This is my first venture into posting anything, so if I do something
wrong please understand.  Also, remember it's Friday evening.  I am a
hospital based LC.  Today I was asked to see a patient who complained of
severe pain in her right nipple while nursing (so much that she screamed
and cried).  She was able to comfortably nurse on the left breast.  Her
nurse told me that she said she had had this same problem with both of
her other children (now 7 and 3). I explored more when I spoke with her.
She told me that she had to pump for her first because he was a preemie.
She had no pain with pumping.  He never really went to breast, but she
pumped and gave EBM for about 11 weeks.  She was only able to actually
breastfeed her daughter at the breast when she was "taking pain meds
because the pain in her right nipple was so bad".  I offered to help and
or watch her breastfeed to see if there was any problem, but she wasn't
even willing to try.  I told her I had never encountered this problem
before but would ask fellow Lactnet members if they had.
   I then suggested that she might consider breastfeeding on just the
left breast.  She was unaware that was a possibility.  She was concerned
about "being lopsided" but thought she might be willing to pump on the
right and breastfeed on the left.  She also added that she didn't let
her husband stimulate her right nipple because "even that is too
painful".
   Does anyone have any ideas on this??  I have considered it might be a
psychological issue.  She also has told her physician who was unable to
find any physical problem.  The breast and nipple look normal and the
baby's anatomy is also OK.         TIA

Becky Buell RNC IBCLC in Northern Virginia

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