do anyone else's nipples go ballistically painful if they get cold?

[valbona]

this is my worst pregnancy thing (now 24 weeks). if they get cold the ends go white and it feels like the the devil is prodding them with hot pokers and ice cubes at the same time.

can't think of what to do apart from wear thermals and apply hot flannels, but would love to know that I'm not the only one out there ...

[browntrout]

Not me but I recall my friend complaining of this during her pregnancy so although I can't empathise and I can say you aren't the only one!

[MidgetGems]

YES YES YES! This happens to me too. I'm 20 weeks and have had it for a while now. Like you they also go white, and it is very very painful but I've not yet found a solution.

Midwife suggested keeping warm which wasn't overly helpful!!

[valbona]

thank you!!! I feel less nuts already. I have put heating on already which hurts my inner eco warrior and am wearing two scarves wrapped round the offending bits. when I feel it coming on I run up and down the stairs to try to warm up. DH thinks it's hilarious - don't blame him ...
let's hope this goes away after birth.

[MummytoEli]

OMG YES I had this while pregnant with my son the white and horribly painful nipples! The only thing I found that worked was when possible if i couldnt warm them up i had to get in a very warm shower and just let the water run on them it was sooooooooooo soothing. im only 6 weeks with this pregnancy and its the one thing im absolutly dreading! if u dicover anything that helps please let us all know xx

[DorotheaPlenticlew]

[dooneygirl]

Mine did both times I was pregnant. I used to have to put a heating pad on them, or jump in the shower to make it stop.

[valbona]

dear fellow sufferers who have already have DC - did it get better as soon as you'd given birth?

[suiledonn]

I suffered loads from this during both pregnancies and it went as soon as I gave birth both times.

I remember once going out into the garden with MIL and the change in temperature caused me the most excrutiating nipple pain. MIL is not the kind of person that you could say this too so I had to run back into the house and do some furtive nipple warming in the bathroom

[DorotheaPlentighoul]

Actually I had it for years before I ever got pg, then worse while pg, and never again since.

I am now pg again, but so far no pain (I'm
only 9 weeks, though).

[QueenOfFreakingEverything]

Its possible that this is Raynaud's of the nipple.

[fiziwizzle]

I have it too... excruciating. I've been moaning about it to all and sundry and everyone has stared at me as if I'm some kind of delicately-nippled freak. Good to know I'm not alone. I have found no solution other than warming up, pronto (and even then my nipples seem to be the last body part to warm up).

[amyboo]

I have this too! Thank God I'm not alone... I think I might have to add some more lining to my winter coat, as I was in intense pain last week when it was really cold and windy. I'm only 14 weeks as well!

[emmx]

Hi - I also suffered from this UNBELIEVABLE pain in my nips during my pregnancy (my DS is now 5 mths old). I went to my GP about it and he said he didn't know what it was, I then spoke to my NCT breastfeeding counsellor and she researched and also thought it could be Reynauds of the nipple. I then went back to my GP with this info and, despite claiming that breasts were his "speciality" (ooer) he had never heard of this condition. It would literally reduce me to tears each time it happened up to 5 or 6 times every day, lasting over an hour each time) and if I was driving I would have to pull over as the pain was impossible to concentrate through. (I also told my midwife about the BF counsellor's theory and in passing she mentioned it to one of the partner GPs at my surgery who, I was told later, responded with "What a load of bollocks. These NCT people don't really know what they're talking about do they?....") Anyway, I also went online to research and found this is actually a medically recognised condition. I went back ttot he GP again (!!) and got him to read the info I had found and he was astounded! He honestly had never heard of this and thought it was probably linked to the breast reduction I had in my early twenties. After I had convinced him it was a possibility I was suffering from Reynauds all he could offer was a cream usually offered to people suffering from anal fistulae - it works by dilating the blood vessels wherever it is applied but does have the side effect of causing bad migraine-like headaches. Fortunately (but not for my DH!) I already knew what the effects of this cream are as my DH has a fistula and has used this cream and suffered the consequences so I refused and said if that was the only availalbe treatment I'd rather put up ith it - it would only be swapping one terrible pain for another. Like the other replies here, the only thing that helped was to sit in a warm/hot bath to warm them up again - felt so good! Anyway the good new is that immediately I gave birth the condition went away! Yay!

[LatinDAISYcal]

sounds like vasospasm or reynaulds. I had this really badly when pregnant with DS1 and it continued afterwards. In hindsight it was what caused me to give up BFing at about six weeks so worth looking on kellymom as there is a bit of information there about it. I think having a good latch is key.

[RicHic]

Just in case anyone is just coming to this thread now- i suffered with this during my last pregnancy and now have it again. It affected me until about 2 months after birth when then I did some more research online and found that calcium and magnesium supplements might help. It might have been a coincidence but the symptoms stopped around a week after I started taking them. I'm not sure about magnesium supplements in pregnancy though- i might ask the midwife.... I found this site really helpful: www.summerwarmth.co.nz/zen/raynauds-information-c-13.html
Good luck!

[lfitzgerald100]

Oh God yes! I had that in my first trimester (now 35 weeks) I found myself rubbing them whilst walking round the fridge sections in supermarkets, much to my partners amusement! Thankfully it stopped during the 2nd trimester xx

[bananastar]

Me! It's how I realised I was pregnant with my first. I had to get a hit water bottle and hold against them to stop the pain

[mrssmith79]

I get this and I'm not even pg! I do have H cups though. I find massaging them to stimulate blood flow, hot water bottle and co codamol usually help. Failing that, I have an electric underblanket on the bed through winter and a few minutes lying face down on that helps hugely (I know 2 of those options are no good for pregnant women but it's not always a pregnancy thing).

[LyndaNotLinda]

I found the quickest way to warm them up was to fill a dink with warm water and immerse my nipples in it.

It's not very elegant but it's blissful :o

Bit tricky at work though

[dizzylemon]

I got this before pregnancy and it's worse now due to the increased sensitivity.

Found slipping those hand warmer thingamys into my bra helped a bit (if you have room!). Otherwise I just avoided being outside too long...

[zannyminxoxox]

Yes I have to put my hands over them as the pain is so bad

[Wistfulthinking]

I had this while breastfeeding aggravated by nipple trauma and a bad latch. It became unbearable developing into shooting chest pains radiating from the nipple. I ended up taking 1 month of nifedipine (on prescription by persuading doctor with breastfeeding network leaflet and consultations with two bf counsellors). I also took calcium and magnesium and avoided caffeine as well as keeping myself as warm as possible.

[bluewisteria]

i find this even when not pregnant.

Try a padded sportswear - mine is Panache and is the most comfortable warmest thing my breasts have ever known!! It took away the pain instantly in winter.

If that's not enough try using breast pads to keep 'em warm?

[QuietWhenReading]

Washable breast pads helped with this. It is excruciating.

Got better after about 3 months of breastfeeding.