Breastfeeding pain: what to expect and when to get help

Co-written by Deja Ramos, a Certified Doula (DONA), ICCE, and Co-Founder of The Birth Companions and Anna Morales, Co-founder of Mila Support

Some tenderness in the first days of breastfeeding is common as you and your baby are both learning, but breastfeeding is not supposed to hurt throughout a feed or beyond the first couple of weeks. Here’s what to expect early on, and what tends to help if pain sticks around.

What to expect at first

• Brief tugging or tenderness at the start of a feed during the first one to two weeks, especially as your nipples adjust. This kind of discomfort usually eases within the first minute of a feed and should  feel better each week, not worse.

When pain signals a problem

• Pain that persists throughout a feed, or that lasts beyond two weeks is a good reason to seek support from an IBCLC or lactation counselor rather than wait it out.

• A shallow latch is a common cause of sore nipples. It happens when the baby is taking mostly the nipple into their mouth, rather than getting a deep latch with more of the areola in their mouth. When baby’s tongue moves to remove milk, that motion is much gentler on the areola than on the nipple itself.

• Cracked, bleeding, or blistered nipples; burning or shooting pain; or a firm, red, painful area on the breast are all good reasons to get support from an IBCLC or lactation counselor.

Getting help

Persistent pain happens, but it’s also treatable, and it’s not something you need to push through. An IBCLC or lactation counselor can assess positioning and latch, in person or virtually, which is often the fastest path to relief. When to talk to your provider: if pain comes with a fever, spreading redness, or flu-like symptoms, since that combination is worth a closer look.

Sourced from: Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (Clinical Protocol #26: Persistent Pain with Breastfeeding).