Nipple Pain and Breast Changes Pile Up During Nursing

“FTM here! Breastfeeding has made my nipples larger, longer, and always tender. I have silverettes but they bend my nipples to the side or press them inwards which is uncomfortable at best and painful at worst. I also apply APNO when it hurts too much. I’ve been eyeing those milk collectors people put into their bras that have mild suction 👀 If you have experience with those, which would you recommend for my specific purpose with the nipples? Do they provide enough room for my nipples but struct”

“Couldn’t feed baby for a couple hours last night because my nipples feel like they’re stinging???? Which turned into us being away from 12-3am ugh. There’s no visible difference and I normally have zero breast sensitivity? I still have no period and no signs that it’s coming, my baby breastfeeds 3 times a day and pretty much all night still. submitted by /u/sippin_wine [link] [comments]”

“i’m a FTM and have been breastfeeding for about 2 weeks. i can’t tell if its nipple soreness or all over boob soreness😅 my boobs aren’t red, no hard lumps or spots, i fluctuate sides so both keep milk flowing, if i feel like he isn’t draining them i’ll even pump. his latch has always been wonderful and no pain when i feed. but they just feel so tender to the touch. almost like pressing on a bruise. i can’t really tell if it’s radiating from my nipple or if it’s my boobs altogether. it’s all aro”

“I feel like maybe my nipples are just numb most the time which isn’t signaling for my let down(?) like is that a thing. How can I fix that? submitted by /u/Own_Succotash_1131 [link] [comments]”

“Anyone else's baby comfort squeeze/pinch just above your nipple?? I have so many little marks from his knife like finger nails!! submitted by /u/NoInteraction9045 [link] [comments]”

“Hi all, FTM and just over 1 week postpartum. My LO has a small mouth and it’s hard to get a deep latch. My nipples are raw. The initial latch is so painful. After he starts going for a bit the pain eases up, but does it stay like this for the entire journey? Do nipples toughen up at all? I feel like it’s so hard to heal because they’re constantly on demand and it’s killing me. submitted by /u/djhousecat [link] [comments]”

“I do want to breastfeed but I’m nervous about the sensitivity and pain. Nipple shields seem appealing to me to help with both. I know it’s different with a baby but I absolutely hate my nipples being touched even cleaning them myself in the shower is uncomfortable Looking into it it seems like people start nipple shields if there are issues with latch or develop cracking/pain Would this be realistic? What should I anticipate? submitted by /u/laurel32 [link] [comments]”

“Who else had nipple soreness like that? submitted by /u/Frankieeegrl [link] [comments]”

“Feeling fortunate to be past the first 2-3 weeks of the infamous initial breastfeeding pain. However, should my nips still be this sensitive at 3 months postpartum? I have to wear a bra with soft inserts 24/7 to keep clothing or bedsheets from rubbing, and I DREAD drying off with my towel after a shower. Is this normal? No visible damage and our latch nor pump do not cause any discomfort while in action. submitted by /u/Extreme-Wash-6893 [link] [comments]”

“I am 5 weeks pp and this past week my breasts have been sore after every feeding. My nipples don’t feel sore or any pain. Is this due to a shallow latch? what could this soreness be? submitted by /u/PhotographEqual247 [link] [comments]”

“My right areola is red and sore, particularly on initial latch last few days. No lumps, fever or flu symptoms. No breaks in the skin. Saw the GP but no answers other than to watch for additional symptoms really. Baby is feeding normally. Left side is perfect no issues. Anyone experienced similar? submitted by /u/Odd-Expert-6083 [link] [comments]”

“Ok this feels like a silly question, I've seen my toddler 28m) dribbling milk - but now at 13 weeks pregnant my nipples are in SO. MUCH. PAIN. It's like having a newborn that have no clue on how to latch again (yucks). So, is this pain normal or it just means that my toddler is being more forceful as the milk is drying up? Any ideas/experience are very welcomed 😩 submitted by /u/Missing-Caffeine [link] [comments]”

“I currently have a 10 month old and I’m EBF. For the past month or so my baby is literally squeezing my skin all over when feeding, pinching my ribs, my other boob, my arms, squeezing my other nipple when he is feeding. He’s doing it that much that I have literal cuts, bruises and marks all over my chest, stomach and ribs. I’ve tried telling him no, moving his arm, he just won’t stop. Has anyone had this, and how did you deal with it? It’s making me want to stop because I’m literally in pain eve”

