Is it normal for breastfeeding to hurt?

Breastfeeding is not supposed to hurt. A woman may experience some soreness at first, but it should gradually go away. Correcting a poor latch-on is the first step to ensuring comfortable breastfeeding. Also, breasts can become tender and painful when a milk duct is plugged and milk is blocked from flowing. Breasts may or may not turn red. If a woman has these symptoms of a plugged milk duct, advise her to continue breastfeeding often, vary her position when breastfeeding, get more rest, apply heat or warm compresses to the breast, and massage the breasts. Once the milk is flowing, the soreness will decrease.

A sore breast can also be due to mastitis. Mastitis is inflammation of a breast that may or may not be infected. If a woman has mastitis, her breast is sore, red, swollen, and hard and she feels achy, tired, and feverish. Mastitis develops where milk is not effectively removed from the breast and accumulates over time. The first step in treating mastitis is removing the milk by expressing breastmilk and continuing to breastfeed. Continuing breastfeeding is important for a woman’s own recovery and for her baby. If the symptoms of mastitis are severe, if the woman has visible cracks in her nipple, or if the symptoms do not improve after 24 hours of effective milk removal, antibiotic treatment is recommended.

Can breast engorgement be prevented?

Breast engorgement can occur when mature breastmilk comes in and breasts become full, hard, and tender. Engorgement is less likely to occur if a woman feeds her baby often and lets the baby nurse as long as possible. If a woman suffers from engorged breasts, she can try using warm compresses for a few minutes before a feeding session and expressing some milk by hand or pump, or applying ice or cold compresses between feedings. Green cabbage leaves (washed) can be used as a compress, instead of ice. A woman should see a health care professional if engorgement prevents good latch-on, the pain is severe or does not go away in 48 hours, or if the woman develops any of the following symptoms indicating a breast infection: fever, chills, body aches, localized pain, or other flu-like symptoms.

How can a woman prevent cracked nipples?

Positioning the baby properly and helping the baby to latch on correctly can help to prevent sore and cracked nipples. If the latch is uncomfortable, the mother should gently release the baby’s mouth and start again. Avoiding the cleaning of nipples with alcohol-based products and harsh soaps can also help prevent cracked nipples. Cleaning the nipples with plain water is best, and since breastmilk contains antibodies, allowing the nipples to air dry with breastmilk on them may help treat the problem and prevent further cracking.