LO is 4 days old and we are EBF. We met with an LC at the hospital and she said he has a good latch and a strong suck. However, the initial latch on is insanely painful! It lasts about 15-20 seconds and then it goes down to just being somewhat painful/uncomfortable. Is this normal for the first few days/week? Everything I"ve read says that if baby has a good latch, breastfeeding shouldn't be painful/uncomfortable. Is that true? And considering that I was told he has a good latch, I'm wondering why I'm getting little scabs/spots of blood on my nipple? Does anyone know what sort of latch issue could cause that? I know calling an LC would be the best idea, which I will do tomorrow, but in the meantime, I'm scared of our next feeding, which will be in like an hour! Any advice?
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I had pain for the first week or so and I would cringe at feeding times. Your body isn't used to a hungry newborn gumming away at your nipples! I had blood blisters the first week too!
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I'm not sure what kinda of latch issue but I did have pain during the initial latch (like the first 5 sec) that went away the first couple weeks. I used lots and lots of lanolin to help protect my nipples.
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I had that pain and it wasn't until about 6 - 8 weeks that it was completely gone! For the first two or three weeks, it was toe curling, tears to the eyes pain for the first 15 - 30 seconds of her feed, then it would taper off. After three weeks, it was an initial pain for just a few seconds, and then it eventually disappeared.
We never had any issues latching either - it's just the nipples toughening up. All those sayings that breastfeeding shouldn't hurt don't apply to the first few weeks IMO. Even when everything is perfect, it can hurt at the start but like everything else, this too shall pass. Good luck!
ETA: Try expressing a bit of breastmilk and rubbing it into your nipples after a feed and then letting it air dry for a few minutes - I found it much more effective than lanolin!
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some women have no pain at all. that was my experience with olive. with charlie however, he definitely had a improper latch and i had bleeding/cracked nipples.
some moms say that they had pain in the beginning even with a good latch, and it got better with time. if you have blood though, i think the latch could probably be improved?
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I had pain for the first 4 weeks but refrigerated gel pads saved me! DD had a bad latch until she grew a little. I mostly pumped for the first 6 weeks since her latch was so painful. Hang in there!
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I had that same pain (almost like a constant pinching) before I met with the lactation consultant. It was amazing to me that breastfeeding didn't have to hurt after she corrected our latch. Elliot wasn't taking in enough of my areola. The LC had me stuff my nipple wayyyyyy back into his mouth. I can definitely tell the difference right away.
The pain was really horrible. I was in tears because I was so scared anticipating feedings. I hope you're able to find relief!!
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I agree with Running Elley that you might need to get the latch checked again. Definitely shouldnt be getting hurt.
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I had the exact same issue at the same time @hilsy85! LC Sid the latch was great but around 4-5 days the initial latch hurt so much. I literally kicked my heels into the glider and wanted to rip LO off. Oh it hurt so bad. And after 10-15 seconds it subsided enough that it was tolerable.
After my scabs and blisters healed, it's been wayyyyyyy better.
My LC prescribed Jack Newmans ointment that helped stuff heal faster.
This part really sucks (pardon the pun) but in a few days hopefully it'll get better! -
YYep, I had exactly what you are talking about. Honestly, it was insanely painful for me the first month. And I know LO had a perfect latch. I bled, scabbed, and even cried for the first couple seconds she latched on. it gets better! The skin on your nipples just isn't used to the constant suction. In a month you wont even feel it! Hang in there.
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I definitely had pain with the initial latch for a while until LO got a little bigger and I got used to it. I don't really believe the "it's not supposed to hurt" stuff- you're putting a sensitive part of your body to use multiple times a day in a way it's never been used before, it takes some time to adjust! Then again, if the pain is really bad then there's probably a latch issue.
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It shouldn't hurt! You might consider another LC to get a different set of eyes on your latch. Also, if you can't figure it out, and it doesn't get better in a week or two, look into tongue tie. My sister breastfed through pain for months because she refused to address a posterior tongue tie.
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I had pain for the first 2 months, but it's b/c L had a bad latch in the beginning and my nipples were totally beat up. I heard that even if a baby has a good latch, you can still experience pain in your nipples just from the constant sucking. A friend of mine who didn't have any latch problems said her nipples hurt for about 6 weeks.
Good luck!
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Our LO was is a week old today and my latch is still a bit hit and miss but we seem to be over the toe-curling pain for now (fingers crossed!).
I've seen a Lactation Consultant and my Midwife checks my latch at each visit but I still struggle to get LO to open her mouth wide enough at each latch,
FWIW my Midwife reckons it takes the best part of two weeks to really get the hang of latching so hang in there!
