Why do nipples hurt when breastfeeding?

Some mothers who have just given birth have breast problems when breastfeeding. In this case, they need to pay attention to timely examinations to ensure the health of the breasts, to avoid breast problems affecting breastfeeding, and even the physical health of female patients, especially when nipple pain occurs. So why does the nipple hurt when breastfeeding? Let me introduce it to you below.

When the fissure is very painful, do not let the baby suck for a while. Use a breast pump to extract the milk in time, or express the milk by hand to feed the baby to reduce the inflammatory response and promote healing of the fissure. But do not give up breastfeeding easily, otherwise it will easily lead to a decrease in milk supply or the occurrence of milk boils and mastitis. After each breastfeeding, squeeze out a little milk and apply it on the nipples and areola to keep the nipples dry. At the same time, the protein in the milk promotes the repair of damaged nipples. If the fissure does not heal for a long time or recurs, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible and you can also receive traditional Chinese medicine treatment. For mild cases, you can apply cod liver oil drops for children, but the medicine must be washed off before breastfeeding. For severe cases, you should ask a doctor for treatment.

First, the most common cause of nipple pain is improper sucking by the baby. When the baby sucks the nipple, he does not take enough of the areola into his mouth, but only holds the top of the nipple. Repeated sucking causes nipple pain.

Second, when the baby sucks, the mother feels a stabbing pain in the nipple, which may be caused by nipple fissures. Causes of nipple cracks include improper sucking by the baby, application of alcohol and soap on the mother's nipples, or oral motor dysfunction in the baby.

Appropriate adjustments can be made based on the following reasons:

1. Before breastfeeding, the mother should take a comfortable position and apply a hot and wet towel to the breasts and areola for 3-5 minutes. At the same time, massage the breasts to stimulate the milk ejection reflex and squeeze out some milk. This will soften the areola and make it easier for the baby to suck.

2. First breastfeed with the breast that hurts less, and make sure to put most of the nipple and areola into the baby's mouth. Also pay attention to changing the baby's feeding position to reduce the stimulation of the nipple caused by sucking.

3. If breastfeeding needs to be stopped due to other reasons, the mother should gently press the baby's lower jaw with her index finger, and the baby will automatically spit out the nipple. Never pull out the nipple forcibly, as this will damage the nipple.

4. If nipple cracks have occurred, squeeze out some milk after breastfeeding, apply it on the nipples and areola, and wait for it to dry naturally.

5. Because the nipple skin is relatively delicate, especially the nipples of first-time mothers are thinner and more tender, and the nipples are easily cracked due to being soaked in the baby's saliva for a long time. Therefore, each feeding time should not be too long, generally 15 to 20 minutes is appropriate, and do not let the baby sleep with the nipple in his mouth.

The above is my opinion on this issue that I introduced to you. If female patients have the above problems, they need to pay attention to taking the above methods for treatment in a timely manner. This will better ensure the safety of the patients and avoid dangerous situations caused by the above problems. Finally, I wish the patients a speedy recovery.