Holding and breastfeeding a baby for the first time in a new mother's life is considered one of the most pleasant experiences in the world. It not only creates a deep emotional bond between the mother and the newborn, but also lays the strongest foundation for the physical and mental development of the child. But for many new mothers, this beautiful journey turns into an extremely painful and scary experience. As soon as the baby puts his mouth to drink milk, the breasts and nipples start feeling unbearable prickling, burning and tingling like electric current. Many times the elders in the family or the women in the neighborhood avoid it by saying that 'in the beginning everyone experiences such pain, gradually you will get used to it.' This is a huge and dangerous myth. According to medical science and lactation experts, breastfeeding is a natural physiological process and excessive pain, nipple peeling, cuts or bleeding is not 'normal' in any way. Pain is a clear sign that there is a problem somewhere that needs to be fixed immediately.
If you are experiencing persistent severe pain, burning or soreness while breastfeeding, these medical and technical reasons are usually responsible for it:
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Poor Latch: The most common cause of pain while breastfeeding is the baby not being able to latch on to the breast properly. If the baby sucks only the tip of the nipple, the nipple gets pressed between the gums and the palate and gets badly chafed. The child should take in the mouth not only the nipple but also a large part of the areola around it.
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Strain in the child's tongue (Tongue-Tie): In many newborn babies, the tissue under the tongue (frenulum) is extremely small or hard, which is called tongue-tie in medical language. In such a situation, the child is unable to extend his tongue forward and starts biting the nipple with his gums to extract milk, which causes unbearable pain to the mother.
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Fungal or bacterial infection (thrush): If there is sudden severe itching in the nipple, bright redness and sharp pain persists even after feeding, then it could be a yeast infection called Candida (Thrush). This infection often spreads from the baby's mouth to the mother's nipple.
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Mastitis and Blocked Milk Ducts: When the milk ducts become blocked and milk cannot flow out completely, lumps, swelling and extreme hardness develop in the breasts. If not treated timely, it develops into mastitis (a serious infection of the breast), which causes high fever, chills and unbearable pain in the nipple.
If your nipples are cracked or the pain is making it difficult to feed, try these safe and effective methods:
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Natural ointment of breast milk: Mother's milk has natural antibacterial and healing properties. After every feeding, take out one or two drops of your milk and apply it lightly on the nipple and areola and let it dry in air. It heals cracks fast.
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Pure Lanolin Cream: Use medical grade 100% pure lanolin cream or very lightly cold-pressed coconut oil. It maintains the moisture of the skin and prevents the wounds from drying out and forming scabs. Lanolin does not even need to be washed before feeding.
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Changing position and angle: Do not always breastfeed in the same position. Apart from the cradle hold, try 'football hold' or feeding on your side. Due to this, pressure is distributed on different parts of the nipple and there is no rubbing at one place.
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Light warm compress: Before feeding, place a towel soaked in hot water on the breast or apply it with lukewarm water. This opens the milk ducts, makes milk flow easier and the baby does not have to exert force.
Tolerating the pain not only affects the mother's mental health but also increases the risk of postpartum depression and reduced milk supply. If there is continuous bleeding from the nipple, yellow pus is coming out, a hard red lump has formed in the breast and you are feeling fever above 100 degrees and shivering, then without wasting even a day, immediately contact a gynecologist or a certified lactation consultant. Many times, just a small examination of the child's mouth or teaching the correct latching position can make years of pain disappear in a jiffy. Remember, only a happy and healthy mother can give the best nutrition and love to her child, so instead of tolerating the pain, find the right solution.