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Both my kids are really good latches and when I first BF'd them (the first month) it hurt like crazy! After a month, it started hurting less and then it completely stopped hurting. I think it's totally normal to feel pain even with a good latch. I would tell you to just keep at it even if it hurts like a MOFO. It'll get better!
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I agree that it hurts like crazy for the first few weeks even if the baby has a good latch. Every LC said LO had a perfect latch and the pain was terrible whenever she first latched on (and then would feel better after a few minutes). I definitely had moments where I just wanted to quit breastfeeding (I also had the blisters and scabs)...and then magically the pain isn't as bad after a few weeks (although my right side hurt for several more weeks).
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Your LO is still very, very young so it could just be a matter of your nipples toughening up a little as they get used to bfing. I would say it hurt for about the first week. I used lots of lanolin and then the pain went away. I haven't had to use the lanolin cream again.
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I would consider seeking another LC. I don't think it should hurt and def not to the point of bleeding if her latch is perfect. Have you tried a different position to see if it helps?
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Don't see just any LC, see an IBCLC and have her check for tongue tie, posterior tongue tie, and lip tie. Those issues are quite common and cause a painful latch as well as hinder the baby's ability to feed correctly and completely.
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my kids had good latches and i had pain for over a month or so. but i never had any bleeding.
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Definitely talk to another lactation consultant. I listened to the one a the hospital who told me our latch was fine... It just got worse and worse until I had cracks within cracks and an entire chunk missing from one nipple (which then got infected, then we got thrush because of the antibiotics...) and couldn't latch him on anymore. They took over 3 weeks to heal enough for me to feed off them.
When they were healed I went to a different LC and she was amazing! She told me we totally had the latch wrong, and showed me how to get it better even with my sons epic latching issues (he liked to nose dive and shove his chin into his chest while trying to latch. So hard. Anyways...
TL; DR... See another LC until you find one who helps. I think you can tell the difference between uncomfortable, unfamiliar, tugging pain, rather than ripping, pinching (bad latch) pain.
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It will hurt in the beginning, but it shouldn't hurt for more than a few seconds, and it certainly shouldn't bleed. Bleeding is a sign that he isn't latching correctly. Runing Ellie had it right by saying you probably need more of your areola in his mouth. Once you get the latch corrected, it will still hurt at each feeding until your nipples heal. Definitely put some breastmilk on them after each feeding and let it air dry to help it heal faster. To give you even more relief, try nursing on only one side at each feeding to give the other nippl more time to heal.
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Thanks so much, ladies...you can kind of see where my confusion comes in though--even in this post, some people say pain is normal while others say it isn't! It seems like bleeding is definitely not normal though, so I"m going to try to call an LC today. I do only nurse on one side each feeding and have been putting BM and lanolin on my nipples after each feeding. I also air dry as much as I can. @regberadaisy: We alternate between football hold and x-cradle.@CarrieLouWho: @Rainbow Sprinkles: @Baby Boy Mom: when did it get better for you guys?
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@hilsy85: For me it was painful in the beginning, especially for the first few minutes. Its because the baby latches on and sucks really hard at first and because right after birth your nipples are sore anyway.
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@hilsy85: Sounds like you got some great advice here.
At first, I don't think breastfeeding is relaxing and bonding like they make it seem on TV and in books. Even if you aren't in pain, it still is a bit uncomfortable until you get used to it.
However, extreme pain and bleeding is too much and I would see an LC.
Make sure you are cupping your breast and really putting as much as possible in your baby's mouth.
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@hilsy85 I didn't have any issues with my daughter's latch, but she was a big baby (9 lbs 6oz at birth!) However, my son's latch was HORRIBLE and it HURT! I bled and blistered and scabbed and everything! This helped a lot with my daughter and a little with my son, so when you go to a LC today (I'm assuming you are going to try and get in today:) ) ask about http://www.diapers.com/p/medela-contact-nipple-shield-309954 The nipple shield worked really well with DD. It also allows for your nipples to heal a little bit. And, not to scare you, make sure you clean your nipples really well because you could get mastitis, that is what happened with me with DS.
Good Luck! It does get easier
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Yes it hurts even if he has a good latch, in the beginning. However it should slowly subside and go away in a few days to a week as your nipples toughens for it...
I'd say make an in-home appointment with a certified lactation consultant - the ones in the hospitals are not nearly as good! Ours teach me ways to get a good latch every time. They teach you tips and tricks. I think we saw ours within a week of my baby's birthdate, and my pain was gone shortly after that.
Also check out the videos on Dr. Jack Newman's website to see and compare if you are getting a good latch:
http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=videosYour LO's mouth should open very wide and the latch should be assymmetrical.
