Before we get talking about breastfeeding, I just want to say that I’ve never had painful nipples in my life. Well, unless you count that time that I had a sneaking suspicion that I was pregnant. Both boobs hurt and Tarzan needed to stay ten feet away from the nips too. Talk about pain.
See, I’ve never really had too much sensitivity in my boobs at all. I always thought this was pretty damn irritating, you know, when trying to get in the mood.
I might add that Tarzan is a boob man, so this was an interference for him as well. He could literally pull them, bite them, and move them all around and I would feel nothing.
Not a damn thing.
One day, back in November, my boobs were swollen and I had painful nipples. This was really unusual and I wondered if I could be pregnant. Of course I shrugged it off (“no way”) and went on to complain a million times a day about how uncomfortable my boobs were making me feel. Even my bras would hurt my nipples when resting on them. It was strangely unusual.
Painful nipples only lasted a few months and then my boobs went back to feeling like they used to: No feeling at all. Everything was back on track.
Well fast forward to this morning…
I woke up because of how painful my nipples were. And not just my nipples, I might add. Both boobs.
What the hell had happened overnight?
Of course I’m convinced that I jinxed myself.
Yesterday I finally called one of my best friends back and one of her questions was if breastfeeding hurt and how my boobs/nipples were doing. I told her that there was no pain whatsoever and I actually prided myself on that.
“Thankfully I’ve never felt too much in my boobs, so I don’t have to worry about having painful nipples/boobs while breastfeeding.”
Yes, I jinxed myself, but I didn’t stop there. It gets worse…
“I just couldn’t imagine what breastfeeding would be like if it hurt me. I don’t know if I’d be able to stand it. It would be so awful to feel every suck that Monkey gave and I don’t know how long I’d be able to last.”
Oy.
Today I’ve pumped three times and feed the little man my boobs once. Each time I want to scream in the beginning. It does only last for a few seconds, but OUCH! I totally clench my teeth each and every time and then smile when the pain goes away.
I guess I’m super naive to have thought that I would get through breastfeeding without experiencing painful nipples, but I did. I mean, it’s almost been three weeks and the pain just now comes?!
So here’s where all you experienced breastfeeders come in handy:
I need advice on getting these bad boys to calm the eff down for me so that I can do my job and provide my little Monkey with breastmilk. I do have Lansinoh and my nursing pads already have Lansinoh on them. (It’s quite heavenly and slightly orgasmic when I initially put the pads on the nips. It. Feels. So. Good.)
I’ve heard of putting frozen peas on the girls and I’ve heard something about cabbage leaves. There’s also that tip I heard about warm water in the shower.
However, Monkey’s next feeding (I feel like I work at the zoo when I say that, LOL) will be happening soon and I don’t have time to try different things to see if there’s potential to stop the painful nipples. I need tried & true methods here! Please share how you dealt with this & go ahead and throw in just how long it lasted.
And, dare I jinx myself again… but at least my nipples are only painful instead of being cracked and bleeding. I guess it could always be worse, right?
You might also want to read:
- Breastfeeding Issues: Is it just me, or do other Moms feel this way, but just don’t tell anyone?
- When Boobs Collide: The Breastfeeding and Post Pregnancy War. It’s crazy out here.
- Holy nipples and blue veins: Is this a normal thing to happen when you’re pregnant?
- Past memory of postpartum depression, breastfeeding Monkey, & my dog
- Postpartum blues, help with breastfeeding, and ramblings from an overtired Daddy.
= a post from Mommy Jane 
= a post from Daddy Tarzan
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Sometimes the pain is due to an incorrect latch. Try to stuff as much of the areola in his mouth as you can. Also, if they start to crack and bleed (many do) it’s time to walk around the house topless and let your breastmilk dry on them. I don’t know why but it helps.
Check your latch and make sure, like PP said, that he’s getting as much areola as possible. Also, keep it up with the Lansinoh, and being topless works great too.
NO to the cabbage leaves, though – I’m pretty sure that’s what women do when they want to dry up. Frozen peas would probably help, or Gerber sells these microwaveable/freezer pads – you can use them for warm or cold compresses.
Hang in there! I’m sure it will pass quickly – I had a few instances of this throughout my 10 months of pumping, and it was a thing that would come and go in a matter of days. Heat always helped me.