“I’m 6 months pp and nursing a baby while also training for a marathon. Recently I’ve been getting raw nipples and I am guessing it’s from running, but I can’t be sure. Anyone else experience this? Suggestions on how to avoid chafing? submitted by /u/Perfect-Chapter-3549 [link] [comments]”

“Hey! FTM 2 weeks PP. I've been breastfeeding, pumping, and formula feeding. One of my boobs feel like there's an internal bruise. I took a warm shower and released the tightness I felt on the top by massaging. But the inside part feels like it's bruised internally. Idk what a clogged duct feels like or mastitis. I don't have any redness aside from me trying to massage it out, I don't have a fever, or anything swelling. I just started feeling it today. I'm not sure what to”

“Hi! About to give birth any day and wondering what your “chest sheet” advice items are for pain as my nipples and breasts get used to breastfeeding? Looking to keep some quick bullet points in my phone for when I’m sleep deprived and need to remind myself of remedies. For example: - Nipple balm before and/or after feeds - Warmth and massage for engorgement before feeds, ice after feeds - Silverettes in between feeds but also give some air out time between feeds What else?? submitted by &#3”

“While she chomps on my nipple, she squeezes my boob like a half empty gogurt container, snaps my bra strap and pinches and rolls my areola between her razor sharp thumb and index finger. Oh my bad, it’s just my precious 8 month old baby girl! Send help! 😅 submitted by /u/Tinythingsarethebest [link] [comments]”

“FTM here. My baby is a little over a week old. I think I’m experiencing engorgement. My boobs feel tight and hurt. I legit saw them spray breast milk. Is this because I used the haakaa unknowingly as a pump thinking ut was just a milk collector? For context read my other post https://www.reddit.com/r/breastfeeding/s/N2joYAnHbp How do I relieve this pain? Also I think the flow is faster. Sometimes baby can keep up. Other times he coughs and I unlatch him. I leak milk everywhere. I have the reusab”

“Hi all! I know breastfeeding hormones can really affect our skin. I notice my face looking more rough lately. it isn't too dry and doesn't actually feel rough, but looks uneven to me in the mirror. What are your skincare routines while breastfeeding? Generics or ingredients are helpful but I can get US products I don't wear makeup but i am older than I used to be so maybe should think about skincare more. submitted by /u/Traditional-Ad-7836 [link] [comments]”

“I have been having severe pain when breastfeeding the last few months. My OB did an ultrasound and mammogram and said I have mammary duct ectasia. She said I could stop breastfeeding or do surgery. Unfortunately both do not seem like an option currently, even though I’m a year postpartum. The affected breast is the over producer, and the other does its best, lol. Has anyone dealt with this condition? Can I only feed my child from the boob that doesn’t produce as much? submitted by /u”

“Has anyone else experienced significant breast tenderness and soreness in both breasts around 3-4 months? This is my second baby, ebf. I had no issues with establishing breastfeeding this time around, I think because I never stopped nursing my second (and have been tandem nursing). Its not pain related to the nipple, its more deep on the sides. If that makes sense? submitted by /u/craiconahill [link] [comments]”

“Hello! I just had my second baby at the end of August and while I’m breastfeeding, I’ve noticed that when he goes to latch on that it feels like hot knives for the first like 15 seconds. I tried asking my pediatrician and they just said to make sure he doesn’t have a shallow latch and that I’m fixing his lips, which I’ve been doing, and I’ve been using nipple butter and silverettes in between feedings too but they aren’t cracked or anything. It feels like the areola is the problem and not necess”

“Hello, has anyone had experience with dermatitis on their nipples? I went to the doctor today and they’ve diagnosed me with that and given me a steroid cream but you can’t feed with it so I have to apply, try get an hour or so with it on then shower before I feed again. Wondering if anyone’s had similar and what helped or hindered it. I’m reading mixed reviews about if I should keep using nipple balms or not. Trying to work out if pumping more than feeding from the breast would help in the short”

