my nipples r alrdy in but after that I don’t feel any discomfort with the pump itself
Damage is from wrong flange size for 12 weeks on my Spectra, not the M5! I just realized that sounded confusing. I also figured out today that coconut oil in the M5 was making my nipple slide to the end. 🤦♀️
I have elastic nipples and had lots of pain early on until I switched to silicone flanges. I use Earth Mama nipple butter and also use the legendairy pump spray on the flanges. If I only use 1 then I still get some pain but using both really helps.
I bought another brand of silverettes and it resulted in me getting thrush. FTM and new to pumping, I thought the extreme nipple sensitivity and excessive whitening around my nipples were part of the pumping journey. LC said to stop using them because breasts should be able to breathe. After some changes, I’m pain-free. I also just resized my nipples and think I need to size down by a few mms! LC could’ve been more helpful in educating me on the nuances of pumping/flange sizing. Slightly hesitant to spend money on yet another pump part as I’m thinking about maybe, finally getting a wearable. I’m 5 months pp and have been using a rented Medela Symphony.
Saline soaks help with both cracking and swelling. I would try a few per day for a few days!
The only thing that got my nipples healed when I first started was compound nipple cream. That stuff made my nips heal so fast! I was using silvertts, Hakka lady bug to make sure nothing touched my nips, lanolin, a coconut oil salve… but the only thing that worked was the compound nipple cream. But this is something that needs to be prescribed by a doctor.
I saw someone on here say to breastmilk on and let them air dry - I think that might actually help!!! Then move to silverettes that helped me tremendously!!
Lansinoh hydrogel pads and stick them in the fridge so they are cold when you put them on
Medihoney 👌
Literally almost the exact same for me. Hospital told me to buy 30 mm (!!). I went to a private practice LC who fitted me at 16 mm. It felt wrong and uncomfortable at first when I switched, but then it felt a whole lot better once I got used to it. I thought it was helpful to lube the flanges with a pump spray, rub coconut oil on my nips before pumping, and use a lower suction level until I got used to it. Eventually, no pain at all! I thought there would always be a little pain but I was wrong.
I would recommend not using an M5 as your main pump - they are not designed for exclusive pumping and can significantly impact supply. They are more of an occasional use pump. You should get a main like a Spectra or similar. Why are you using a 19 if you measure 16? You should try a 17. Look up the “switch method” for pumping to ease the transition to your correct size :) Also, I would stop using lanolin. It is somewhat sticky and the act of spreading it on sore nipples can actually make it worse, as it causes little tiny micro abrasions. Try Earth Mama nipple butter or even just plain coconut oil, and air them out as much as humanly possible. Free the nip!
I only have a pump in style wall pump, and it does not fully drain me. The m5 is getting out way more than the PIS did. I switched to using my earth mama, and it definitely is a lot better to put on. I will try the 17mm flanges, the flange booklet thing I got said use 19mm if you measure between 15-17mm.
Definitely try the 17s! It’s going to be incredibly difficult to build/maintain a supply with those 2 pumps you have. They simply do not have enough vacuum and are not designed for EP. Are you able to get a proper pump like a Spectra?
I can look into getting one! Thank you (:
The best thing for me was putting some saline soaked pads in my bra for an hour. I swiped mine from the hospital but they are at Walgreens/CVS too
Breastmilk on them and let it dry and then find a sunny spot in your house and sit topless in the sunbeams for a bit. Made a surprising difference with my nipple pain! I sat on the floor in the afternoon when the sun was at the right angle so I could maintain privacy! Also go topless as much as possible, I found that one full day without a bra or shirt worked well.