OUCH!
It could be that Baby boy does not have the correct latch, which is causing pain during and resulting in pain after, feeding. I suggest trying different positions and making sure he is latched on the entire area not just the nipple. Also, do not use cold cabbage leaves for comfort as that is something you use to help dry up your milk supply when weaning!
Good luck and I hope the pain eases up soon!
Okay, I just googled for you – definitely a no on the cabbage, it’s an old dry-up/relief of engorgement remedy. Not a thing to do when establishing supply!
Hang in there… hope Monkey is doing great too!
Thanks! In regards to walking around topless, do y’all mean without a bra too? I feel like I will just leak and leak!
Good thing I didn’t do the cabbage leaves thing, but I could have SWORN that I heard it helps comfort them. Oops!
I just talked with TheAngelForever (she’s out doing shopping) and she said it sounds like a blocked duct or mastitis. I told her about your post and that she should reply here once she gets home. (She’ll know better than I would what your symptoms might be and how to stop the pain.)
Check the latch…that can cause a lot of pain. Also, when I first started feeding and my milk supply really came in, I found that if I wasn’t “empty” after a feeding, there would be some pain due to milk ducts still having a full supply of milk.
Stick with the Lansinoh to help condition your nipples – it took quite awhile for mine to “toughen up,” even with the second baby. Also, if you don’t want to grab frozen produce, a ice pack works wonders…I would sleep with them on my chest and change them out after each feeding. It does offer some relief. Good luck, and it will get better.
You should not have pain. Finding out the cause of the pain is sometimes tricky, but it is most often due to an incorrect latch. I am wondering about your pump too. Are you pumping to build supply or to freeze extra? Maybe take a break from the pump, if you can, and see if that helps. I had a hard time with my pump this time (3rd baby).
There are these great gel pads out there too that are great for helping the nips feel better. I used a brand called Soothies, but there are others.
I also recommend looking at Earth Mama Angel Baby’s line of breastfeeding support products. No nasty chemicals, so safe for you and Monkey, and soo nice!
Have you looked into attending a La Leche League meeting?
~I have had a lot of anxiety about being able to successfully breastfeed, So keep this in mind that I haven’t personally BF yet. I have talked to anyone I can and read anything on BFing. I was recent;y talking to a friend of mine with a 4month old about this, she told me that the best thing for her was to let her nipples stay exposed to the air for a while before putting on Lanisoh. It feels funny to just be hanging out there, but it was definitely painful for her ( especially as her supply was really coming in, and the two of them were getting the nursing thing down. ) (Note It doesn’t hurt anymore. After a while she got used to it and it became enjoyable) Your nipples are being used for an entirely different purpose now, toe curling and eye watering at first, but if the pain goes away then you’re on the right track. Hope this helps, We’ll see if I eat my words when I have my baby.
Correct latch on is so important. YOu have heard this already through the other comments. The question I always ask my breastfeeding moms is this: “Does it feel like broken glass coming through you nipples? If so, you have a yeast infection. Let your nipples air dry, change your nursing pads frequently, keep them clean and dry; No underwire bras! If breasts are sore, kneel in a tub of warm water and submerge your breasts.Cabbage leaves are used for engorgement or weaning.
This too shall pass!
These two things were pure Heaven for me during breastfeeding:
1. A Nipple-Shield. These you can buy, put over your nupples, and it helps keep them from getting sore/heal from being sore.
2. Before & after each feeding (or pumping) squeeze just a drop of breasmilk out and rub it into your nipples. In my opinion, it works better than Lanolin.
Oh, and a heating pad on the girls between feedings really helps, too.
Hope these help!
By the way, Jane, as for walking around topless… try wearing only a well-fitting *sports* bra between feedings.
I take back what TechyDad said for me. He did not tell me that it was nipple pain. Sounds to me like latch pain. Perhaps get yourself a nipple shied for when you nurse Monkey to ease up your pain. Is there any bleeding or cracking on your nipples? I know I got all of this late in the game since both of the boys refused to latch until older. If it is more of a burning pain and radiates into the breast, I would say something with your ducts backing up or what not. This sounds quite different. Good luck and know that we are all cheering for you.
