OUCH! Is Breastfeeding Supposed to Hurt?

Your baby has entered the world and your breastfeeding journey has begun!

It’s going along and all of the sudden OUCH!

Out of nowhere, pinching or bleeding...is it supposed to be like this?

There’s a misconception surrounding breastfeeding that because it’s the biological norm it’s somehow effortless. Breastfeeding parents are often thrown for a loop when they figure out that isn’t the case and that, yes, it can even be painful.

While slight discomfort may be normal, extended pain is definitely not. Nor is bleeding, cracking, or extreme soreness.

Common Issues

Improper Latch

Dealing with the issues starts at the source. If you notice your nipples are excessively sore, cracked, or bleeding, it’s important to address the source of the discomfort. Often this ends up being a shallow or improper latch, causing baby to pull in areas they aren’t meant to. To avoid this, ensure baby is latched fully when nursing and that the areola is deep inside baby’s mouth. If these things aren’t the case, unlatch and try starting again.

If you aren’t sure, chat with your doula or a Lactation professional! Usually these things are quick and easy fixes but sometimes further evaluation into why the baby isn’t latching properly is necessary. It’s possible the root problem is a lip or tongue tie that will need to be diagnosed and possibly revised by a doctor.

Thrush

If you have persistent cracking and bleeding that doesn’t seem remedied, it’s possible you may have Thrush.

Yes, anyone can get it, not just babies!

Thrush is a yeast overgrowth that typically occurs in warm, moist places (like cracked nipples and baby mouths). Usually yeast are kept at bay but babies and newly postpartum mothers have compromised immune systems, leaving them susceptible to issues like Thrush. If this sounds like you, let your doctor know. You’ll need a prescription cream to kick that mess.

Engorgement

If your breasts feel rock-hard and sore, you may be engorged. Engorgement occurs when your breasts are unable to fully empty before they produce more milk. While it can be sort of normal in the early days once your milk fully transitions from Colostrum, it’s important to make sure you’re avoiding it. Persistent Engorgement could be a signal that you have Overproduction issues or Latch issues (a lot of it goes back to baby’s latch!).

If you’re engorged for an extended amount of time it’s possible to develop Mastitis. Mastitis is a nasty infection that you definitely don’t want to get with flu-like symptoms and rapidly spiking fevers. If you suspect you have it, contact your doctor ASAP. You’ll need Antibiotics to kick it.

Fixing the Problems

Now, you’re probably thinking, “Okay, that’s great that I know why but what can I do right now?”

Dry Healing

While in the past we were told to douse ourselves in Lanolin and Coconut Oil, new research suggests that dry healing is best. Keep nipples clean and dry aside from when you’re nursing.

Warm Showers, Baths, or Compresses

If you find yourself with soreness or engorgement, try a warm shower, bath, or compress to provide some relief. Engorgement or blocked ducts can also be helped by combining one of these options with massaging any sore spots toward the nipple.

Fix Baby’s Latch

Chat with a Lactation professional and have them evaluate how your baby is doing with latching. If the issue is latch, they’ll be able to adjust it and get you on the road to healing. An incredible local resource is Carolyn Honea of Lake Norman Breastfeeding Solutions! Visit her site here.

Contrary to what many older generations tell us, Breastfeeding pain is not normal nor should you suffer through it! Cracked and bleeding nipples, extreme soreness, and prolonged discomfort are not normal parts of breastfeeding and there is help to fix it!

Breastfeeding & What to Avoid

Breastfeeding is a goal that many people share. One Google search will yield tons of different advice on things to avoid when you’re nursing your baby including alcohol, dairy, and eggs. We’re here to give you the real deal on what you should be avoiding (in real life).

Unsupportive People

While breastfeeding is natural, it certainly can be a challenge. It’s not something that comes easily to many people and a layer of judgment is an unnecessary addition! If someone in your life is vocal and disapproving of your breastfeeding journey, it may be time to set up boundaries with the person. Your nursing relationship with your baby needs support!

