Breast/Nipple Pain:
Breastfeeding is not supposed to be painful. Pain is an indication that something is not right.
One of the main reasons for pain in the beginning is a poor latch. Click here for help with latching.
Once you've determined that the latch is not the issue, the second suspect is likely to be thrush. Antibiotic treatment -- for either you or the baby -- is a predisposing factor for the development of thrush. Your nipples may look redder or pinker than normal, & may itch intensely. They may be cracked as well. However, they may also look normal. You may also experience shooting pains in the breast, if the yeast has infected the milk ducts as well as the nipple. Another possible sign is a vaginal yeast infection at the same time. In the baby, you're likely to see white patches in the mouth that don't wipe away. Look carefully between the cheek and gumline. Also, the baby may have a bumpy red diaper rash that doesn't respond to typical diaper rash treatments. The first course of treatment for thrush is usually nystatin liquid for the baby, and a thin film of Lotramin AF applied to the mother's nipples after every feeding. (It does not need to be washed off.) Click here for more information on thrush.
If you have been treated for thrush, but you still have pain and cracks that do not heal, there is a good chance you have a staph infection. This will have to be treated with antibiotics. Your doctor can grow a culture from the surface of your nipples to determine if this is indeed what you're suffering from.
If it is not latch, thrush, or staph, it could be dermatitis of the nipple. See a dermatologist for help.
If you have what appears to be a blister or whitehead pimple on your nipple (occasionally, they occur on the areola), you may have a milk blister.
If your nipples blanch (become white), there are several possibilities. This could be a latch issue, or it could be related to the baby clamping down to slow a fast let-down, the baby being tongue-tied, or the clampdown bite reflex, or vasospasm. Vasospasm can result from an earlier trauma (such as thrush), or it can be associated with Raynaud's Phenomenon, which usually affects the hands and feet. Click here for more information on both types of vasospasm.
You might also experience pain if your baby's palate is high, or cleft. A lactation consultant should be able to examine your baby's palate to see if it is an issue.
Additionally, if your baby has a poor suck or is becomming nipple confused, this can cause problems. A poor suck can often be corrected with finger feeding / suck training.
If you have flat or inverted nipples, your baby may have more difficulty latching, which can cause you pain. See below on this page for information on flat or inverted nipples. |