Is there anything else on your nipples? Sometimes nipple pain can be a sign of thrush, but usually it is would have more symptoms. That was always a big fear of mine.
Is it hurting when you are pumping and nursing, or is it a constant pain? The constant pain is likely mastisis, whereas pain when latching and pumping could be thrush, which can result from improper latch.
Ditto on the NO to cabbage leaves. A good friend of mine wrapped herself in cabbage for a few days in order to dry out.
TechyDad mentioned mastitis and I just got done with my first experience with mastitis, so I thought I’d share- you’ll know if you have it if in addition to the pain you start running a fever (mine was 101.6!) and your whole body starts to ache and you’re really exhausted. Of course, being a new mom your whole body seems to ache and you’re really exhausted all the time. Which is why I didn’t realize I had it until my husband took my temp and then I thought, oh, huh, I guess this isn’t just normal exhaustion and pain! If you do end up with mastitis, get a prescription for an antibiotic as soon as possible, take Tylenol for the fever, and feed Monkey as much as possible because it really helps! I was so miserable for a few days but got over it pretty quickly by doing those things.
Also, another tip if it isn’t mastitis- have you tried experimenting with different positions for nursing? Maybe a different angle will help Monkey latch on better or at least put pressure on a different part of your breast and help with the pain.
I would check for mastistis and oral thrush ( in monkeys mouth – which can cause you to have sore nipples too) just to rule them out.
Also, try using a nipple shield for a couple of feeds just to give your nipples a break, that worked for me. Having had 3 kids and bottle fed one. mixed fed the other and breastfed the third, I did personally find that mesing about between breast and bottle caused me to get mastitis 3 times. If you don’t really need to pump ( I did cos I had to go back to work) then perhaps give it a miss for a bit until things really settle down.
Hope things get better soon, thre is some good advice and tips in the comments above
Just wanted to post this link real fast before I finish reading your comments… I just looked up mastitis symptoms and I do not have this. Here are the symptoms: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mastitis/DS00678/DSECTION=symptoms and there is also a picture. My boobs do not look anything like this, nor do I have these symptoms. Whew, it looks like a scary infection.
As far as thrush, I don’t think that’s it either bc Monkey’s mouth & gums are not white. I think I’m just really breastfeeding-challenged and it might be the latch, although I’m not quite sure how much more of the aerola he could fit in his mouth. Hopefully the LC can help me with this problem too…
It sounds like you’re pumping a decent amount, so it’s possible that the problem could be with the size of the nipple shields you’re using on the pump. I’m not sure what kind of pump you’re using, but when I went to bigger breastshields with my Medela pump, that helped with the pain: http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/pump-accessories
If you are switching back and forth from bottle to breast that can DEFINITELY affect baby’s latch for the worse. The first sign of that happening is often nipple pain.
If you can, try to go without bottles for a few days and really focus on fixing the latch. Virtually all nursing issues can be improved by more nursing.
I wish I had a pain-free solution for you, but having nursed three kids and in all my breastfeeding education (I’m a breastfeeding peer counselor and a certified doula) I have yet to discover one. I remember all too well the breath-stealing, toe-curling pain of nursing a baby from raw, tender nipples.
Honestly, though, at this point the nipple shield may just end up causing you further issues.
Here is my suggested plan of attack:
1. To keep the baby from getting overly hungry (and subsequently rough and impatient at the breast) feed him a little earlier than you normally would, or feed him more frequently.
2. Temporarily ditch the bottles AND the pump. For the next couple of days, make it your number one priority to fix this issue before it gets out of hand.
3. Continue to use pure lanolin on your nipples.
4. Expose your nipples to air as much as possible and when you MUST cover them, change breast pads often.
5. Try taking a dose of tylenol or other physician-approved mild pain reliever about 45 minutes before feeding time.
6. Hand express a couple of drops of milk before latching the baby on (again, to curb his enthusiastic start a little).
7. Remember this is TEMPORARY. Nipple pain is common and fixable. It just takes a little patience and perseverance.
8. Rest as much as you can without sacrificing any feedings. If this means taking the baby into bed with you at night, that’s fine. Other parents are more comfortable with a cot/bassinet/pack n play beside the bed in easy reach, that’s fine too.
