How to breastfeed without pain (with 10 tips and techniques)

The sore nipples while breastfeeding it is something that many mothers experience. However, breastfeeding your baby shouldn't be painful and can be fixed.

In this article we explain how to breastfeed your baby without pain, giving you some tips and techniques so that you can enjoy breastfeeding without suffering.

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Pain during breastfeeding

During lactation many women feel pain when they breastfeed their baby, either because they feel tenderness in the breast or because the baby's sucking causes pain. The most common is to feel pain in the nipples or discomfort in some areas of the breasts.

If, in addition, good posture is not achieved while breastfeeding, it can also lead to back and neck pain, so it is important to take care of your posture.

But although these experiences can be very common and quite frequent after childbirth, any woman should be able to breastfeed without pain. Feeling pain when breastfeeding is therefore nothing more than a sign that warns us of a problem, be it a

poor grip of the nipple by the baby or the presence of an infection in the chest.

Therefore, it is important to find ways to be able to breastfeed without pain, to try to find out what the causes of this pain are and to be able to find the solution that best suits you. Next we will talk about the possible causes for feeling pain when breastfeeding.

Causes of pain when breastfeeding your baby

The causes for which you can feel pain when breastfeeding can be very varied. The first thing is to know that it is normal to feel a little pain when the baby latches and pulls on the nipple to nurse, but this pain should pass after a minute.

If the pain persists after that time, these are the possible causes that you feel pain when you breastfeed your baby.

Cracked nipples

If you have already been breastfeeding but in the wrong way, you probably have the cracked or sore nipples, so the friction causes pain. Your nipples may also feel very tender without injury, but it should pass after a minute of breastfeeding.

Bad suction

Another of the most likely causes of pain when breastfeeding can be caused by poor nipple suction. This occurs when the baby is poorly positioned and his mouth does not suck the entire nipple and part of the areola.

Obstruction

It can produce a blockage in the mammary glands when the milk is accumulated at some point, when there is an inflammation caused by a infection or when a lot of pressure is exerted on any part of the chest, causing poor drainage of the milk.

We can detect it if there is an area of ​​the chest that becomes inflamed and hard, and it can be treated by massaging the area. If the lump is red, warm, and also has a high fever (over 38.5 degrees), then it could be mastitis.

Mastitis

Mastitis is a disease caused by bacteria that produce an inflammation of the chest. This causes one of the two breasts to have a hard, lumpy, hot, and reddened area. The other symptoms are high fever, weakness, malaise, and faintness. If this is the case, you should consult a doctor to carry out an appropriate treatment.

Yeast infection

Yeast infections can occur during breastfeeding both on the mother's breast and in the baby's mouth. It is detected if there are wounds, red spots on the chest, peeling, redness of the nipples and chest pain.

10 ways to breastfeed without pain

If you have already ruled out any pathology or infection but still have problems, these are some of the tips you can follow to be able to breastfeed without pain.

1. Improve posture

The first thing you should do to breastfeed without pain is to try adopt good posture when breastfeeding. The best way to breastfeed your baby is by sitting with your back supported and in an upright position, with your feet flat on the floor.

Lean your shoulders back to keep your neck in good posture, and don't forget to keep your arms in a firm and comfortable position to avoid fatigue. It is also important that you always bring the baby closer to your body, instead of bending over towards him. You can help yourself with a breastfeeding pillow for greater comfort.

2. Improve baby's grip

In order to breastfeed without pain, you must ensure that the baby's attachment to the nipple and suction occurs correctly. For this you must make sure that the baby's mouth is the one that is close to the breast, and not the other way around, ensuring that your nose lines up with the nipple and that your lower lip grabs part of the areola from underneath of the nipple.

The baby should open his mouth wide, as if it were a yawn, and at that moment the breast should be brought closer to him. In this way, you will achieve that the mouth covers part of the areola and the entire nipple, which will be located at the bottom of the palate. In this way, the pressure that will be exerted when sucking will be produced on the areola and will not damage the nipple.

3. Change sides or frequency

Another way to avoid pain when breastfeeding is to switch sides, to that does not always suck the same breast. Try to start with the one that feels the least sore. In the same way, changing your baby's posture can also help you find the way that you feel the least pain in your chest.

Another trick to breastfeeding without pain is to change how often you breastfeed. Instead of nursing a few times for a long time, you can do it for a short time but more often.

4. Warmth in the chest before breastfeeding

Another way to be able to breastfeed without pain is to take a warm shower before breastfeeding. Use warm compresses on the chest and massage it several times a day can also help reduce pain. However, you should avoid heat in that area if you have a yeast infection or mastitis.

5. Cold after breastfeeding

In the same way that heat works well before breastfeeding, cold is beneficial once you have breastfed. You can put on cold water compresses or ice to reduce inflammation.

6. Use creams

Using moisturizers or protective creams before or after breastfeeding helps maintain good hydration of the chest and that the nipples do not dry out or crack. Of course, make sure that they are hypoallergenic and that they cannot leave a strange taste or smell that can affect breastfeeding.

7. Hydrate yourself

Staying well hydrated can help avoid dryness of the chest, but it can also help prevent blockages and that breastfeeding can occur correctly.

8. Wear comfortable clothes

Try to wear clothes that do not provoke chafing on the nipples or that does not tighten the area of ​​the breasts. Wearing bras that are too tight or pressure from some underwire can cause blockages.

9. Use protectors

exist nipple shields that you can use to breastfeed without pain. They are especially useful for cases in which you already have very cracked nipples or have wounds that need to be healed. It is important that you consult with your doctor or midwife before using them.

10. Extract milk

If you have a chest problem or have particularly sensitive nipples, you can try to express milk with a pump for a few days to rest from the baby's suckling.

If in spite of everything you still cannot breastfeed without pain, consult your doctor to rule out possible infections or pathologies and find the solution that best suits your case.

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