Can breastfeeding still hurt even if baby is latching on properly?

[Naomee]

I had my DD 5 days ago (first baby) and I'm breastfeeding. It seems to be going well and I am enjoying the closeness, but my nipples have become really sore. I am using Lansinoh after every feed, and currently have cabbage leaves in my bra (!) but am feeling really down, and starting to dread the next feed because it hurts so much for the first couple of minutes after latching on.

I guess I just want to know if this is normal - I've read so many articles that say that it won't hurt if the baby is latched on properly - but I think I am doing it right - making sure the mouth is wide open and it's not just the nipple that is being sucked. My widwife came today and saw me feed and said the baby was doing well.

Is this normal, and if so - why do people say it won't hurt? Any good methods to ease the pain, or is it just a case of griitng my teeth for a couple of weeks?

Naomee - yeah, those midwives lie lie lie about it not hurting. DS1 was agonising for the first 6 weeks because he had this tremendous suction, oy the blood, the pain. He was definitely latched on fine, I got various people to check us out. I was dreading it when I was expecting DS2 and but he was fine.

have you tried a shield thing? They look like butterflies. If your nipples are starting to crack they buy one asap and just use it for a day to give your poor nips a rest.

I also had one side worse than the other. At a later stage when I was expressing I noticed that this breast did not have as many jets of milk as the other. Maybe that was why DS1 used to suck so hard on that side. Or maybe he'd done it some damage

You have my heartfelt sympathy.

Hurt for about the first three weeks, even second time around, nipples toughen up with use, the're just not used to this sort of treatment, but they will be. Rub some of your milk on the nipple after each feed.

Just read the title so far, but YES, YES, YES!!

Yep, don't want to be a killjoy but it was agonising for me for about 12 weeks (which was why I started using formula as well). I tend to bang on about this a bit, but I'm convinced that the women who write those articles are those lucky few who have no problems. They do not live in the real world and they make the rest of us feel like we're doing it wrong. I think they say it won't hurt so as not to put women off - I think it does the opposite when we find out the hard way and are not prepared for it.

You say your nipples are sore - it may be worth you trying nipple shields for a while to give yourself a break. You should try not to use them for too long as they can apparently affect your milk supply/baby might refuse breast without, etc - IME when you don't really need them anymore you'll get so frustrated with them falling off all the time that you'll chuck em out anyway! You could also try expressing even at this early stage so that you could maybe give one feed a day from a bottle - be careful though cos a pump can hurt your nipples as well.

It could also be your milk letdown that is hurting as well as your nipples. This will get better with time - hang in there! It would be worth contacting an organisation like the NCT though because IME midwives can be pretty useless when it comes to bf. I found that every single one told me something different when it came to bf and pain.

Yep, don't want to be a killjoy but it was agonising for me for about 12 weeks (which was why I started using formula as well). I tend to bang on about this a bit, but I'm convinced that the women who write those articles are those lucky few who have no problems. They do not live in the real world and they make the rest of us feel like we're doing it wrong. I think they say it won't hurt so as not to put women off - I think it does the opposite when we find out the hard way and are not prepared for it.

You say your nipples are sore - it may be worth you trying nipple shields for a while to give yourself a break. You should try not to use them for too long as they can apparently affect your milk supply/baby might refuse breast without, etc - IME when you don't really need them anymore you'll get so frustrated with them falling off all the time that you'll chuck em out anyway! You could also try expressing even at this early stage so that you could maybe give one feed a day from a bottle - be careful though cos a pump can hurt your nipples as well.

It could also be your milk letdown that is hurting as well as your nipples. This will get better with time - hang in there! It would be worth contacting an organisation like the NCT though because IME midwives can be pretty useless when it comes to bf. I found that every single one told me something different when it came to bf and pain.

Sorry for the double post - technical hitch

Hurt so much I went out and bought nipple shields. Didn't use them each feed, but certainly regularly for a week or so. Also remember 'sneaking' a carton of formula into the house just so I could have one feed without the pain .

Definitely continue the purple cream stuff lan...
Definitely try rubbing breast milk gently on before and after feeds, and just generally whenever you think about it.
If you try and feed 'little and often' it might be easier than waiting until baby is really really hungry and desperate to get to the milk.

It does get easier. Keep talking to people about it, most people have been through it.

Normal for me, too.
It eased gradually, to the point at 6 weeks where it didn't hurt at all, and I phoned a support line in a panic thinking there was a problem!

Those first few days/ weeks can be so hard, but are worth it as later on it is so easy.

Thank you so much for the posts. It's funny , but just hearing that the pain is normal is V comforting. My boobs still hurt but at least I know it's not because I am deficient in some way.

I also feel that 'professionals' conceal how painful this can be so as not to put women off. How stupid - Surely women who really want to breastfeed are more likely to stick it out if they feel fully informed. I feel so much better today, yesterday I had a bit of a crisis about it all, but this has really helped.

really pleased to hear your through your crisis, it's still early days, and there will be more crisis days, still having s few myself, dd five months, we call them 'Mummy melt down' in this house, but we get through them. Get as much sleep as you can, and happy breast feeding.