Dear Carol and Lactfolks,

At Kittie Frantz's session at the LLLI conference this summer, she mentioned
that a baby's clamping down on the nipple can cause nerve damage, causing
deep breast pain after a feeding (neuritis).  From my notes: "Mom describes
pain as burning or sharp knife in the center of the breast.  Skin may or may
not have blanching.  Nipple appears creased, flat, or blanched as it exits
the baby's mouth."

I would guess that if this mom has a cracked nipple, that may indicate a bad
latch/improper sucking situation.  Even though she's an "experienced" mom, it
sounds like she needs a check on positioning....I've noticed even some
experienced moms don't see that, when pain starts later on, that the baby has
started to nurse "looking down," with his/her upper gum/teeth bearing down
hard on the nipple.  Often all a mom needs to do is have the baby adjusted so
her/his head is tilting slightly back for the latch.

Good luck!
Yours,
Lisa Mo
LLLL, Bowling Green, KY

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