Unbearable pain while nursing... please help!

[Tiff]

Hello... the title says it all.

Claire latches on "perfectly" so to speak. Her lips are flanged, she sucks well and there's no problem on that front. However, my nipples are killing me. I know that pain is normal in the first little bit, as your nipples are getting used to breast feeding.

I've read that the first few days is normal, and 'normal' pain lasts for about 10 seconds or so and then it doesn't hurt anymore. The entire time Claire nurses it hurts. Really, really bad. She bites, which doesn't help my sore nipples any either. I've had the Public Health Nurse come out and assess how she's feeding and according to her there isn't much to be done in the way of her latch.

I've tried different positions, all of which I get excruciating pain while she's feeding. It's not engorgement, as my breasts arn't overly full or hard. It's the little raised bumps that are on the areola that are sore. I really want to breastfeed Claire, but if I can't get a handle on this pain I don't know what else to do aside from formula feed her. I've been trying to pump breastmilk but I'm just not getting enough to dedicate to feeding her solely by the bottle.

I'm so upset. I try to be positive as I know that it affects how you nurse, but the pain is so bad it's really getting me down. It's like a stabbing sharp pain, and my nipple is all swollen and raw. I don't know what else to do.

Has anyone gone through this? Or know of any ideas? I've been taking tylenol and advil for the pain to help... and the Lanisol doesn't do jack for helping soothe my nipples.

 

[Samantha675]

Could it be thrush? I think that it causes major pain when BFing.

 

[Pyrrhic]

In regards to expressing do you store all your milk even if it's a little to give to her? How often are you expressing?

Milk thistle and fenugreek are both herbs that are known to help stimulate milk production. Eating oats is also recommended.

The raised bumps, is there any chance these are blocked milk ducts?

I found this:

Sore breasts with a lump also may be a sign of a plugged milk duct, in which a particular duct gets clogged. To help unclog the duct and ease your pain:

* Take warm showers or use warm compresses on the area, massaging the area, several times a day. Then, breastfeed your baby immediately.
* When breastfeeding, position the baby so the nose is pointed towards the clogged area.
* If that doesn't work, try using a manual (hand) or electric pump for a few minutes to help draw out the clogged milk.
* If the lump doesn't go away within a couple of days, or if you have any fever, chills, aches, or red streaking, call the doctor.

 

[XKatX]

Not much advice I'm afraid, but I do hope you get things sorted and feel better soon.
As rafwife said, make sure you keep every drop you express. You can put the bits together to male 1 feed. And make sure you use lashings of nipple crem. This really helped me at the beginning.

 

[PeanutBean]

I still get pain on and off. There is almost always an initial pain with each feed until both Byron and I get used to it. But he's been a playful feeder recently, not really paying attention and that means sometimes his latch slips. Also he's sometimes the opposite, been getting overtired at night and desperate to feed then will latch voraciously and glug until he chokes leading him to clamp on to my nipple with his gums while he sorts out his swallowing and breathing. Ouch! I use boots nipple cream after I shower and if I am sore enough I put kamillosan on after feeds until I am less sore. A couple of days ago I expressed from one boob for a feed as my nipple had got so sore and that seemed to give time enough to heal and not be so painful. I would definitely try a good nipple cream if I were you, kamillosan is kind of thick and oily, works wonders!

 

[BlackBerry25]

Please watch that you don't get mastitis. I had that pain and it lead to the worst night of my life where I had a fever, the worst shakes, and the HARDEST RED BOOB in the world!

It does sound like a clogged milk duct. Keep putting compresses on them.

 

[BlackBerry25]

Is it cracked? Because sometimes infection can get in through the crack. I found lanolin really helped. (I am no expert, thats for sure, I quit after 2 weeks)

 

[JayleighAnn]

Hello... the title says it all.

Claire latches on "perfectly" so to speak. Her lips are flanged, she sucks well and there's no problem on that front. However, my nipples are killing me. I know that pain is normal in the first little bit, as your nipples are getting used to breast feeding.

I've read that the first few days is normal, and 'normal' pain lasts for about 10 seconds or so and then it doesn't hurt anymore. The entire time Claire nurses it hurts. Really, really bad. She bites, which doesn't help my sore nipples any either. I've had the Public Health Nurse come out and assess how she's feeding and according to her there isn't much to be done in the way of her latch.

I've tried different positions, all of which I get excruciating pain while she's feeding. It's not engorgement, as my breasts arn't overly full or hard. It's the little raised bumps that are on the areola that are sore. I really want to breastfeed Claire, but if I can't get a handle on this pain I don't know what else to do aside from formula feed her. I've been trying to pump breastmilk but I'm just not getting enough to dedicate to feeding her solely by the bottle.

I'm so upset. I try to be positive as I know that it affects how you nurse, but the pain is so bad it's really getting me down. It's like a stabbing sharp pain, and my nipple is all swollen and raw. I don't know what else to do.

Has anyone gone through this? Or know of any ideas? I've been taking tylenol and advil for the pain to help... and the Lanisol doesn't do jack for helping soothe my nipples.

have you tried calandula (sp?) cream? My mum told me to buy some for when bubba is born as it helps with sore nipples and it doesnt harm bubs either

 

[Serene123]

Sounds like a blocked duct to me x

 

[marley2580]

I had something similar and it did get better (eventually). Re the biting, try and feed her before you think she needs feeding, Kaya used to do this when I let her get a bit too hungry. Another thing that helped was to 'sandwich' my breast to ensure that she got a good amount of breast in her mouth.

 

[mommyof3co]

I was going to ask if thrush was possible too, sounds like when I had it recently, it was awful. Is her mouth all white?

Is it sore even when she doesn't nurse? Like a certain spot on your breast, not nipple? If so I would think a blocked duct too.

 

[Ragirl]

It's so funny you ask this. I was just talking to a friend the other day who had been suffering terrible pain- and it wasn't her nipples per se but the bumps around it on the aereola. She was about to give up bfing all together because of the pain. Those bumps are milk ducts (I didn't know this- with my first they never leaked milk, but with my second, they occasionally leak milk) and she discovered that since her daughter (obviously) only drains the milk from ducts in the nipple, those outer ones were not getting drained and in a sense were "engorged." She started pumping on the highest setting of her pump, which was able to draw out some of the milk, and felt immediately better after about 2 weeks of severe pain. SO, if you have a pump, try that on the highest setting. If not, maybe try using your thumb and forefinger and see if you can squeeze any milk out of them.

 

[Tiff]

Thanks ladies!

I think I will try the pumping, as it will give my one breast a break. I'm not sure that it's a plugged milk duct... I looked up what it would look like online, and it's not in the same spot as where I'm experiencing the pain. The milk ducts look to be down a little deeper, whereas the pain I'm getting is more superficial. However, I'm about ready to try just about anything to ease the pain... holy hannah it hurts!

I've been using the creme that my doctor perscribed... it's working a tad bit. It's also the nipple that Claire prefers... so maybe it's from over-usage?

Either way, it sucks.

 

[sam#3]

I had this and after 3 weeks of agony the midwife noticed that Harry had tongue tie so we got it cut and feeding improved instantly.
Hope you get it worked out xx