Breastfeeding And Nipple Pain

My nipples have started to ache a lot and they are very sore. This trend has continued to worsen since my son’s birth.

My nipples were hurting so bad at that time that I persuaded my husband to buy a milk extractor for me so that I could extract the milk and feed my son with a bottle instead. But even with the extractor my nipples were aching more and more.

3 weeks after birth, the nurse came to our home and I discussed the issue with her. She told me to demonstrate how I fed the baby, which I did. She immediately noticed the problem.

The baby’s mouth should fully (or nearly) take in the areola (see picture). In my case my baby was just sucking on the nipple with his gums which made them ache a lot. Additionally due to the incorrect sucking technique, I wasn’t feeding the baby enough, or in other words, it was very difficult for the baby to suck out the milk.

If your baby is sucking correctly, you should not feel any pain. If you feel pain, or the baby does not seem to be sucking correctly, stop and start over again. Break the suction by putting your finger in the side of the baby’s mouth between the gums. DO NOT let the baby continue to feed incorrectly, as you can develop painful and damaged nipples (like I did), and the baby may not be able to get enough milk (as in my case).

Once I corrected my technique I could feed him more and the pain slowly subdued. Now almost a week later, everything is fine and I feed him several times a day. I only use the milk extractor and the bottle during the night where my husband can feed him and I can get some much needed sleep (more on this later).