Lets talk about nipple pain! So you have started breastfeeding and you have received mixed advice about pain with breastfeeding. You may have attended a breastfeeding class that talked all about how nursing is natural and should not be painful. This is true, but not all women start with this experience when breastfeeding. You also may have spoken to your OBGYN, your relative, other moms or friends and decided that maybe this is normal.
One of the most common concerns that we see after parents leave the hospital is nipple pain. Mothers often experience cracking, bleeding, inflamed and painful nipples within the first two weeks of breastfeeding. As a lactation consultant, I often spend my time telling mothers “do not grit and bear the pain!” Pain should not be expected or perceived as a normal part of breastfeeding. This is often the first sign that a lactation consultation is needed. Continuing to feed through the pain can cause more nipple damage, reduce breastmilk supply, reduce breastmilk obtained by baby and can cause the mother to dread or avoid the next breastfeeding session.
So now I am going to break it down between expected versus unexpected causes of pain during breastfeeding.
Expected/Normal:
- Pins and needles during let down
- Cramping of uterus while breastfeeding- these often feel similar to menstrual cramps
- Some mild nipple discomfort during initial latching- this can be normal if it resolves after 30 seconds to 1 minute of feeding
- Feeling of fullness or pressure in the breast as your milk supply comes in
Unexpected/Abnormal
- Nipple pain that lasts throughout the whole feeding
- Burning pain in the nipple throughout the feeding and/or pain between feeds
- Shooting pain traveling from nipple into the breast during feeds
- There is flattening, creasing or pinching after the feeding
- There are signs of skin damage such as cracking, bleeding or blisters
If you are experiencing any abnormal/unexpected causes of nipple pain then contact us at Mother Baby Lactation Care! We can help correct these causes of pain and help guide you back to a comfortable bonding experience breastfeeding.