Breastfeeding is the best thing for mother and child. No infant formula comes close to the composition of breast milk with all its health benefits, this thesis is considered indisputable even among scientists. But even though breastfeeding should be one of the most natural things in the world, it is not uncommon for problems to arise, especially in the early days. One of them can be pain during breastfeeding.
What is pain during breastfeeding?
In particular, first-time mothers who have not previously fed a child at the breast complain of pain during breastfeeding. Pain during breastfeeding refers to all forms of physical discomfort during the breastfeeding process. Pain during breastfeeding occurs mainly in the breast area, but can also be localized in the neck and back. In particular, first-time mothers who have not previously fed a baby at the breast complain of pain during breastfeeding. The pain during breastfeeding can become so severe that a mother decides she no longer wants to breastfeed her baby. However, if breastfeeding is basically desired, accurate diagnosis and, if possible, treatment of pain on breastfeeding should always be done before transitioning to formula milk!
Causes
The causes of pain during breastfeeding are often due to incorrect posture during breastfeeding. This is especially true if the pain is felt in the back and neck and tends to subside quickly once a different posture is adopted. Incorrect posture during breastfeeding can indeed cause a great deal of pain. For example, if the mother leans too far forward, the neck and back are subjected to too much strain. Painful tension is the result. However, pain during breastfeeding can also be caused by disturbances in the flow of milk. About two to five days after birth, the so-called milk let-down occurs. During this time, the breast is often red, swollen and feels hot. Putting the baby to the breast is experienced as uncomfortable to painful. However, pain due to the onset of milk is not considered pathological, but quite normal! The situation is different if the pain during breastfeeding is caused by inflammation of the breast. In this case, breast tissue has become inflamed. Many women complain of severe discomfort, often accompanied by fever. Breast inflammation can come from stagnant milk in the breast. This is a disease that should be checked by a doctor if it is very painful.
Diseases with this symptom
- Breast inflammation during lactation
- Breast inflammation
Diagnosis and course
If pain occurs during breastfeeding, it should first be observed by the mother in terms of progression. Breastfeeding is a process that mother and child must first practice. So if the pain goes away very quickly, in many cases it is also just an unfavorable sucking technique of the baby or first attachment problems of the mother. If the pain persists during breastfeeding, a good diagnosis is absolutely necessary. The midwife is a good contact person for this. If the midwife is unable to help or if symptoms such as fever, severe exhaustion and vomiting occur, a pronounced mastitis should always be considered. In this case, a quick visit to the gynecologist should be scheduled. He or she can palpate the breast and, if necessary, check blood values. In some cases, depending on the results of the diagnosis, the prescription of an antibiotic is necessary.
Complications
Pain during breastfeeding can lead to complications if the mother is reluctant to regularly latch the baby on for fear of the pain. Complications can further occur when pain during the breastfeeding process leads to improper attachment techniques to the breast. If the baby cannot suckle properly at the breast or is not latched on often enough due to the mother’s discomfort, the breast can no longer empty completely. This can result in milk engorgement. Without causal treatment of the pain, a vicious circle quickly develops: the milk congestion causes new pain, which in turn contributes to insufficient or incorrect breastfeeding. A breast infection can develop from a milk congestion. This may also need to be treated with antibiotics, otherwise the inflammation can spread to the whole body.The midwife and gynecologist are therefore a good point of contact for pain during breastfeeding in order to avoid complications that naturally arise if the breast is not emptied sufficiently. However, pain during breastfeeding can also go away on its own. This is particularly the case if the pain results primarily from the unaccustomed strain on the breast. Provided that the breast is nevertheless drunk empty, no further complications are to be expected here.
When should you go to the doctor?
The first pain during breastfeeding still occurs in the maternity hospital. Since a doctor will still be present here, it is advisable to be educated about how this pain occurs and how long it may last. If severe pain occurs, for example, after a cesarean section, the woman should insist on being helped to breastfeed. This is usually taken care of by the ward nurses. All of this can help a new mother cope better with the pain and wait for it to resolve on its own. If breastfeeding pain reoccurs in the weeks and months afterward, it is no longer normal and should be examined by a doctor. If symptoms such as difficult milk flow, swollen breasts or reddened and irritated nipples occur at the same time, everything points to milk engorgement or mastitis. Although this can occur, it must be treated, because otherwise the baby will no longer get any nourishment. Pain during breastfeeding can also be caused by the baby not latching on properly or biting during teething, without of course knowing that this is hurting the mother. Some women are also simply very sensitive to the breast and have to get used to the sensation. The gynecologist can help in these cases, but in the early days, the postpartum midwife is also an understanding and knowledgeable contact for all problems related to breastfeeding.
