breast feeding pains

Heather - posted on 01/04/2009

Oh my GOSH!!!! I Thank everyone so much! Im feeling so much better! Im so happy to have you all to turn to! Thanks again! Heather..

Gena - posted on 01/04/2009

that sounds like plugged ducts to me, i've had them a couple of times, just take warm showers and massage the hard areas, or do the same after applying a warm wash cloth and nurse as much as possible, if the baby goes for more than an hour or 2 w/out nursing, pump or hand express (i can explain how to do that if you need). the best thing is to keep as much milk flowing through as possible so it doesn't turn in to an infection and it unplugs the duct. get lots of rest and drink lots of water too to help keep infection out! if it doesn't go away in a couple of days or if you get a fever or start feeling achey like the flu, go see your dr.!

Angela - posted on 01/04/2009

if yor nippoles are so also they say tea bags that have been used and cooled off help quite a bit. i've had 3 children and nursed them all. i have found that laying in bed wtih them is the bed. not sur eif your a full time stay at hom mom. i have been able to stay at home wtih my children so this was perfect. i dont feel bad about laying in bed with my babies cause i cant do anything else while they are nursing. heating pads work great also, warm bottles, wash clothes. my son is 18 months now and has 8 teeth so every so often i have to unlatch him and remind him how to latch on right.

Lucie - posted on 01/04/2009

oh and ps once your baby can hold it's head breast feeding is so much easier... it took me three months before i didn't find it difficult.

Lucie - posted on 01/04/2009

hi, I've been breastfeeding my daughter for nearly nine months now. there are a few things that can make it a little difficult...ie infections, mastitis...discomfort.. teeth but it can all be fixed. A hot shower as hot as you can stand it or a very hot face cloth on the sore spots will really help. Cabbage leaf in your bra! sounds mad but it works. Look out for what looks like a red inflammed vein or a red inflammed area in the shape of a pizza slice on your breast. This is mastisis. Hot shower really works remember no matter how much it hurts you have to keep feeding with that breast... your doctor will advise you to take antibiotics but they will unsettle the babies tummy too. I had to take them once because i didn't feed with the breast and i got a fever and a temperature, the antibiotics fixed it in a few hrs.if your ever worried about anything ask your midwife or health visitor. its worth not having to worry.

Jennifer - posted on 01/04/2009

pump after every feeding until lumps go away

try different feeding positions, including laying baby on the floor and hanging your breast over him to gravity helps pull the milk down (you'll feel weird, but it's worth it!)

use heat before feeding, and ice afterward (for hear put hot water into a diaper, it hold the heat well. For cold use frozen peas)



And sorry, it takes about 6 weeks for the hurt to go away!!

good luck, keep going/ it's worth it!!

Emily - posted on 01/04/2009

Tara's right, a fever indicates mastitis - no need to stop nursing though... you can still nurse while on antibiotics.

Tara - posted on 01/04/2009

These are likely plugged ducts. I got them with my first not my second. Warm compresses, massage and especially massaging while nursing will help them clear up. They can in fact go away in my experience. If you start running a fever as well, then its possible you've developed mastitis. This can be a serious infection and warrents a hasty trip to the doctor.

Heather - posted on 01/04/2009

i have a 5 week old and it was incredibly painful up until about 4 weeks...i would cry and yell when he latched on. the pain, i noticed, lessened a lot (until i latched him on wrong...then it got painful again). the bumps youre talking about are pretty painful for me as well and i have noticed that when i shower (pretty hot water) they go away and that area gets smooth again. try cupping under your nipple and letting the water collect in your hand so that it covers up the bumps. good luck and trust me when i say that it will get better! KEEP USING BREAST CREAM.

Danielle - posted on 01/04/2009

Yes pain for the first two weeks for me was horrific. but after that it goes away. Lanolin didnt help me much so my breastfeeding consultant, or dr, perscribed me some better cream to help me heal faster. If you put warm wash clothes on your breasts before you feed it will help the pain subside quicker. The lumps never really go away until you are done breastfeeding completly, they are your milk ducts. Your breasts will continue to get sore when they fill up which will be more frequent now since your baby is new and feeding often, so just be sure to feed every time your lil one is hungry and that will be your relief. If the baby misses a feeding i recommend pumping or hand expressing milk for relief and also to keep your flow regular. Things will get better for you. Hope this helps!

Emily - posted on 01/04/2009

it sounds like you have some plugged ducts - try putting on some hot compresses (washcloths soaked in warm water works) and massaging the area, pushing with your hand down into the breast tissue and out towards the nipple... try also doing this while you're nursing. Keep nursing as much as you can... this will help to clear the blockage. Take some warms showers or baths and try hand-expressing some milk while the water is on the sore area. Make sure you have a good latch and that you're draining one breast completely before moving to the 2nd. Also, try the massage while you're nursing - I've found that really helps. Finally, try orienting the baby so that her/his nose is pointing towards the lump (it may be a little awkward, try lying down), that can help to clear it. Good luck!

Lindsey - posted on 01/04/2009

Yes you will have pain at first. I use to take a shower and put hot wash clothes over my breasts. I also used the lanolin cream for cracked nipples. It only hurt for the first 2 weeks!

Judith - posted on 01/04/2009

oh, yes, indeed, unfortunately...pain should go away soon, but when your breasts fill up, they get sore again...however, if the sore spots are red or warm, that's not normal and you should see your doctor- but don't stop nursing (or at least pumping) or the pain will just get worse...i had a lot of trouble nursing my baby (she's 3 1/2 months now), my nipples got so sore i literally cried when i nursed and had to pump a lot instead of nurse...but finally, it's working out smoothly and it's worth every little bit of pain...do you have a support system, like, any family members that have breastfed or a lactation consultant? the pediatrician should be able to refer you to a consultant and insurance should cover the visit- if it wasn't for my lactation consultant, i don't know what i would have done...good luck!!