I was told breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt—but it does! What am I doing wrong?
You aren’t doing anything wrong! You are trying to breastfeed and that is something to be proud of. It is true that breastfeeding your baby should not be painful. Some mothers feel tenderness during the first few seconds of baby latching, and it lessens during the feeding. This is common and usually goes away after the first week or two.
Some mothers may have cramping, tightening, or tingling in the breast when their milk lets down and starts to flow. This is also normal. Massaging the breast and using a warm compress while breastfeeding can lessen letdown pain. If breastfeeding is excruciatingly painful during the entire feeding, there are causes for this which can be easily fixed with some extra attention.
Possible Causes:
Incorrect Latch:
This is the most common cause for pain. If your nipple is cracked, bleeding, bruised, flattened or creased after feeding your baby, it is time to pay closer attention to your baby’s latch. Learning how to position and latch baby correctly is vital for your comfort and your milk supply. Focus on getting your whole nipple and a lot of your areola (dark skin around nipple) into your baby's mouth. This will help the nipple to go back farther into your baby’s throat rather than rubbing on the roof of the mouth. The "magic" nursing position can be especially helpful for babies who are having difficulty latching.
Some babies have mouth issues that make it harder to latch on properly. This can be uncomfortable or painful for mom. Have a trained lactation consultant or dentist check baby for any lip or tongue ties that may interfere with latching.
If you have flat or inverted nipples that are preventing a deep latch, learn techniques to help them protrude. Some hand expression, pumping, or rolling the nipple between the fingers before latching may help. In some cases, a temporary tool called a nipple shield is used.
Vasospasm:
If your nipple is white after breastfeeding or pumping, this can be a sign that not enough blood flow has reached the nipple. Staying warm, applying pressure to the nipples after feeding, massaging the nipples after feeding with all purpose nipple ointment or olive oil, and avoiding nicotine and caffeine can help minimize vasospasm symptoms.
Thrush
Thrush is a yeast overgrowth on your nipple and can also be visible (white patches) in your baby’s mouth. Shooting or burning pain, pain throughout the entire feeding, and shiny, flaky skin on the nipples/areola are some symptoms of thrush. Reach out to your doctor if you suspect thrush as both you and baby would need treatment if it is diagnosed.
Soothing Sore Nipples
Figuring out and working on a solution to the pain is the number one priority. However, it can take some time for damaged nipples to heal, so in the meantime, these measures can help ease the pain:
- Rub a few drops of breast milk on the nipple and air dry.
- After feedings, apply cool packs covered in a cloth.
- Go without a bra or wear one that’s comfy but doesn’t rub.
- Apply nipple cream designed for breastfeeding mothers. (Do not use lanolin products if you have a wool allergy.)
It is always helpful to have a Certified Lactation Consultant check your baby's latch. They can see if your baby has any mouth issues that affect breastfeeding, (like lip or tongue ties) and make sure breastfeeding is comfortable for both you and your baby. If she suspects thrush or other problems, she can have you talk to your doctor about treatments that can help. For more information on sore nipples, click here.
SOURCE: https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/breastfeeding-sore-nipples/