Nipple pain. Is there any topic that’s more cringe-worthy? I can barely even think about it without grimacing. But stick with me for some good news: In our culture, nipple pain is common but not inevitable, and there are things you can do to avoid a really bad situation. It’s not totally out of your control.
Quick story: When I had my baby, my nipples felt (and looked like) the apocalypse. It took all the strength I could muster not to scream every time he latched. I developed milk blebs, a clogged pore in your nipple that occurs when it gets blocked by a small amount of hardened breast milk. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is not fun, and 10 is a great time, I was at a 0.
This was true even though I was getting help from a lactation consultant. And I’m not alone in my experience. Pain is one of the reasons moms cite for giving up on breastfeeding before they’d wanted to. Nipple pain is a serious problem, but there is something you can do to.
Knowing how to position your baby for a deep latch before your baby is born is HUGE for minimizing or avoiding nipple pain in the first place. My problem was that I didn’t understand how to comfortably position my baby–and the breastfeeding class I had taken at my hospital before my baby was born did not do a good job of teaching me. Many people use nursing pillows to position their babies, but these pillows can often create more problems than they solve.
In Mighty Milk’s breastfeeding classes, Lex walks you through a position that is often not taught in breastfeeding classes, with footage of a real newborn. This position works wonders for fixing nipple pain and for helping baby get a better latch. And when baby is positioned well, they’ll be able to get milk more efficiently and comfortably.
In Mighty Milk’s Breastfeeding for Expectant Parents class, watch the chapter Tip #3 – Support Your Baby with Your Body, Not a Pillow.
In our Breastfeeding Your Baby (0-12 Weeks) class, Lex walks you through more comfortable positions. She also talks about what to do about nipple pain if you are already struggling, and teaches you what you should know about a “good” latch.
Classes are on-demand and self-paced. Getting the Breastfeeding Your Baby (0-12 Weeks class) is an excellent way to support our small woman owned biz while also boosting your breastfeeding confidence in a big way. The class is FSA/HSA eligible and backed by a 30 day guarantee. I am so grateful for your support. Here’s that link again.