Treatment and therapy
The treatment of pain during breastfeeding depends on the cause. The most harmless cause is usually incorrect latch-on techniques and incorrect posture during breastfeeding. Women should not be shy about this, even repeatedly asking their midwife for advice. Every woman is entitled to a home visit by a midwife who can observe the breastfeeding process and advise accordingly. Midwives usually know little tricks to encourage the baby to suckle better. Products such as breastfeeding pillows can help the baby lie down better during breastfeeding. The nursing pillow helps to ensure that the mother does not have to lean too far forward. This protects the neck and back. In general, mothers should ensure that they adopt as relaxed and upright a sitting posture as possible when breastfeeding. Breastfeeding should be comfortable! Particularly when the milk is coming in, it is important to latch the baby on as often as possible so that the milk flow is stimulated and the interplay between supply and demand can settle down. Compressions with cottage cheese can provide relief. Many hospitals also offer laser treatment for severely stressed nipples in the first few days. This is painless, completely harmless for the milk flow and the quality of the milk. In case of mastitis, the treatment consists in fighting the inflammation. To control the bacterial infection, it is usually necessary to prescribe a breastfeeding-friendly antibiotic. Breast infections are not infrequently associated with severe pain, especially during breastfeeding. These can also be treated symptomatically with appropriate painkillers. Many pain medications are very compatible with breastfeeding in small doses, but should never be used without consulting a doctor or midwife.
Outlook and prognosis
Pain during breastfeeding often occurs because of poor posture. The skeletal system and musculature are loaded incorrectly, triggering pain. Changing posture and using breastfeeding as well as pregnancy pillows help to provide lasting relief from pain. In addition, sports activities and stretching exercises are helpful to relieve the symptoms. For nipple breast pain caused by breastfeeding, natural nipple care products can help reduce discomfort. Together with the midwife, hints and tips for an optimal sucking technique can be worked out to help with the healing process. If mastitis occurs, there will be an increase in pain if breastfeeding is continued. The breastfeeding method must then be reconsidered and changed.In some cases, it is necessary to discontinue breastfeeding, as the pathogens can enter the organism of the newborn via the mother’s milk. After a few weeks, the inflammation is normally completely healed. If the pain is caused by a milk stasis, there is an imbalance between the breast milk produced and the breast milk used. The mother can express the excess breast milk to achieve pain relief. With weaning, the pain that has occurred disappears permanently. Only in very rare cases does further impairment or discomfort occur.
Prevention
The best prevention of pain during breastfeeding is to maintain an optimal posture during breastfeeding and to frequently put the baby to bed. This is where most women find midwifery help useful. If you want to prevent pain, you can often find out about the process of breastfeeding in advance and also after the birth at special breastfeeding cafés in the hospital. Many maternity hospitals offer such meetings, which are often also led by pediatric nurses and midwives. Here, too, mothers have the opportunity to ask questions about breastfeeding and to have posture and attachment technique corrected if necessary.
Here’s what you can do yourself
Pain during breastfeeding puts a strain on the breastfeeding relationship and needs to go away quickly when it occurs. Immediately after birth, they are unfortunately normal and occur much more in cesarean section patients. They in particular must insist on help with breastfeeding. Immediately after the cesarean section, the baby must not lie on the mother’s belly, as this will only aggravate the pain – at best, it will be held by another person. Women who have given birth spontaneously may also insist on help with breastfeeding. If they stay in the maternity hospital for a few more days, the ward nurses can show them different breastfeeding positions that may make it easier. If pain occurs during breastfeeding due to causes such as breast inflammation or milk engorgement, pumping is a useful solution. The tops of special feeding bottles for breast milk are made similar to a nipple, which should prevent the baby from developing suction confusion due to the short-term switch to pumped milk. Meanwhile, the mother can pump milk at her own pace and experience less pain than if the baby were sucking on its own during this time. At the same time, of course, the cause of the pain during breastfeeding must be addressed so that the baby does not have to be bottle-fed for too long. If pain is recurrent and breastfeeding is therefore very poor, weaning is a last possible option, but it should be avoided if possible.
