M asked:
Some say not to do anything, others say to try to “toughen them up” so it doesn’t hurt as much. What do you think, and does breastfeeding really hurt as much as they say?
Some say not to do anything, others say to try to “toughen them up” so it doesn’t hurt as much. What do you think, and does breastfeeding really hurt as much as they say?
lil-bo-peep 9:53 am on August 3, 2009 Permalink
breast feeding hurt me the first time. I think with my first the baby was not latching on correctly.
I really do not think that you need to toughen them up but to each their own.
OhIluvEm 10:03 am on August 4, 2009 Permalink
When I was breast feeding the only thing I would do is use a Lanisol wipe to clean them first because germ are on skin and I don’t know how some mother could just give there child there breast without wiping it clean from germs. Just like you clean bottles you have to do the same thing.
It didnt hurt with me at all. It just depends on how hard the baby sucks and if she bits.
bettersee 8:43 pm on August 5, 2009 Permalink
my mother told me to toughen them up. i later read that you werent suppose to. i did toughen mine up though. the only time breastfeeding hurts is if the latch is wrong. just use plenty of lanolin cream for the first few weeks so they dont dry out or anything. oh and thrush can cause pain too
NY_Attitude 1:10 am on August 7, 2009 Permalink
I am nursing 1 and I nursed our son. With both, I only went braless at home- both for comfort and to get them used to the air. It seemed to help. I did nothing else- and personally, I’d rather be without a bra than WITH one.
Does breastfeeding hurt? No- I will say that on week 2 for both of mine I had a sore because they were nursing so frequently and it went away.
I do wish people would not say, “breastfeeding hurts”. If it hurts- you need to get the latch checked if you are certain it is not to do frequency of nursing. It should also be temporary.
Is breastfeeding something you are considering? If so, here are some things to read:
Save them and read. As well, I love this book:
The Breastfeeding Book by Sears
You can find that at a used bookstore as well as a regular.
Good luck!
EDIT: you DO NOT NEED TO WIPE YOUR BREASTS BEFORE OR AFTER A FEEDING. False. They told me that 11 years ago with our son- it took about 2 days for me to realize it was absolute crap and I stopped.
Lansinoh is a great brand for ointment that you do not need to wipe off before nursing. I bought a tube before our baby was born last year- and I still have it. I am using it on her diaper area now because I only needed it twice- on week 2 when I was sore from nursing so much.
Kat 11:21 am on August 9, 2009 Permalink
you don’t really want to mess with your nipples when pregnant as this *can* cause the uterus to contract and cause baby to want to come early.
I relactated after 4 months pp, and I would still get cramps when pumping.
As for breastfeeding…it depends I think. If baby gets a bad latch it can cause a crease in the areola and that turns into a blood blister looking thing that hurts. You will know if there is a bad latch. I would just stick my pinky in the corner of her mouth, release suction and pop her back on. When the latch is good, it is a pleasant tug. Does not hurt.
My nipples are horrible now from relactating efforts, but when I was breastfeeding in the beginning they were for sure sore, but very “deal-a-ble” and did not make me want to stop. Once I got the hang of the latch in the beginning it was awesome and did not hurt during. My LC calls it “the zing feeling” It is a warm feeling…calm.
Jillian 6:58 am on August 10, 2009 Permalink
no need for it- if it hurts bad- then you have a bad latch- coming from someone who had a bad latch at firts- its goignt to be slightly irritating at first but you’ll get over it- IT is NOT suppose to hurt that bad- it hurt somewhat for me at first because i would put my nipple in my son’s mouth as soona s he would open a little and he wasn’t fully latched- i eventually learned though- just go with your baby’s flow and if you have a lot of pain then you should contact a lacation consultant
EDIT: you do not need nore shouldnt clean them before or after a feed! washing tehm can cause irritation and dryness causing tehm to crack- breastmilk is sterile and contains antibodies so all you need to do it leave a little milk on them and let them air dry
fluke_skywrecker 2:22 am on August 12, 2009 Permalink
preparing? you’re kidding right?
just go natural. it worked here.
I am the husband and i liked how her double D’s turned into G’s! Incredible.
Now I know what they say is true. A woman’s breasts never totally mature if they are never sucked by any babies.
Babies finish the maturation process.
mayasmom1204 3:29 am on August 13, 2009 Permalink
Yes, it does hurt as much as they say. But not for long. Only maybe a week or two, then it is better. You just have to get past that time period.
I don’t know about toughening them up. It seems like they would just be more sore.
Order this stuff.
Use it EVERYTIME you nurse, as soon as your baby stops nursing. My nipples were so sore and brused and I cried everytime I needed to nurse. A friend told me to get it and it changed everything. Not sure how a cream can help what I thought was bruising, but it did.
These are a lifesaver as well, since you are so sore and tender and some of the pads sold are kind of rough.