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@hilsy85: I second using the nipple shield like @MamaBehr said. That really did help to ease some of the pain in the early nursing days.
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@hilsy85: For me it was honestly 6 or 7 weeks. I have no evidence but anecdotally from friends and my own experience, one thing that makes a big difference is how big LO is. It seems to be that a bigger mouth does help them get a better latch. In my case LO was tiny (5.5 lbs) and once he had a couple of growth spurts BF got a lot easier. (In our case that seemed to make a bigger difference than any of the small adjustments the LC suggested).
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@hilsy85: 4 weeks is when I stopped feeling pain. I always thought pain was normal... my mom nursed 5 babies and said it is always painful at first! I even used a nipple shield and I still had some scabbing. I thought it was from blisters opening from constant suction on your sensitive nipples (which can't really be changed by latch). But hey, maybe I am wrong!
I used Lasinoh nipple cream (it was actually Lanolin free) and i thought it worked wonders.
Good luck! Let us know what the LC says!
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@hilsy85: For me... yes. It got a tiny bit better around 2 weeks when I saw the LC again. Then my right side got better (like for permanent better) at 6-7 weeks and the left one after 8-9 weeks. Now I LOVE it and it rarely hurts.
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My LO was little as well (only 6.3 at birth) so for me, it hurt like hell and we had terrible latching problems until he was about 6 weeks old and was able to get the hang of it. He still sometimes "lazy latches" at night, so I've switched to bottle feeding him expressed milk, but during the day he's fine.
I also had that initial pain during feedings for the first 6 weeks or so, even when using the nipple shield. I think it's probably normal.
I used Bag Balm to help heal my cracked/bleeding nipples- just wipe it off before the next feeding if you try it. It would heal a cracked nipple in like, three hours. Lanolin never worked for me. -
This thread is making me call a LC right now! My baby is 8 days old and I get shakey and scared as feeding time approaches because it hurts!
Hilsy: good luck to you:) -
My LO had a great latch but I still felt pain the first 15-30 seconds of feeding. The pain either went away or my nipples just toughened up after the first month and a half.
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I would also highly recommend a breastfeeding support group if you can find one. One or two visits with a LC are great, but the breastfeeding journey continues to change and evolve and the continued support was KEY for me making it to my 1 year goal.!
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@BabyBoecksMom: I've heard that you shouldn't use a nipple shield unless directed to do so by an LC? I don't want to cause difficulty in latching w/o the shield...@Baby Boy Mom: hmm interesting. LO is 7lbs9oz now so not teeny but not huge yet. Maybe as his mouth gets bigger his latch will get deeper as well? I really hope things get better before 6-7 weeks tho--the thought of pain for that long makes me cry!@Rainbow Sprinkles: thanks! That gives me some hope...I am also using lanisoh, but it has lanolin in it. I think I'm going to order motherlove nipple cream, which I've heard is good as well. @pastemoo: that is really what I am hoping for--that it gets better and I love bf'ing. Right now I want to love it so much! But it is painful :(@Thehistoryofus: good point! I think my pedi's office has a bf'ing group. @TurtleDoves: I also get that feeling of dreading the upcoming feeding, which sucks because I love being so close to him and sharing that with him. But when it's been like an hour and he wants to eat again, I get nervous.
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Also, I did crack, bleed and cry every time I nursed for the first few weeks, and what finally helped me, as weird as it sounds: I would put lanolin on after nursing, and then cover my nipples with a tiny piece of saran wrap. It kept the lanolin on, kept my nipples from rubbing directly on my nursing bra/ clothes, and it made an immediate difference. I did that for a few days, completely healed, and didn't have to use it (or even the lanolin) at all anymore after that.
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If no one has suggested it yet, have you tried using nipple cream right before and after you nurse? It'll help prevent dryness and cracking. It shouldn't hurt if your LO is latching on properly. Both of my boys nursed awesome but my second makes me hurt a little more in that he likes to bite on my nipple and pull on it while looking up at me when he's done nursing.
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I second what @pastemoo said; it really does get better and I absolutely love bf'ing now. I can't really remember the pain now (LO is 4 months old) and Dread the thought of having to wean someday.
Just remember, it gets a little bit better each day, so as painful as it is today, it will be less painful tomorrow, and less painful the day after that. Keep up the great work!
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Looks as though lots of us are in the same boat when it comes to the breastfeeding, hopefully we'll all get through it and our wee one's will continue to flourish and grow!
This week I'm getting through with the attitude "one day at a time". We hit the one week mark yesterday, today we're eight days and before we know it we'll be at two weeks wondering where the time went!
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