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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Red head mums and problems with breast feeding

30 replies

lailasmum · 27/07/2007 08:43

Hi
I am a red headed mum with pale sensitive skin and always found breastfeeding painful despite trying everything but now I am pregnant with baby two I have been talking to my midwife and she mentioned that she comes often comes across red headed women who find breastfeeding painful and its well known because we have more sensitive skin.

Has anyone else come across this? I still successfully breast fed but but it was never comfortable.

OP posts:

SauerKraut · 27/07/2007 08:54

I am also a redhead, breastfeeding was certainly extremely painful at times, usually just before it was properly established- it made me cry sometimes. I just gritted my teeth through the worst times. I'm not sure, though, if it was because of my hair colour! I dn't know how painful it can be for non-redheads!

lillypie · 27/07/2007 09:15

Hi I'm a redhead and have breast fed three children without any discomfort.I think it's an individual thing rather than a given that all redheads will have problems.
I remember that when I had DS1 I was advised to expose my nipples to the air as much as possible to toughen them up.

Highlander · 27/07/2007 09:27

I'm not red, but freckly with very fair skin. A BF counsellor told me that fair skin mums seems to have more pain in the first few weeks. That was certainly the case with both my DSs. Once their mouths got bigger, the pain disappeared.

MrsJohnCusack · 27/07/2007 09:35

I've heard this before but I don't know if there's any truth in it or not

I am breasfeeding my second now and the only reason it's painful at the mo is he's biting because of teething - other than that have had no probs with either of them.

MrsJohnCusack · 27/07/2007 09:37

I wonder if people think redheads have more sensitive skin just because it's paler? Also, redheads' nipples tend to be pink and remain so even after childbirth, maybe that means they're seen as more sensitive

Katy44 · 27/07/2007 09:40

I'm a redhead with pale skin and it's been fine so far

Wisteria · 27/07/2007 09:48

Ooh a redhead thread!

We do have more sensitive and more fragile skin I believe! When my Mum was in hospital with me, apparently the midwives used to draw straws if a redhead came in in labour, as there was a higher risk of tearing, bleeding and death but rings true with Mum as she nearly died with me due to excessive blood loss. That was obv a long time ago but when I had my first, the girl who stitched me up did it incorrectly (and got a bollocking from the obstetrician) as our skin rips more easily - I needed one stitch and ended up having more than they counted [remembering pain emoticon]

Particularly painful BF though, I've never heard before and had no probs with dd2, dd1 it was awkward and difficult but I don't remember it being that painful tbh.

summerunderakaftan · 27/07/2007 12:04

IT is a myth i'm afraid, one of these things that is normally uttered alongside the you have to drink milk to make milk type myths.

It is thought that the pale skin and more sensitive to sun etc of the redhead makes for more painful nipples in bf but a redhead is no more likely to have problems over a brunette.

It is more likely to be the usual problems with latch or something over hair colour.

NineUnlikelyTales · 27/07/2007 12:18

If this were true, there wouldn't be any redheads as they would have died out years ago due to redheaded mothers not able to feed their redheaded babies.

There are a lot of myths of this kind, such as redheads bleed more in childbirth, often perpetuated by midwives. Studies have shown that they are just that, myths.

FWIW I know several redheaded mothers who are also extended BF. If you have any difficulties with baby number 2, contact a BF counsellor

Mumzarello · 27/07/2007 12:23

Redhead here & think it is a myth too. Have talked to a lot of other breastfeeding mothers & think that I had no more initial discomfort than usual. Still breastfeeding happily at 10 months.

Original poster

lailasmum · 27/07/2007 13:18

Its not that I couldn't breastfeed its that my skin was very sore so the red heads dying out because we couldn't feed them wouldn't follow, I can do it it, just is sore but I put up with it for the health of my first baby. I used to get incredibly sore chapped lips too in the winter but it doesn't mean I stop eating! I do have very sensitive skin so it may just be the factor of having that anyway and it suddenly being damp alot and having an abrasive action on it, like baby suckling or the inside or clothes rubbing.

I have noticed that not all redheads are pale skinned too so it probably has more to do with those who have fair skin regardless of hair colour.

OP posts:

motherinferior · 27/07/2007 13:19

I'm a redhead and breastfed two babies without major problems - but it's not sensitive, my skin.

determination · 27/07/2007 13:39

very likely just a myth.. but would certainly urge you to get your hands on a pair of these and be prepared if you have sensitive nipples. Silverette healed a wide, open gash on my nipples within 2 days and i was never sore again. now if i feel a bit tender due to growth spurts etc i pop them on for a few hours and im better again. They are magic!

emsiewill · 27/07/2007 13:45

Not about bf, but interesting article here about pain relief and anaesthetic for red heads...so maybe not all myths...

thebigSea · 27/07/2007 13:58

I'm not a red head, although I have alot of red in my brown hair but I do have very pale freckly skin and I find bf very painful too! And I have quite a high pain threshold normally I think.
Wierd....

thebigSea · 27/07/2007 14:03

[sorry, WEIRD]

Have just read the article and with my ds2 and dd I needed two lots of local aneasthetic before I was numb....
[twighlight zone]

thebigSea · 27/07/2007 14:04

aarrgghh, can't spell today. TWILIGHT

terramum · 27/07/2007 15:18

Redhead here as well & I think it's a bit of a myth...methinks its a bit of an excuse that HCPs to use when they haven't got the knowledge to help a bfing mum.

Surely if redheads had more problems bfing then there would a lot less of them about than there are now.....if bfing wasn't successful before formula came along then the baby would be more likely to die, therefore reducing the amount of redheads in the gene pool iyswim

Highlander · 27/07/2007 19:22

I'm clearly a heterozygous redhead (DS2 is well ginger) but I'm very resistant to anaesthesia.

USAUKMum · 27/07/2007 19:58

Hi, another redhead here, who had no problem bf 2 DCs over 18mths each. But then I've been told I have a high pain threshold, but don't take well to anaesthesia !

Beetroot · 27/07/2007 20:01

am a red head and never had this problem

foxcub · 28/07/2007 11:11

I've BF three (for 5 months, 18 months and current LO who is 5 months). I had a lot of midwives (including red headed ones) telling me that women with pale skin feel more pain from latching. I had lots of probls with feeding DS1 which I now realise was due to a lack of BF skill and knowledge on my part, rather than more sensitive skin. Never had any problems with second child, but I do have a lot of milk and a tendency to blocked ducts, which i have to manage very carefully.

I had epi with DD and they had to keep giving me extra doses and were amazed it just wasn't working until I had a very high dose!

Nice to see so many redheads in one thread though

I agree there a lots of myths about redheads - some funny and some bordering on racism We haven't died out though have we - so we can clearly BF our babies successfully

MrsJohnCusack · 28/07/2007 11:18

actually I had an epidural this time round and it didn't work, then only worked on one side, then they ended up giving me a spinal block (by which point I was wishing I hadn't bothered)

didn't think that was due to being a redhead though, just bad luck .

foxcub · 28/07/2007 12:03

MrsJC - I didn't realise you have red hair Didn't you used to be on the west London thread?

How old is your baby now? I have one of 21 weeks.

MrsJohnCusack · 28/07/2007 12:20

yes I was on the west london threads! Moved from Whitton to NZ last September. Baby DS is 20 weeks. Is yours a boy or a girl?

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