This one time...I thought my nipples were going to fall OFF!

Breastfeeding, it's not supposed to be painful but is it?  Considering that most first time mom's aren't used to nursing a baby, practically around the clock, there certainly is a little room for error and some pain, although not "normal" is to be expected.

I'm an only child and my mother was a La Leche League Leader so when I got pregnant I was going to breastfeed, it just was what you do, for me at least.  My mom had some experience, some advice...She said you should sit in the bath, before you deliver, and use a wet washcloth to rough up your nipples. I laughed!

Sure, like that would really work! Ha Ha Ha!  Like I'm really going to sit in the bath and use a washcloth to do that!  An old wives tale I was sure.  Did I do it?  Absolutely not.  Who listens to their mother anyhow?

So baby came and I was nursing!  Yippee, see this was easy, piece of cake.  Until....maybe a few days or so into it.  I started to feel a burning pain when my daughter nursed, it turned into a searing pain, and then into an eye watering excruciating pain, a very bad I am now totally dreading breastfeeding my new baby pain.

I asked my mom in all seriousness "Is my nipple going to fall off?  Can it fall off?"  I was really worried.  It felt like someone was cutting it off with a razor blade every time my daughter nursed.

Turns out that having a baby gnawing and sucking at the breast takes a little getting used to, a lot of getting used to and there is a learning curve.  Sure, baby is getting milk and appears to be nursing just fine but is she latched on properly?  It's hard to know, especially since everyone's breasts and nipples are different.

We figured out that she wasn't latching on quite right, not enough of the areola was in her mouth.  Using my thumb to gently encourage her to open a little wider seemed to help.  It took a couple weeks for the latch to improve and the pain to go away.  I'll never know if I had used the washcloth method to rough up the nippples for a couple weeks before the birth if that would have helped but heck, hindsight is 20/20 and when I was in pain I seriously wished I had given it a try.

My advice is...

• Make sure you have a good nipple cream.  Lansinoh, Earth Mama Angel Baby, Coconut Oil...Something that will help relieve the pain and discomfort you might experience.
• Use cloth breast pads.
• Ask for help.  You may be modest but you just have to get over it.  If you're in pain past about day 10 you need to see a lactation consultant, doula or midwife who can take a look and make sure baby is properly latched on.
• Stay positive.  Once you've got the right latch and you've found your breastfeeding groove, it only takes a little while before you're poor nipples adjust.

Well I hope you're found my post a little helpful.  Don't forget, this too shall pass!

Here's a good couple of links if you need to check out latch-on techniques:
http://www.breastfeeding.com/helpme/helpme_images_latchon.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/basics/latch-resources.html

Julie, Cloth Diaper Geek

Tuesday Giveaway: Flip Trainers!

We're just so excited about the new Flip Trainers, we can't contain ourselves. We thought it would be fun to pass the time before they arrive at the Cotton Babies warehouse (we expect them in late November or early December) with a little giveaway fun!

To enter today's blog giveaway for your chance to win one of our prize packs, share the best (or worst) tips you have for potty training. Not training someone yet? Share your best diaper changing tip. Let's share what we've learned along the way and help other parents out.

Three winners will be selected at random from all eligible comments to receive a Flip Potty Trainer Pack in the color of their choice from Cotton Babies. Prize will be shipped once the Flip Trainers arrive and begin shipping from Cotton Babies.

Eligible entries must be posted no later than midnight Central time, Wednesday, October 26, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Thursday, October 27, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page.)

Cloth 101: Wet Towel Trick

Sometimes finding a good laundry routine for a front loading or high efficiency machine can be a little tricky. Today, we'd like to share with you a couple of our tips specifically for this type of washing machine.

• First, a full load of cloth diapers is 12 - 15 cloth diapers or covers and inserts. Putting more than this in a load can keep your diapers from getting as clean as they need to be. Your diapers need room to move around freely to get as clean as possible.
• We recommend washing every other day, regardless of what type of machine you have. This prevents bacteria growth and stink issues.
• If your little one is eating solid foods or drinking liquids other than water, formula or breast milk, we recommend rinsing your diapers before you put them in your wet bag or pail. This will also help to prevent staining and stink issues.
• If you are still having issues getting your diapers clean and you have a front loading machine, we suggest our "Wet Towel Trick". To 'trick' a high efficiency machine into adding more water to your laundry cycles, try adding a saturated towel (or two if they are small) to the beginning of your wash routine. Let the towel go through all the wash cycles (hot, cold and rinses) to make sure the machine adds the most water possible to every cycle.

Tuesday Giveaway: New bumGenius Colors!

To celebrate the new bumGenius colors that are beginning to leave our warehouse in the bumGenius 4.0 cloth diapers, today we are hosting a giveaway where you can win one of these great new colors!

The new colors are Mirror (turquoise), Dazzle (orchid purple) and Sassy (deep tangerine).

To enter today's blog giveaway for your chance to win one of our prize packs, share with your online friends about which of the new bumGenius colors you like best (Mirror, Dazzle or Sassy) and report back here telling us how you shared! Three winners will be selected at random from all eligible comments to receive a bumGenius 4.0 cloth diaper in the color of their choice from Cotton Babies.

Eligible entries must be posted no later than midnight Central time, Wednesday, October 19, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Thursday, October 20, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page.)

New Product: Charlie's Soap Hardwater Treatment & Laundry Booster!

Did you know that we carry Charlie's Soap Laundry Treatment and Hardwater Booster?  Did you even know that there was such a product?  Well we do, and there is!

What exactly is it and how can you tell if you need it or not?

Charlie's Soap Laundry Booster & Hard Water Treatment uses a biodegradable phosphate that leaves no residue on your clothes while softening your wash water. 

Certain phosphates can safely eliminate these problems and be environmentally friendly. They're only a problem with overuse.

If hard water is an issue, why not use an environmentally-safe product from Charlie's rather than take a chance with other detergents that put bad things into the environment?

The advantage of using Charlie's Soap with our new Laundry Booster & Hard Water Treatment is that you get the benefit of really clean clothes without a lot of chemicals left behind.

The Charlie's Laundry booster and hard water treatment works hand in hand with our Powder or Liquid to give you the best of both worlds. 

How to use it?

Simply add a 1/2 tablespoon per large load with your Charlies Soap detergent!  Your laundry will be whiter, brighter, softer and you can rest assured that they'll be clean, even if you have hard water issues.

MSRP, Just $18.99 for enough to treat 80+ large loads