Extreme Diet Changes

Unless medically necessary, typically radical diet changes aren’t necessary when breastfeeding. Your body processes all food you take in before pulling the nutrients and creating milk for your baby so in all likelihood, it isn’t dairy that is making your baby gassy. Old wisdom would tell mothers to cut out dairy, eggs, soy, and even broccoli to help their babies’ tummies but, in reality, it’s more likely air from a shallow or incorrect latch. Don’t go cutting things out until you have a recommendation from your doctor!

Lengthy Articles with Scary Anecdotes

There are articles floating around that paint breastfeeding as scary and painful. While it can be, it doesn’t have to be and these articles will do nothing but feed into your anxiety surrounding nourishing your baby. Hold fast to the suggestion above about unsupportive people and keep these less-than-helpful articles away from your mommy eyes.

Hard-and-Fast Rules

When it comes to breastfeeding there are a few guidelines that are important to observe. Things like watching baby’s wet and dirty diapers to ensure they’re eating well, paying attention to weight gain, and making sure to visit a doctor if you notice anything concerning within yourself or your baby. Otherwise? There are really no hard-and-fast rules for breastfeeding. Remove the “baby must eat X ounces at Y” and pay closer attention to how your body feels and how your baby responds to get an accurate read on how your nursing is going. Each breastfeeding experience is different and requires different, flexible guidelines.

Obsessing Over Numbers

While it is important to weigh baby and make sure they’re gaining weight well, it’s less important to obsess over each and every half ounce. In healthy newborns, it’s more important to follow baby’s cues and feed on demand. Some babies drain the breast in 8 minutes flat, others take 30+. The minutes baby is eating don’t necessarily indicate an issue, nor does how long baby sleeps in between feeds or if they happen to take half an ounce less at one feed. The numbers you should pay attention to? Get a general feel for how many wet and dirty diapers baby has each day and you’ll start to notice when they have exceptionally more or less. These are great indicators of health. As long as baby is growing and thriving, there’s no need to stress out over numbers.

It’s super important to maintain and protect your mental state when you’re breastfeeding! Help guard your mind by reading, thinking, and surrounding yourself with positive support. That way if you do stumble upon a bump in the road (and you very well may), you’ll be in the right mindset to find a solution.

Happy Nursing!

Cheers! Alcohol and Breastfeeding!

After 9 months of politely saying no to every cocktail and toast, is it ok to finally say yes if you are breastfeeding?

How harmful could it be to have one glass of wine, pop open a beer, have one Cosmo.  Being a new mom is, well, stressful. You could sure use a little libation to take off the edge. Or, perhaps raise your glass to cheers in victory of a milestone.  Besides isn’t is recommended to have a glass of wine a day?

Studies have shown breastfeeding or not, all alcohol is best consumed responsibly in moderation.

Most sources say that drinking is left up to the discretion of the mother, and most medical professionals have suggested all birthing parents to avoid alcohol for the first 3 months postpartum.

Of course, we are discussing taking part in an occasional drink.  Not daily drinking or getting drunk regularly. To be clear we are talking about a glass, not, a bottle of wine. A beer, not, a six pack.

There is a lot of truth in the belief that what you take into your body in turn comes out of your breast milk.

The alcohol that enters your blood stream measures the same as the alcohol that enters your breastmilk. Even though one drink may not affect you it could affect your babies sleep pattern or appetite. An infants’ liver is not mature enough to process alcohol. Regular ongoing consumption has been seen to cause developmental delays.

Being informed about these possibilities is important when making a decision to partake. As, said before the choice is truly up to the parent who is breastfeeding.

Speak to you physician get their take on it if you are truly concerned. You and only you know what is best for your baby and what is safe for your body. Pay attention to cues if you may be planning on drinking perhaps switch your baby over to formula for that time as to ensure they will not be receiving any breastmilk during this period of time.

It is never a bad idea to take precautions.