9. Get as much bare skin on bare skin as you can when you are nursing. Skin to skin contact increases the amount of hormone released during nursing- when you are in pain you want to be getting as much oxytocin and prolactin as you can manage. So, strip the baby down to his diaper and get his squirmy little self tucked up against you.
10. Stay hydrated and nourished. Put Tarzan on ‘feed Jane” duty and make sure that you have ready access to snacks and water whenever you are nursing.
11. Start your your least tender side first, and make sure baby is getting lots of hind milk before switching to the other breast.
12. Call a La Leche League Leader in your area and find out when the next meeting is. Then go. La Leche League is an INCREDIBLE resource, and it is free. Don’t let it go to waste. It doesn’t matter if your hair is a mess and you are covered in spit up and the baby wants to eat and scream and nothing else. These are all breastfeeding mothers. They’ve been there. They remember. They WILL help you.
13. Watch for signs of more serious issues like thrush or mastitus and be proactive about treating those IMMEDIATELY.
14. If the pain doesn’t start to subside, ask your pediatrician for a referral to a REAL Lactation Consultant (CLC or IBCLC).
15. Don’t give up. Many successful breastfeeding pairs have gotten off to a rocky start. Many, many breastfeeding mothers thought they ‘couldn’t do this’ or ‘it can’t be worth it’ at the beginning and then wept (yes, really- I was one) when they realized that their baby was weaned and there would be no more breastfeeding for them.
I hope you are feeling better really soon, and congrats on your little boy.
I had the same problem. It sucks but it went away after a few weeks. I just remember crossing my eyes in pain for about 2 seconds every time my little guy latched on.
I haven’t had my baby yet, but there is one thing that no one has mentioned yet, and that is not to use soap on your nipples. It can cause them to dry out and become more painful.
Boy, can hardly wait til I trade in not being able to sleep because my back is cramping for not being able to sleep because I have a tiny squalling poop-maker
. I guess that’s why they say “enjoy your pregnancy”. 
I would try the nipple shield. For us it taught the babe how to properly suck the nipple entirely into his mouth, and it took an edge off the pain. Instead of gritting my teeth and hardly being able to breath from the pain the entire time he nursed, I just gasped a little when he first latched on and then felt fine.
After three days using the nipple shield my nips had healed enough that I didn’t need it anymore, and baby knew how to latch on. You can also start out each feeding with the shield, then pop it off and continue. That get’s him used to how deep in his mouth it SHOULD be, but doesn’t get him too used to the feeling of the shield. Many lactation consultants will say not to use one, but since you’re bottle sfeedinag as well anyway I don’t think it’ll really make a difference, especially if you only use it for a little while.
If you do try one (they have them at Target, made by Medela) read the instructions that come with it, they’re very handy.
Oh man, just looked at your mastitis picture, and I just want to say that must be a really bad case- my boob did NOT look that bad!
Just wanted to interject my experience… I have a really painful letdown that feels like someone is stabbing me in the nips with a pencil. If little dude’s latch is good and your shield on your pump is comfortable, it might be painful letdown. Unfortunately, there’s no fix for it. I just got used to it. Whatever it is, hope you feel better soon!
PS… I know someone mentioned a La Leche League meeting, but beware if you’re pumping not to mention it, as I hear they are SUPER against it and have no qualms about telling you so!
Wow! Yeah, I just looked at the mastitis pic too and whoa! That must be a serious case! I’ve had mastitis before and it never looked like that. It can be as simple as a slightly red area that feels hard and sore.
With both of my babies, the first month of breastfeeding was rough. We perfected the latch and still my nipples hurt like hell. With my son, I just used the Lansinoh Lanolin goop. This time around, I found a product at Buy Buy Baby that helped me get through the painful weeks….Soothies Gel Pads:
(http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15005076&RN=7067&)
The cooling sensation feels wonderful, and they are not nearly as lumpy as other breast pads out there. I highly recommend putting them in freezer right before putting them on…so refreshing! I think you can also get them at Babies R Us and certain drug stores too.
Hang in there, it gets better, I promise! Before you know it, the girls become toughened up and much less sensitive….that is until your baby sprouts some teeth and learns how to bite you!