“I’m going to be honest I don’t even fully remember what my boobs looked or felt like prior to my baby but I know they didn’t look or feel like this. For background, I’m only a month into being fully weaned after 14 months of breastfeeding but I just keep waiting for them to feel normal. During pregnancy and postpartum they became a lot more sensitive, my nipples are saggier now. It’s just alot to get used to. My boobs would get tender during my period so maybe this is more of the hormones? I’m j”

“LO is 7 months old and has 2 very nice teeth on the bottom. I thought it was bad went she started pinching and digging her nails into my areolas, but over the weekend she actually bit me in the nipple. Ya’ll… I about yeeted my baby across the room. I yelped loud enough that it scared her (and the dog) and it made her cry and I felt terrible, but DAMN. Soooooo how do I gently discourage biting at this age? submitted by /u/jazzpolka [link] [comments]”

“So… I’m a FTM, exclusively breastfeeding. I’m still not fully recovered to start having sex with my husband yet, but we’re both very eager for it 😁 I just have one question, how is the boob thing going to work? Lol I can’t take my bra off because I leak like crazy, I’m also wearing nursing pads all day otherwise my clothes would be drenched all the time. I guess I can leave my bra on for it, but my breasts are a huge part in giving pleasure for me when having sex, if I take the bra off, my bed”

“Hey all! I’m a FTM to an 18 month old. I’ve never experienced mastitis before so I’m not quite sure if I have it. I woke up yesterday with a headache, crazy chills, and body aches. Today when I woke up I had all of the same but much worse and now I have significant breast pain. There’s no lump and the only redness is on my nipple. The painful breast is also very warm. Does this sound like mastitis? And can mastitis be caused by nipple trauma? My daughter bit me really hard a few days ago but I c”

“So every now and then one of my nipples will get sore or a bit chapped still, but usually it’s smooth sailing. Lately however my nipple (usually only the one side) gets this “throbbing” sting while/after nursing. By throbbing I mean it will sting (really uncomfortable) and then it fades, but then comes back a moment later. Holding it doesn’t help, nor does nipple cream really. What is it? Tips for how to avoid it. One thing I think is my boobs hang low these days, so I’m able to nurse from both”

“Our newborn had a difficult time latching during his first week. We’re entering our third now, and he’s been latching as good as we can tell, but my wife has reported being in tears of pain at times. The tip of her nip seems a bit raw, and we don’t know if it’s because of his particular latch. He doesn’t always get a good mouthful of areola, so I’m thinking his latch is too shallow on the nip, and therefore painful. She uses silverettes, cooling gel pads, and cotton pads on her nipples for sooth”

FTM and have been exclusively breastfeeding for just under 3 weeks (in the middle of cluster feeding a newborn with a tongue tie). For the past 1.5 weeks, I noticed that the…

“I stopped pumping about a week ago, and all of a sudden Sunday I started getting flu like symptoms, muscle aches, chills (but no fever), bad headaches and breast pain. Are these similar symptoms to anyone the had the weaning flu? How long did it take you to feel better? submitted by /u/ProfessionalBox1162 [link] [comments]”

“Hey everyone. We went out to a baptism at around 1:30 and didn't get back til 4 and I didn't breastfeed that whole time and I come home and my 1 boob hurting so bad and I feel really achy and I have flu like symptoms.. does this sound like mastitus to you? :( submitted by /u/veronicax96 [link] [comments]”

“I’m REALLY hoping someone can help me figure this out. We have been EBF for almost a year now and no issues. The last month randomly my left nipple hurts SO BAD whenever he latched. I thought he was pinching me with his teeth but when on the other side no problems. Then I experimented more and it’s mainly only when we laying down side ways only on that breast. I mean it hurts so bad that I’ve considered stopping even tho I wanted to go until 2 years. The pinching pain isnt there when he isn’t la”

“So I have a 6 week old (6 weeks tomorrow) and everytime I feed her on whichever side, the areola and nipple hurt on the other side. Not painful exactly, just an odd sensation that's mildly sore. It also leaks on the other side. Never had this with my first baby. I assume it's normal but it's super annoying. Anyone know when it goes away? Edit: it isn't for the whole feed; just the first few minutes or so and the whole thing only started about a week ago. submitted by”

