Front side of teaching sheet

Pain with breastfeeding

Sore nipples
o Why it happens:
o something is wrong with the way your baby is latching onto your breast, the
positioning is off, or your baby is having a hard time sucking.
o Flat or inverted nipples
o What helps:
o Getting into a good position and learning how your baby likes to latch on
 Vary nursing positions- cradle hold, football, and lying down
o Applying your own milk to your breasts because of the healing properties
o Prevention
o Apply ultrapure lanolin after feedings to soothe and use breast shells to protect
from further soreness and cracking
Breast engorgement
o Why it happens:
o It is because the breasts become overly full.
o This can result in breasts that are painful to the touch, hard and painful.
o In the first few days after the baby is born the newborn isn’t feeding on as much
milk as you are producing.
o The baby isn’t well latched onto the breast because of the engorgement.
o Suddenly stop breastfeeding
o What helps:
o Knowing when your baby wants to feed, and for how long so they can get supply
from both the breasts to keep the chances of engorgement down.
o The cues that your baby is hungry:
 Moving eyes rapidly, putting fingers in their mouth, and the rooting
reflex turning to one side with mouth open (looking for breast)
o Prevention
o Breastfeeding more often, apply a warm compress before feedings to soften your
breasts, and pumping beforehand to let out a small amount of milk to ease the
pressure.
Other causes of pain
o Mastitis inflammation of the breast from a blocked duct
o Thrush infection (pain lasts for up to an hour after you feed)
When to call your healthcare provider
o Shooting or burning breast pain either during or after feedings, pain deep within your
breast, nipples that are red, burning, or have a rash with little blisters.
Benefits of breastfeeding
o Baby: stronger immune system, less diarrhea and constipation, fewer respiratory illnesses
(RSV, pneumonia, whooping cough), lower rates of infant mortality and sudden infant
death syndrome, less hospitalizations and illnesses overall, less allergies, less likelihood
of childhood cancers, and improved brain development.
o Mother: produces naturally soothing hormones, less risk of postpartum depression,
weight loss, less postpartum bleeding, physical and emotional bonding with baby,
 Back side of teaching sheet

increased self-esteem and calmness, lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer, decreases
blood pressure, less cardiovascular disease, and less osteoporosis with age.
References
Benefits of Breastfeeding: For Baby and Mom. (2018, January 1). Retrieved from

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15274-the-benefits-of-breastfeeding-for-baby--for-

mom

Breast Engorgement. (2020, September 3). Retrieved from https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-

topics/hw133953

Breast Pain and Breastfeeding. (2018, December 6). Retrieved from

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding-

problems/breast-pain/

Breastfeeding FAQs: Pain and Discomfort (for Parents) - Connecticut Children's Medical Center.

(2015, February). Retrieved from

https://www.kidshealth.org/ConnecticutChildrens/en/parents/breastfeed- discomfort.html?

WT.ac=m-p-ra

Breastfeeding with Sore Nipples. (2020, August 06). Retrieved from

https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/breastfeeding-sore-nipples/