Jane If the latch has been poor for first weeks, this can lead to supply problems. Make sure supply is adequate and baby is gaining well. (sounds like ok output). Did you see in the archives about Jack Newmans all purpose nipple ointment (apno)? This is an antibiotic/antifungal/cortisone combi ointment. Sometimes we have to use the antifungal/cortisone with an antibacterial. Also some of the hydrogel dressings may help. Check archives on this too. Check for tongue tie. Can baby extend tongue? If not this, Maybe try finger fdg for short time before latching. Latch when the suck feels normal, ie. the baby is cupping his tongue around and extending it to the first knuckle on your finger and moving in the peristaltic wave. Sometimes you have to eval. this w/ fluid. Sometimes bottle feeding with a slow-flow, soft silicone, wide based nipple can help retrain the suck. This is in archives too somewhere. If baby is not latching well and draining breasts, mom may need to express/pump after feeds. Some moms feed one side per feeding and then pump the other. If baby needs more milk after one side, give per alternate method. I hope this next section is not too basic. I always recommend getting baby and mom naked from waist up whenever we are having this degree of soreness. The stripe tells you something is really amiss. I get them in the football hold w/ baby very far back so that when he latches, his chin is deeply into breast, cheeks close and touching breast, and nose tipped back. Make sure baby is "melted" into mother, i.e. very close. Have mom hold her breast sort of towards baby to keep it from jiggling and slipping out. Many moms hold breast kinda pulling it back. I think of it as holding the sinuses close to baby's mouth. Support baby securely so babe doesn't relax and let the breast slip out. If mom has low supply or slow letdown (due to pain) then supplementing at breast may encourage baby to suck better and extend tongue for deeper sucks. I hope you can use some of this. Laurie Wheeler, RN, MN, IBCLC Violet Louisiana, USA _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html