Julie, It’s a compression stripe, so something is causing baby to not be able to feed in the usual position that guarantees comfort. Send a photo of baby at breast if you have one. I know it hurts (survived three months screaming until recognising the cause and 48 hours later was totally pain free.) Probably by now theres a micro fissure, invisible to the naked eye, along some stress line. (And maybe other things like dermatitis if she’s been using creams). But first of all, is it the baby’s mouth or birth that’s the cause, if positioning truly is good? Any signs of ties or torticollis? habituation like by thumbsucking in utero? (one baby I dealt with had been sucking his wrist, had to be suck retrained.) Or can be joint hypermobility affecting infant lie: another baby who always arched back sucking on the end of the breast as much as possible and developed into a very slow eater in every way, was such a case. Fortunately mother’s breasts were flexible and and didn’t develop fissures, and growth while breastfeeding was great. It wasn’t until into the second year that growth became poor, and later that systemic bodily problem was understood. 

Meanwhile, Is baby thriving on milk obtained this way? 

If so, make sure your daughter understands two things: that her pain is nothing to the pain she will have if she gives up and her baby develops problems from formula feeding, as most do when put on it so young. (Especially if already bovine-milk protein or antibiotic exposed around birth.) And two, that healing is swift once the cause is understood and remedied.

I’m sure Anne should be able to help. Knowing the cause is the key to rapid resolution.. All the best, it’s horrid for grandmas to see this…

Maureen Minchin
www.infantfeedingmatters.com
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