Nipple Sheilds are a must. I wore them inside my bra to keep my nipples from brushing my clothing. Check the size before you buy, since they do come in different sizes.-%252820mm%252e%2529/dp/B000YQMWLU/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1205635235&sr=1-6
And join a La Leche Legue group before you have your baby. They will be able to tell you if you should toughen up your nipples, and safe ways of doing so. Plus you will make friends now that will help you after baby is born. They welcome pregnant moms to come to meetings.
EDIT: Mabey I am a little biased about the hurting, but I had one inverted nipple caused by scar tissue that had to be ‘pulled out’ by allowing my daughter to nurse, so mabey I had a little worse experience then most.
Betwixt and Between 4:41 am on August 16, 2009 Permalink
I don’t speak much on the issue of sore nipples/breasts, because I have no idea what all the hoopla is about.
But, since you’re asking for an opinion, I can answer this accurately. I heard from a lot of people that breastfeeding would hurt, prior to my first pregnancy. The first time I nursed my first-born son, I grimaced in anticipation of terrible pain. Nothing happened. My milk came in several days later, and again, I waited to feel something horribly uncomfortable. Nothing, again. When I weaned, I was expecting to stay in bed until I made it through the engorgement/drying up process. Guess what? It didn’t hurt.
Now I’m nursing a second child, and haven’t felt the slightest twinge of pain. Maybe I’m just lucky, but I have a suspicion that a lot of breastfeeding ‘pain’ is psychosomatic. Women expect it to hurt, so it does.
MDwife 11:45 pm on August 18, 2009 Permalink
Well, if all goes well it only hurts the first few weeks until you get used to it…
BUT I also have a strange tip to offer. 2 out of my 3 were overdue, and I was trying all kinds of things to naturally induce (didn’t work, but anyway,……) one of which is nipple stimulation, which involves rolling your nipples between your fingers and squeezing/pinching for several minutes at a time. I did this many times a day for about 2 weeks leading up to the babies, and my nipples were much less sore than they were with my first baby when we started breastfeeding… So I think it helps, and certainly can’t hurt as long as you don’t overdo it. (German midwives recommend rubbing your nipples vigorously with a wet washcloth for the last 4 weeks, too.)
cookie 2:59 am on August 21, 2009 Permalink
it looks like you’re getting some great advice, so i don’t have much to add other than my vote for Lasinoh. seriously – you will be SO GLAD you got it!
jamesmama 10:08 am on August 24, 2009 Permalink
You really don’t need to do anything at all to “toughen them up”. My mom told me to, but it is not necessary. My mom also told me that breastfeeding hurts.. (she breastfed all 4 of us for at least a year). It does not. As long as you have a good latch it will not hurt.
One of my nipples was slightly inverted and that was a little uncomfortable, but it is now “pulled out” and much easier now. It’s crazy/good how your nipples can change like that.
I recommend getting in tough with your local La Leche League leader.
Also is a great site with so much information.
And is a great product during the first couple weeks to keep you from drying out. It doesn’t hurt to nurse, but nobody’s nipples are used to that much action so you will need the Lansinoh..
It is hard in the beginning only because you’ll lose a lot of sleep and nobody can help you feed the baby, but it is so worth it once you get in a rhythm. It becomes *way* easier than bottle feeding.
Ok there’s so much more I could say, but I won’t write a book since you only asked 2 questions..!
Roxie 9:30 pm on August 25, 2009 Permalink
There is no point in trying to toughen them up. If your baby latches on incorrectly and you let them feed like that it is going to hurt! Get in contact with you local La Leche League and they will help you out.
honey 12:06 am on August 28, 2009 Permalink
i believe that preparing your breasts for breastfeeding is good because when the baby comes you can heal quicker and any infections (god forbid) the baby might get, breastfeeding can make him feel better quicker, plus when i had my girl i got rid of my baby fat coz i breastfed
Amanda 8:51 am on August 30, 2009 Permalink
I personally didn’t do anything. Took it out, latched her on, she went to town and we were good to go… But… the first week i was so sore i could barely handle to feed her… stick it out though… use lots of lanolin ointment!! it’s totally worth it after it stops hurting!
by the 3rd week we were doing much much better. it didn’t hurt for her to eat anymore. be strong and know you’re giving your child the best!! good luck!
Erika S 10:15 pm on September 1, 2009 Permalink
You don’t need to do anything to toughen up your nipples before your baby is born. In fact, nipple stimulation can bring on contractions, which you don’t want to do. Instead, just be sure to have a tube of lanolin cream packed in your hospital bags.
Breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt too much if your baby is latched on correctly, but it can take some trial-and-error to get everything correct (and then some time to heal from the mistakes). Remember – both you and the baby will be learning here and it will be awkward and possibly uncomfortable for a while (but should only get better with time).