Is soreness due to sudden start to breastfeeding

[JulieF]

I have spent the last 4 weeks expressing as my baby refused to latch on. Suddenly on Friday he decided he knew how to feed after all. The HV was with me and helped me to latch him on. He had lots of breast in his mouth (which he hadn't before) there was no sucking in of his cheeks and he was latched on with his lower lip underneath the nipple taking in the areola.

However I am getting sore and no-one can see why. It has been sugested that my breasts are just unused to him feeding effectivly. With every suck I can feel a pinching on the areola with friction moving from the areola to the nipple.

I have spoken to the bfc although she hasn't visited me since this breakthrough and she says it might be his tongue.

Is there anything I can do to make this easier as I am having to restrict the time spent at the breast at the moment and continuing to express.

JulieF, I have no scientific basis for this and I know you will get sound advice from others but just so you know, I had the sort of pain you describe when I started feeding both dd and ds. With ds it lasted about 6 or 7 days and then disappeared. All the professionals I saw thought he was latched on properly and it felt 'right' to me (after feeding dd for 12 months I sort of knew what I was doing) but it just was sore for a while. My midwife referred to it as the 'toe curling time'.

I honestly don't know how to make it easier, sorry. Good luck. x

Julie, how fantastic you are being rewarded for your hard work and committment with an enthusiastic feeder

The fact you are feeling a nipping and a friction indicates that his position is not quite right - it might be fine for another mother/baby, and it might look ok, but it's what you are experiencing that counts. The bfc may be able to help by suggesting amendments.

In the meantime, it would be useful to check

whether he is too high...if you are using a pillow or cushion, then think about not* using it

• whether his head is too far one way or the other. If you are holding him in a cradle hold, this would be his head tucked into the crook of your arm, for instance

• if your nipple is distorted when he comes off the breast. If it is wedge-shaped, like a new lipstick, then this means it has been compressed against the roof of his mouth, and this means it is not far enough in...might help to make sure the nipple goes into the top of the mouth even more, where the biggest space is.

HTH