It is NOT normal for Breastfeeding to Hurt ..
January 14th, 2010 by Diane Sam
Myth Busting! It is NOT normal for Breastfeeding to Hurt!
From an article by Dr. Jack Newman, breastfeeding guru:
"Though some tenderness during the first few days is relatively common, this should be a temporary situation which lasts only a few days and should never be so bad that the mother dreads nursing. Any pain that is more than mild is abnormal and is almost always due to the baby latching on poorly. Any nipple pain that is not getting better by day 3 or 4 or lasts beyond 5 or 6 days should not be ignored. A new onset of pain when things have been going well for a while may be due to a yeast infection of the nipples. Limiting feeding time does not prevent soreness."
Please! If you are experiencing pain or soreness beyond some basic tenderness, get some help - it is not normal. A good lactation consultant can help a lot here, they study latching problems in depth and really know great techniques to get your little one to really latch on good. My advice? Don't be dainty - wait for a big open mouth and 'flop' the whole nipple in.
Rubbing your own breastmilk on your nipple or some nipple cream can help too.
Bottom line: Get help right away, and nip any pain problems in the bud before they develop into bigger problems. If you believe the myth that pain is normal, you might wait too long!
Post filed under: Articles
Comments
Kate said:
Just want to put my experience out there so that it might help another mother.
I had terrible nipple pain for the first two months of nursing. I worked closely with an excellent lactation consultant who got me to a dermatologist. I HIGHLY recommend that any woman who is in pain after four days of using APNO and fluconazole seek a dermatologist's perspective ASAP. I had eczema on my nipples and had to take up a protocol of washing with cetaphil and slathering with aquaphor. Pain isn't always candida or a bad latch. If you have skin allergies or sensitivities, it might be your skin just freaking out in response to so much saliva and contact.
The good news is, it did get better. I'm pain free now and so glad I stuck it out. I just wish that I had gotten to the right doctor much, much sooner.
March 5th, 2010 8:03am