A common complaint heard among new mothers that breastfeed, involves tenderness of the breast and/or nipple area. Typically, once a woman has breastfed, the next baby is not as hard but initially, the breasts are sensitive. Even during pregnancy, a woman might experience discomfort caused by growing breasts, which is the result of the glandular system being developed, as the breasts prepare for breast milk.
Try to remember that breastfeeding a newborn is a new experience for both you and the baby. Therefore, the process requires a little bit of give and take until the system is worked out. Sometimes, the baby will latch onto the areola and not the nipple, which can hurt. You will need to gently, guide the baby’s mouth to the correct position. Then, when you consider that a small baby will nurse about every three hours around the clock, and it is easy to understand why the breasts would become tender.
Sometimes, the nipples will become sore and cracked, even leading to slight bleeding. This usually occurs because of poor positioning, as mentioned. Simply place the tip of your finger between the breast and your baby’s mouth to release suction. By repositioning your baby so he or she has latched onto the nipple only, the problem will get better. To help with the healing of the nipples, a number of soothing creams are available that ease the pain while healing the cracked nipples quickly. Just remember that you want to wash the nipples off prior to breastfeeding so the ointment is not passed onto the baby.
Another common problem associated with tender breasts include white spots or marks on the nipples. Many times, these spots do not go away, even with soothing ointments. In this case, you would need to talk to your doctor in that you could have thrush, which is relatively common. If you have thrush, then chances are the baby has it to. This fungal problem can be resolved with both oral antibiotics and anti-fungal ointment.
Then, noticing a small, tender lump in your breast during breastfeeding is more than likely milk flowing within the breast that did not make it to the nipple due to a duct blockage. Things such as a too tight bra or even sleeping in an odd position could be the culprit. To help the lump disappear along the tenderness, place a warm washcloth on the area for about 20 minutes and then gently, massage the lump to help it break up and absorb.
Having red, swollen breasts is also a possible problem. In fact, many mothers will also run a low-grade fever and feel as if being hit by a case of the flu. Called Mastitis, this occurs as milk actually leaks into the tissue. To help with swelling, again use warm washcloths, followed by cold washcloths. Then, allow your body to rest. During this time, you want to continue nursing, even if sore. Typically, this will go away within a few days but if the discomfort becomes too much, talk to your doctor about other solutions or pain medication that can be taken with the breastfeeding.