OUCH!!! Help please

[OlivesIncubator]

Hi All,

I am finding breastfeeding my 8 day old first baby girl quite painful. I have been getting advice on positioning from a breastfeeding support person + the midwives that have been visiting and she seems to be in the correct position, but it still hurts at the beginning of each feed and my nipples are quite raw. My breasts are quite tender all over this morning too. All of the 'experts' tell me that it shouldn't be hurting at all, but friends who have BFed all say that it took a couple of weeks for things to settle down and become less painful. I partly think that one of the reasons my nipples are so sore is that they don't get a break to heal. Baby is getting plenty of milk- we have LOADS of wet and dirty nappies.
I really don't want to have to give up so soon, so other peoples experiences would really be appreciated.

Thanks.

[HaemophilusAphrophilus]

Pain for the first 20 seconds or so at this stage is not uncommon. If the pain lasts throughout the feed then get your latch checked by a lactation consultant. You need to allow your nipples to heal by moist healing. Put a good dollop on lansinoh on before and esp after each feed. It will allow your nipples to heal without scabbing over and reduce the pain. It gets better after 2 weeks, then after 4, then 6 (you get the idea). MN is good for support during those 3 am feeds. Oh, and congratulations on your yummy little girl!

[thisisyesterday]

it can be normal to have pain at the beginning of a feed, esp a lot of people find the letdown painful.
BUT, your nipples shouldn't be damaged or sore really.

have you seen a qualified breastfeeding counsellor?

[OlivesIncubator]

We are already on our second tube of Lansinoh! A gift from God! And yes we are seeing a lactation consultant who is visiting again today. I am just holding out for that magic 2 week milestone that everyone tells me about. Just hope we make it....

[ArlingtonStringham]

I had this too, I think it's pretty normal unless it's a latch problem - my baby feeds lots and is putting on a pound a week (6lb 4oz at birth) and I've just powered through the discomfort with lots of Lansinoh and at 6 weeks all is great, bf is a pleasure and he is smiling at my boobs (heart melts!) Don't give up yet! 8 days is very early and it's definitely worth sticking with it

[HaemophilusAphrophilus]

Oh I forgot to mention painkillers. Was taking paracetamol and diclofenac for an episiotomy but I actually needed it just as much for breastfeeding!

[Truffleshuffler]

Yes, this completely normal, your nipples will take a while to toughen up, I would also recommend Lansinoh.

[tiktok]

Olives - pain as strong as you describe definitely needs checking out more. This could mean a change in positioning (check out biological nurturing positions - google it) and/or a proper check for oral problems such as tongue tie. Meantime, use product to help healing, and ask the midwife about tenderness in the breasts - that might need help, too.

[tiktok]

It's absolutely not 'completely normal' for pain to be this bad and for nipples to be damaged. It's not uncommon at all - but it is not normal. I hate to think of women struggling with this, thinking it's just something to put up with as it is normal.

It really, really isn't :(

[organiccarrotcake]

OP you mentioned you've got a lactation consultant coming. "Lactation Consultant" could mean a very highly qualified "IBCLC" which is a really highly skilled, trained, experienced person - or it could mean someone who supports breastfeeding and calls herself a lactation consultant. It's worth finding out which, as "peer supporters", which are the most common breastfeeding supporters, and sometimes either call themselves lactation consultants (even though they shouldn't) because it means more than "peer supporter" to people, may not be sufficiently trained enough to recognise if the problem is something like a tongue tie.

And I'm not dissing peer supporters at all :) (I am one :) ) Peer supporters do have good training and they are often very, very experienced. But not usually to the level of "lactation consultant". Peer supporters are not able to diagnose anything, just to recognise normal breastfeeding and then signpost to other health care professionals if there's something to be looked into, say a tongue tie.

I can tell you that with the support you'll get here you will get this resolved and you will be able to have a wonderful breastfeeding relationship :) You may need to be a bit determined but you will get there. Keep us posted.

[hiss42]

My boobs were damaged from DS latching on badly at the begining when they were engorged so it continued to hurt for ages while they recovered, even though my latch was fine!

Use lasinoh sparingly! I rubbed it all over my nipple which then meant the nipple slid back slightly out of DS's mouth without me noticing and caused even more damage. The breastfeeding councellor who ccame round to visit told me to put it on the nail of your pinnky finger and just put it in the actual crack of the nipple where it hurts, not smother yourself in it!

[candy11]

i had this problem after 2 days. everyone said his latch was fine but was what they classed as a sucky baby. he eventually gave me blood blisters on my nipples so i gave up as i was in tears every time i fed him. so i figured that i would rather bottle feed and be able to look at my baby and interact with him than stick with breast feeding and let him see me cry all the time in pain. as much as breast feeding is a good way to bond i dont feel i have missed out as he is in almost the same position and he can still look at me. dont let it get you down too much as long you and baby are happy it dont matter if you are breast or bottle.

[licoriceGreen]

It might be something different but my latch was checked by 3 midwives who said it was right but I was still in a lot of pain. I saw a bf councilor who looked uch closer and spotted my dd was putting her tounge to the top of her mouth. Now i wait for her to put her tounge over her bottom gum and it's much better.

[Booboostoo]

I also had pain during bf (like someone was using knifes on my nipples) and had been checked by MWs etc bit it STILL turned out to be a latch problem. I found this leaflet very useful for figuring out what was going on:

www.sunderland.nhs.uk/admin/mopil/pdf/20060405104105.pdf

[Booboostoo]

knives even!

[ScaryFairy28]

Its toe curling isn't it! I had latch and position checked by several people all said it looked fine but by then the damage was done as I hadnt been able to get support for the first couple of feeds. My breast feeding support worker described it as being like getting in the bath with scabby knees till they heal.

[KiwiPanda]

Hello! Sorry to hijack but having similar issues - delighted to see tiktok here as you were amazing when I had problems with dd1 (this is dd2). With dd1 I had thrush and agony for 7 weeks but made it through and fed her for 2 1/2 years

However.. Pain again v severe when feeding - particularly at first though continues to lesser degree through the feed. I have noticed some spots of blood and sometimes the nipples does look a bit uneven after so I am thinking latch...

If it was the latch, would the pain not be better some times than at others though? It's pretty much always toe-curling at first.

Midwife who visited thought she might have a tiny Tongue tie, she can stick her Tongue out but would this make latch worse?

Also, how do I find a really good lactation consultant?

Sorry again for hijack !

[organiccarrotcake]

kiwi a tiny tongue tie can cause massive problems, and a massive tongue tie can cause no problems (and every other option in between). It's odd, but there you go. Here's a good link with a list of TT symptoms:

www.ann-dobson.co.uk/tongue-tie_symptoms.html

Ann is a specialist TT Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) but is she can't help she would no doubt be able to give you the details of someone who can (depending on where you are).