What should I do if my nipples hurt when touched during breastfeeding?

Many women will experience breast pain during breastfeeding because the baby cannot suck their nipples for a long time and they hold their nipples for a long time. In addition, the skin of the nipples is very delicate. If they do not pay attention to breast care, it will easily cause breast pain. Not only that, some people's nipples will also be accompanied by redness and swelling. Therefore, women should take proper care of their breasts during breastfeeding. When breastfeeding for a long time, they should pay attention to adjusting their posture and use a breast pump to breastfeed their baby when appropriate.

Improper sucking of the baby

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.

Cracked Nipple

When the baby sucks, the mother feels a tingling pain in the nipple, which may be caused by nipple cracks. 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.

Warm breasts

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.

Correcting breastfeeding posture

The key to preventing nipple pain is to correct the breastfeeding posture, pay attention to putting most of the nipple and areola into the baby's mouth, and also pay attention to changing the baby's feeding position to reduce the stimulation of the nipple caused by sucking.

Don't pull out the nipple forcefully

If breastfeeding needs to be stopped for 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.