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Nursing Mother. Stopped Feeding Due To Pain In Nipple. Looking For An Effective Solution
Question: my baby is one month old. I have been breast feeding him but stopped since 2 weeks because my nipples hurt a lot during feeding and also my nerves pain after feding for about 4- 5 hrs. i dont know wht the problem is. my nipples may be damaged due to improper latch so i have started to pump only once for day and feed him. even after pumping i feel the same pain. iam not able to bear this pain and iam not abe to take care of my child due to this pain. i wanted to feed him my milk, but due to this, aim giving him formula. please suggest me a soltuon to end this
Hi XXXXXX,
Thanks for writing to health care magic.
I appreciate your determination to breast feed your baby.
Yes you should breast feed your baby in view of the several advantages it has got. (It is ideal for your baby's growth. It has got the right things at the right time. It prevents against infections. It helps in brain growth.)
Regarding your sore nipple.....
Following could be the causes.
1. Incorrect attachment could be a cause some times.
2. Frequent use of soap and water. This will wash away the oils there causing maceration of skin and sore nipple.
3. Pulling of the baby from the breast while he is still feeding. This is done when some body enters the room suddenly. A shy mother may just take the baby off the breast quickly. There is a lot of negative pressure there. This results in trauma.
4. Candidial infection of the nipple. The nipple of the mother will infect the baby's mouth. So baby should also be treated in such cases.
Now what can we do regarding this.
1. Do not stop breast-feeding.
2. Proper attachment is important. Baby should not suckle on the nipple. He should suckle on the whole of the black portion (the areola)
3. Change the position of the breast-feeding. This helps some times.
4. Apply expressed hind milk to the nipple. Hind milk is the milk that comes at the end of breast feeding. This contains lot of fat. Just apply it there.
5. Do not use creams. They can be harmful to the baby.
6. Do not wash breasts with soap. You can take a simple bath but do not wash that areola and nipple with soap.
7. Expose the nipple to air in between feeds. This helps.
8. Loose clothing is important.
9. Treat candida infection with antifungals prescribed by your doctor. (if this is the problem.)
I am happy to come across a mother who wants to breast feed the baby. This is infact becoming so infrequent now a days. Mothers come up with all sorts of excuses that milk is not sufficient etc.
Congratulations once again.
Continue to ask further queries as required.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Thanks for writing to health care magic.
I appreciate your determination to breast feed your baby.
Yes you should breast feed your baby in view of the several advantages it has got. (It is ideal for your baby's growth. It has got the right things at the right time. It prevents against infections. It helps in brain growth.)
Regarding your sore nipple.....
Following could be the causes.
1. Incorrect attachment could be a cause some times.
2. Frequent use of soap and water. This will wash away the oils there causing maceration of skin and sore nipple.
3. Pulling of the baby from the breast while he is still feeding. This is done when some body enters the room suddenly. A shy mother may just take the baby off the breast quickly. There is a lot of negative pressure there. This results in trauma.
4. Candidial infection of the nipple. The nipple of the mother will infect the baby's mouth. So baby should also be treated in such cases.
Now what can we do regarding this.
1. Do not stop breast-feeding.
2. Proper attachment is important. Baby should not suckle on the nipple. He should suckle on the whole of the black portion (the areola)
3. Change the position of the breast-feeding. This helps some times.
4. Apply expressed hind milk to the nipple. Hind milk is the milk that comes at the end of breast feeding. This contains lot of fat. Just apply it there.
5. Do not use creams. They can be harmful to the baby.
6. Do not wash breasts with soap. You can take a simple bath but do not wash that areola and nipple with soap.
7. Expose the nipple to air in between feeds. This helps.
8. Loose clothing is important.
9. Treat candida infection with antifungals prescribed by your doctor. (if this is the problem.)
I am happy to come across a mother who wants to breast feed the baby. This is infact becoming so infrequent now a days. Mothers come up with all sorts of excuses that milk is not sufficient etc.
Congratulations once again.
Continue to ask further queries as required.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello Doctor,
Thanks for your reply. As of now iam giving time for the nipples to heal. iam pumping only once per day and feeding . In the mean whilei am giving him formula.
Even with the pump iam feel the same pain. After pumping atlest for 4- 5hrs i have this severe pain in the nerves. My nipple has white skin . i think this has to heal and come to normal color. I have already visited my doctor. She has asked me apply nip care ointment and try to feed baby through nipple shield until this heals. But baby was not abke to suck through nipple shiled so i have decided to pump and give, because of this there is reduction in milk supply of mine and my nipples are not still healing. I want to give my milk to him, but iam not able to. I cry some time because of shooting pain in the nerves and also i feel guilty that iam not able to feed my baby.
Thanks for your reply. As of now iam giving time for the nipples to heal. iam pumping only once per day and feeding . In the mean whilei am giving him formula.
Even with the pump iam feel the same pain. After pumping atlest for 4- 5hrs i have this severe pain in the nerves. My nipple has white skin . i think this has to heal and come to normal color. I have already visited my doctor. She has asked me apply nip care ointment and try to feed baby through nipple shield until this heals. But baby was not abke to suck through nipple shiled so i have decided to pump and give, because of this there is reduction in milk supply of mine and my nipples are not still healing. I want to give my milk to him, but iam not able to. I cry some time because of shooting pain in the nerves and also i feel guilty that iam not able to feed my baby.
Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
If there is white skin it could be dryness of the nipple or because of fungal infection.
Dryness improves with application of hind milk. If there is fungal infection then it has to be treated with antifungal medication.
Paracetamol may help in reduction of pain.
I can understand your problem. There is no reason to feel guilty. Soon with all the care you are taking things will improve and you can start breast feeding your baby.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Thanks for your reply.
If there is white skin it could be dryness of the nipple or because of fungal infection.
Dryness improves with application of hind milk. If there is fungal infection then it has to be treated with antifungal medication.
Paracetamol may help in reduction of pain.
I can understand your problem. There is no reason to feel guilty. Soon with all the care you are taking things will improve and you can start breast feeding your baby.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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