“My left boob is my ST. Had an inverted nipple (now it is partial time inverted cause BF I guess) and it was an all around pain to latch. Now it has developed into making my LO so upset that she turns into tummy time while side lying feeding or when I try to feed her slightly lying down in cradle position. Mind you, she wants to keep eating just in that position and I am not sure I can make it happen. I am starting to wonder if I should favor the right one, keep pushing this equally or push this”

“So I recently found out that breastfeeding can cause dryness down there. I had been experiencing some pain during sex and didn’t understand why because I never had a problem in that department. But I did some research and asked my doctor could she prescribe some low estrogen cream. She knows I am still breastfeeding and I am 7 months postpartum. I got the cream and actually scared to use it. My husband is worried it will irritate me. I’m worried about that but also worried about it effecting my”

“I’m still breastfeeding and have recently lost a lot of weight. My boobs looks so weird, it’s like they have zero fat and all that’s left are milk ducts. The skin is so stretched out and feels paper thin, and italmost like I can visibly see the milk ducts beneath the surface. After a feed they are so deflated, like the top of my breast is actually concave. If I lay on my back they sort of collapse into themselves, maybe from all the loose skin?Has anyone else experienced this? This is my second”

“Hi all! I’m 5 weeks PP and EBF. If baby is napping and hasn’t fed in an hour or so, I start getting these sharp-ish pains in my breasts in the upper-outside area (like up towards my armpit). They only last a few seconds and go away. I don’t think I have any clogged ducts - my breasts aren’t hot, there are no hard lumps, etc. Anyone experience something similar or know what this could be? submitted by /u/Relevant_Lynx_5117 [link] [comments]”

“I stopped breastfeeding almost a month ago. Since then I noticed a tiny, movable bump under the skin on my aerola. It feels like I could pop it. I also can’t feel it unless I’m looking for it if that makes sense. Has anyone experienced this after weaning? submitted by /u/Which_Switch_7324 [link] [comments]”

“I've been breastfeeding my baby girl for 4 months, almost exclusively. I had some soreness and pain for the first few weeks while my nipples got used to things, which I expected since I have very sensitive breasts! Since then I've had occasional clogs that resolve and my actual nipples have felt much better. I haven't needed any nursing salve or lanolin for a couple of months now. However, in the last few days I've had extremely sore nipples all of a sudden? It doesn't seem l”

“for the past two days i have experienced extreme pain and burning in my left nipple. to the point where any type of slight touch causes me to scream out in pain. i haven’t been able to pump or nurse on that side at all since it has started..the only way i have been able to get milk out is to hand express and even that is super painful to the point where i just wait until it starts leaking and hold a bottle under it so the milk can just drip in. i’ve already experienced a clogged duct and this do”

“I tried searching this sub to see if anybody had posted about this, but I haven’t seen anything helpful. I’ve been breastfeeding my daughter for a little over 5 months; she was ebf until about a week ago when I went back to work. She gets about 4 ounces of formula to supplement the 6 or so ounces I’m able to pump at work. Anyway, maybe 3 times now (every couple months), I’ve gotten a pretty awful burning sensation in my boob that lingers for a few days. It’s always been the left one, which is my”

“I had all the usual PMS symptoms + extremely sore nipples while breastfeeding but still no period. Each feed kept becoming increasingly painful. I googled and apparently the nipple issue is possible either when you're pregnant/about to get period. I waited for 2 weeks and still didn't get my period. Two negative tests and a week later, it's finally here! For everyone who is dealing with period symptoms which are very similar to pregnancy, I feel you! It was exactly last August that I”

“I’m a first-time mother (FTM) with a 3-week-old baby. For the first three days after delivery, I exclusively breastfed my baby. However, I developed severely sore and wounded nipples, which made it too painful to continue breastfeeding. To prevent dehydration and jaundice, we completely switched to formula (Aptamil Gold) until my nipples healed. Since then, I haven’t been able to transition back to exclusive breastfeeding. I currently express breast milk approximately every 4 hours and give that”

“So I'm 5.5 months PP and am EBF. I noticed yesterday that it's been quite painful when my baby is BF. Then today it started being extremely painful - first on the right side, then a few hours later on both sides. It just feels extremely sensitive and I don't feel like I can BF tbh because of how painful it is. I haven't started my period pp yet and I don't have any usual signs that it's about to start. It doesn't seem like there's any blockages or infection and my”