Mastitis wouldn’t necessarily cause your nipples to hurt during latch-on, so I can almost bet it’s not that. Mastitis is more of a sore spot on your breast and it doesn’t just hurt when he/she is nursing. I’ve had it 3 times, yikes.
Go buy a nipple shield. This is EXACTLY what happened to me with my son. It hurt so bad I cried and then went right back into labor and delivery to have the lactation consultant help me. She gave me a nipple shield. I used it for maybe 3-4 days and that did the trick (I even ended up nursing my son till he was 2).
For me even when my son latched correctly my nipples still got very sore. I breastfed even though they were cracked and bleeding and they eventually started to toughen up (not every woman can do this though). Some women even with correct latch tend to get sore throughout. I would imagine if you have been breastfeeding for 3 weeks, it’s less to do with correct latch and more to do with breastfeeding in general. That’s not to discourage from breastfeeding by any means, only to let you know it’s not out of the norm to experience sore nipples. I think lasinoh and cool compresses and warm baths were (and still are) my best friend. . It worked wonders when it came to my sore boobs. . I think I lived in the shower when I wasn’t nursing. It’s the one thing you are not told when your breastfeeding. In fact, I asked a lactation consultant because I thought he wasn’t latching. They said he was latching great. It’s just sometimes you have nipple pain. Working through the pain is easier said than done. Exposing your breast to air really helps too. I’m sorry you have to go through this. It will get better.
Walk around topless and let you boobs be exposed to the sun. I know Tarzan will approve of having a topless mummy walking around the house but it does help. I’m not saying 2nd degree sunburn but a few minutes each day to “toughen” them up.
The cracked bleeding nips is the worst!
Thanks everyone! I’ve been walking around topless as much as I can (might have even given the neighbors a show since the windows were all open). I think I figured out the problem from what one of y’all said… Yes, I’ve been pumping and feeding the little guy, but I think that the breast shields are too small for my enormous (what happened to them?) nipples that are now mine. I noticed when I was pumping earlier that the base of my nipple is really red when being pumped, so I think I need to go buy bigger shields.
I plan on doing that today and then see how it goes. Keep your fingers crossed that was the issue and thanks for all of y’alls awesome comments!!!
the Medela pump definitely helped me but I agree —so painful especially if you’re feeding directly and using a pump. ahh the pain. hopefully the second time around it’s easier for me!
I think all of the comments on proper latch and ice packs are great! One more thing to think about that may be causing your pain…yeast. It sounds like you and Monkey have a great latch because you have had over 2 weeks of pain-free breastfeeding. Sometimes increased redness and painful nipples and areolas after successful breastfeeding is caused by a yeast infection. Monkey can have a yeast infection in his mouth called THRUSH and he can pass this infection to your nipples when feeding. Thrush is very common and not painful to him, just to you. Ask your pediatrician about this. Usually they can just look in his mouth for a “white hairy” appearance and give him some medicine to clear it up. They can also give you some topical meds to clear it up for you. This totally could not be the issue but I thought I would mention it just.
Not all pumps are created equal. Medela is the “gold standard.” With any pump you have to be fitted by a lactation specialist to make sure that the sheild fits to 1) stimulate the areola and 2) not cause nipple pain.
I agree with the comment about how a baby sucks on a bottle vs nursing are 2 different latches which is where the nipple confusion and thus soreness from a “bad” latch. “Pumping can irritate the nipples if you use too much suction, pump for too long, or if the nipple rubs against the flange of the pump. Offer the milk that you pump to your baby using a cup, a feeding syringe, or a spoon. Avoid giving supplements with artificial nipples. Feeding pumped milk with an artificial nipple will often make it more difficult to solve the latch-on problems that caused the sore nipples in the first place.” (quote from /www.askdrsears.com/html/2/t021900.asp)
I am also wondering about not nursing so long on one side at a time before switching to the other. For example, instead of 40 minutes straight on one side before switching; do something like 20 mins right, 20 mins left, 20 mins right, 20 mins left. Shorter more frequent nursing instead of long nursings may help your nipples to have a break.
Be careful with nipple shields. They sometimes create more problems (ie nipple confusion, decreased milk supply) than they fix. There is a definite time and place for them, just use them under a lactation specialist supervision/advice.
It will get better. I always tell my friends and clients to hang in there and get the right support in the first 3 months. Hang in there