Need some advice/help !

I’m currently 36 weeks pregnant and I plan on breastfeeding once I give birth . However my nipples have been so dry my whole pregnancy and a little cracked/itchy and burn. I put lotion on them so much a day but they still are the same and so raw tender. I can’t imagine trying to breastfeed with my nipples this way. Is there any really good cream out there I could use to heal them or make them numb? I also seen they have nipple shields and I wondered if anyone has had success with them and used them immediately after giving birth .