I think you might be a little bit right.  I have been doing this 25 years - and what one woman's 10 in pain is another's 3.  Pain is a subjective experience - and the general response is to avoid it.  I found that teaching mom's to lean back and allow the baby to latch and "dig in" or hugging baby closer to the breast without forcing or pushing on the back helps to reduce pain - as well as reverse pressure softening and extensive hand-expression (both techniques that are not taught very much).  And some moms are just super-sensitive and it's not to discount their pain.  I find playing golf very painful as is most exercise for me - but I do it for the benefit of it, not because it isn't painful.   It's our culture that often expects things to be easy and pain-free.  Just my 0.2.  And by the way, I'm always amazed by women who finally come see me with their nipples half chewed-off and STILL breastfeeding!

-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Westra, Mary
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2011 7:31 AM
Subject: nipple pain in early breastfeeding

Hello Wise ones,
  
Yesterday in the breastfeeding support group I posed a question to the mothers,"What was a piece of unconstructive or bad advice that you heard from healthcare personnel during your early breastfeeding experience?"
I thought as a nurse who has been working in the field 30 plus years that I couldn't be surprised.  Unfortunately, I was mistaken.  I won't take up space with some of the absurd 'advice' but several mothers surprised me with their response.  More than one mother mentioned that hearing a nurse say,"It is not supposed to hurt" was unhelpful.  These mothers had seen lactation consultants in the early days for latch assistance and infants were thriving and nipples showed minimal signs of damage,if any.  I had been schooled in the theory that no nipple pain is ever normal.  I am beginning to rethink this.  Some new mothers have poor give to the areola and dense tissue.  Most babies are born in our hospital medicated and suctioned and heavily stimulated before going skin to skin.  I am wondering, given the abnormal state of birth, whether some nipple pain in some women for the first few weeks may be considered normal, even when latch appears adequate and milk transfer is good.  I find myself telling these mothers (after evaluating for sneaky tongue ties etc.) that we've tried to minimize the pain as much as possible and most mothers in these instances get relief in time.  What are your thoughts?
 
Mary Westra RN, IBCLC
Miami, FL
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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