"Esma’s Health Secret Blog"

Sore nipples are the number one symptom that something isn’t quite right. In the very early days of breastfeeding, you may be hypersensitive to the sensation of your baby feeding, so it may not be a problem - you might just be getting used to the sensation of the sucking. If you have persistent pain, especially accompanied by redness around the nipple, ask your doctor or your midwife to watch you feeding and check your positioning. You’ve probably got it almost right, but a small adjustment will make all the difference. As well as getting the position right, sore nipples need to heal. Try to keep your nipples dry, and expose your nipples to the air in the daytime as much as you’re able to.

The pain from a sore nipple is often worst at the start of a feed. It helps to start the feed with the less sore side. It may also help if you can get the milk to flow before the feed begins. If you feel the sensation of your milk flowing when you’re not actually feeding, put your baby to the breast straight away. Once the milk is flowing, feeding should not be so painful.

Avoid washing your nipples with soap because it is really drying and also because a scented soap might put your baby off feeding. Your breasts will be quite clean enough if you just wash them with water.

Uncomfortable, lumpy, and full breasts are common in the early days of breastfeeding. That’s because it’s a supply-and-demand system, and your body is just coming to grips with how much milk your baby needs. At the moment, it’s overproducing. Within a few days, this will settle down as your breasts adjust to the amount of food your infant needs.

Don’t try to diet or lose weight while you’re still in the early days of breastfeeding. Of course you’d like to be back to your old shape as soon as possible, and breastfeeding will help with that. But dieting, or not eating as much as you’d like to, could interfere with your body’s ability to produce enough milk for your baby in this all-important early period.

If your breasts are unbearably painful, try putting raw cabbage leaves inside your bra. Keep them in the refrigerator so that they’re really cold, and that will be even more soothing.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 1st, 2008 at 8:56 am and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.