BF - will painful letdown ever go away?

[Syra]

Whenever my 6 week old baby latches on the pain is so intense it takes my breath away. I think my contractions in labour were less painful! The pain lasts for about 5-10 seconds while my letdown reflex kicks in then it disappears and the rest of the feed is completely painless.

So I’ve been doing a lot of googling and I don’t think it’s thrush, it’s not a blocked duct or mastitis (had a blocked duct last week though) and I’m not engorged.

I’ve tried lots of different positions and while lying back in the ‘laid back’ nursing position the pain is reduced but it’s definitely still there.

I know it’s not just a painful latch because whenever my baby cries or is due a feed I can feel the tingly pain starting when I’m not even holding him.

One midwife said to me that sometimes the pain just doesn’t go away for some women. Is that true?? I think I’m okay with that being the answer. The pain is not going to stop me from breastfeeding. I guess I’m wondering if it will go away on it’s own. Every article I read online tries to provide a solution but I don’t think there is one right now. The pain is there no matter what I do. Will I just grow out of it so to speak as the baby grows?

I'm not sure on this one sorry. It might be worth giving one of the BFing Helplines a call this morning and seeing if the BFC has any idea

Some women get a type of Raynaud’s of the nipple and vasodilators can help. It can be very painful indeed. I would recommend you look it up on Kelly Mom.

However at 6 weeks your supply is still regulating and letdown can still be sore.

It stopped for me after about 8-10 weeks. I always got a tingle on let down but it wasn’t painful anymore.

Yes it does!! I'd completely forgotten about this pain until I saw your post. Can't remember when (after WEEKS) but yes one day you'll be feeding and realise it's not sore. (So long as it's not latch/thrush etc). Well done, bf can be hard work. You're doing great and congratulations on little one

I have no idea about anyone else's experiences, but can say that for me it definitely did get much better. I had this both times I was bf and it improved from about 12/13 weeks onwards (as did the leaking, painful engorgement, spraying milk across the room if DC stopped mid feed and so on). I think once my supply was more regulated my body didn't need to be quite so dramatic about it all . I managed to keep up bf for almost 2 years first time and 4.5 years second time (DS2 did not want to stop the bedtime feed. Ever!) - I'd forgotten about the painful letdown until I read this.

I'm 8 weeks in with DC2 and also still experiencing painful letdowns. Sometimes it's baby's latch but sometimes it's actually the rush of milk coming through. I've been using Lanisoh on my nipples as much as possible. I also try and focus on relaxing when the letdown is coming. Try and breathe through it (like a contraction!) Rather than tensing up. It does eventually ease off as your mill regulates and baby gets into more of a routine.

I had this with my first baby for months (never really stopped) but was from damage caused at the beginning of breastfeeding to my nipple probably from a bad latch and then bleeding sore nipple. Almost like an electric pain into my shoulder ...had it for the first 2 weeks with my second (she's four weeks now) and it has stopped hurting. Sorry I can't be more help :( I think I gave my nipple a break with shields and expressing but I don't know if this was right or not!

Thanks everyone! Hearing that it’s not just me is really reassuring! The fact that my milk supply is still regulating and that could affect it makes a lot of sense. I can just keep my fingers crossed it eases off a bit when that settles down. Until then I’ll try to breath through it and keep rewarding myself with chocolate