Breastfeeding is natural, so that must mean it’s easy, right? Many women go into motherhood thinking that since breastfeeding is biologically ingrained in us, it should be a painless, easy road. Unfortunately this is not always the case. In fact, many new moms report that they have trouble breastfeeding and suffer insecurity about their supply, as well as how much milk their baby is transferring.
Though your own breastfeeding journey will be unique to you and your baby, there are typical issues, and breast nipple pain many moms encounter that we’d like to acknowledge. Rest assured that these bumps in the road of breastfeeding in no way signify the end of your nursing relationship.
1- Nipple Pain
When your baby first begins latching, nipple discomfort can be normal, but you should never experience pain while breastfeeding. Nipple pain is often due to an incorrect or shallow latch.
The best way to correct this is to troubleshoot your latch – did you aim your nipple towards the roof of the baby’s mouth? Is there a tight seal between the baby’s mouth and your areola?
You should also hear your baby swallowing during feeds, never clicking. If you’ve gone through various steps to ensure a proper latch but you’re still experiencing nipple pain, it’s best to see an IBCLC so they can individually assess your latch in person and help you figure out why breastfeeding isn’t comfortable. Sometimes nipple pain can signify a bigger issue, like a tongue-tie, so you don’t want it to go untreated.
2- Cracked and/or Bleeding Nipples
When a bad latch is ignored, this can progress to cracked an/or bleeding nipples. This is never normal and is often a sign that the latch is incorrect. The worst mistake to make is to stop breastfeeding altogether, but you do need to take some steps to help treat your pain. First, make sure that your nipples are completely aired off between feeding sessions and that you change your breast pads frequently. Very sore, red, or cracked nipples can sometimes be a result of thrush, which will require treatment. Make sure to use nipple cream in between feeds to help decrease the risk of cracks and bleeding, too – we love Motherlove because it’s made with all natural ingredients and doesn’t stain your bras.
Engorgement. This is natural to some degree as your milk supply is regulating, especially as your baby begins sleeping for longer stretches. You have several options for handling this, the first of which is to feed the baby like normal and play the waiting game as your body self-regulates. If you’re very uncomfortable, though, consider pumping for just a few minutes, enough to give you some relief but not enough to empty the breasts. Pumping for too long before or after a feed will actually have the opposite effect of what you want – it will signal your body to produce double the amount of milk, thereby worsening the engorgement issue. If your baby only needs to feed from one side, consider pumping the other while you feed. This will also allow you to build a small stash of milk if you’re going back to work or whenever you need to be away from your baby. Be careful, though – you don’t want to remain too engorged, or it could lead to bigger problems, like clogged ducts or mastitis.
3- Clogged Ducts
Some women are more prone than others to clogged ducts. They are generally due to engorgement and insufficient milk transfer from your baby. There could be several reasons for this, such as a tongue-tie, oversupply, or other latching problem. Sometimes skipped feedings can contribute to clogged ducts, as can pressure on the breasts from a tight sports bra. Moms will usually feel a lump that is sometimes warm or tender to the touch. The best way to resolve a clogged duct is to keep nursing as much as possible while applying heat and massage to your breast as you nurse. Make sure to also wear looser fitting bras and clothing. Compress and massage your breasts during feeds; pumping or hand expressing after nursing also helps to clear the duct.
4- Mastitis
Unfortunately, clogged ducts can progress to what’s known as mastitis. You might have heard other moms shudder at the mention of this word, and rightly so – mastitis is extremely painful. It can often come on quickly and usually only affects one breast. Symptoms mimic that of a clogged duct, but pain, swelling, and tenderness are often very intense. Women usually complain of higher fevers, chills, and other flu-like symptoms. Even though it sounds counterintuitive, the best way to work through mastitis is to keep nursing your baby. You also want to increase your fluids to keep yourself hydrated and make sure you have help with any other children or household tasks. Massage your breasts during feeds and apply heat and breast compression. If your symptoms are mild, you might not need antibiotics. However, if your symptoms aren’t improving within 12-24 hours, it’s best to seek treatment and consider adding a probiotic to your daily regimen.
In addition to these common complaints from breastfeeding moms, many moms wonder if breast size has an impact on their ability to breastfeed their babies and maintain a steady milk supply. You might be pleasantly surprised to discover that size does not impact your ability to successfully breastfeed your baby. Women with small and larger breasts are both equally capable of maintaining an excellent milk supply, which has more to do with hormonal balance in the mom as well as demand (how often and how much your baby is eating). Regardless of how established your supply is, any amount of breast milk given to your baby is a gift. Moms should never feel inadequate if they have a lower supply and need to supplement with formula.
We begin to think about nipple pain even before we start to breastfeed, but we find out that this can be corrected if it happens and that it really does not hurt, however this is not the case for everyone and many moms tend to quit at this stage as they can’t bare the pain. Did you encounter any pain problems and were you able to resolve them?
Keep on feeding, mamas!