“My son is 2 weeks old and breastfeeding is still incredibly painful for me. At the beginning of every feed, I get a very sharp, almost cold, needle-like pain in my nipples. After a while it gets slightly better, but the pain is still there throughout pretty much the entire feeding session. Afterwards, my nipple often looks compressed or slanted/flattened on one side, almost like a “lipstick” shape. My baby seems to be actively sucking and his lips look nicely flanged out, so from the outside the”

“Hello moms First time mom here. My baby is 12 week old from last 4 days he keep pushing my breast while nursing if I hold his hand he just push back his head and only sucking nipple which cause so much pain in every feeding. Please someone help why my baby doing this and how to avoid it. Thank you submitted by /u/Last_Requirement5205 [link] [comments]”

“4 months ago I had my baby that I was very excited to start breastfeeding. Just one night in, though, and I was in a LOT of pain. I knew breastfeeding would be painful at first but I didn’t know it would be that bad. My nipples were bright red and they felt like they were on fire. I decided to supplement with formula and pump to get my supply up just for a short while to let my nipples heal. But not only did my supply not increase, my baby started to prefer the bottle and would refuse to latch.”

“Second time mom first time breast-feeding. Boy oh boy my Nile hurts so bad. I don’t know if it’s cracked. I don’t know what’s wrong with it but every time my baby latches it feels like knives like it feels like she grew teeth and is biting me. My nipples are like purple. I think they may be bruised but it’s just one that really hurt hurts. Does anybody have any idea what this could be or how to fix this? I’ve tried heat. I’ve tried cool. I’ve tried creams, but I can’t figure it out. submit”

“I’m ~9 months postpartum EBF and my nipples have been SO raw the past month+ . I pump 3/day (baby only takes bottles at daycare) and nurse multiple times a day . Usually version of cradle hold, sometimes she kinda sits up on the side of a big chair. Pumping and nursing doesn’t really hurt but my nipples have been so raw and hurt when touched (my baby loves touching my nipple after eating to soothe & I can’t take that now). I use nipple butter before pumping & randomly. I’ve been nursing”

I’ve been EBF for 10 months now and haven’t really had an issue until about a month ago. Lately, when I BF my daughter it makes my skin crawl and I just…

“Hello! I’m a first time mom and I’m trying to look for advice and maybe hope. I have a one week old and I have flat nipples and my baby does latch but it obviously doesn’t ever feel like the perfect latch. He eats pretty good, I mean he’s having wet diapers and gaining weight, but sometimes he will just absolutely refuse to latch. Like he goes on my nipple and rips his head off and we go back and forth doing that over and over again. It gets to a point where I sometimes need to use a nipple shie”

“My daughter just turned 1 and she’s had teeth for a couple months now but all of a sudden it’s hurting to breastfeed and i woke up to super cracked/scabbing nipples and i have to work today for 8 hours. So i tried to pump right now and its coming out as bloody milk 😅 Please help submitted by /u/Proof_Coach2559 [link] [comments]”

“Went up multiple cup sizes (gained a lot of weight pp, like 20 lbs) and with the hormones and everything, areolas are huge now. Will they ever go back ?? After breastfeeding & losing weight again?? They are literally almost the size of my hand and super dark now. 😭 submitted by /u/Wavefork [link] [comments]”

“I woke up from a nap earlier today, and I immediately noticed my one breast was very tender right next to my armpit. At first I thought a clogged duct, but it isn’t firm/hard. My baby has nursed on that side multiple times since, and I’ve noticed that when I have a letdown the pain flares up intensely. Do clogged ducts always have to feel like a hard lump? submitted by /u/Ok_Topic5037 [link] [comments]”

“I’m 3 days postpartum and at the hospital every nurse and lactation consultant complimented my supply and I learned how to latch and position baby (I like to do cross cradle). At first it was great, then by day two my boobs hurt a little bit, and by now my boobs hurt so bad when my baby latches it feels like I put my boobs into fire and razor blades. I had to get formula this morning to give my boobs a break because my baby wants to constantly be latched to me and I try so hard to muster through”

“Im 3 months pp and I have gotten mastitis multiple times I don’t even remember how many times at this point. And I was wondering is this normal or common to be getting it so many times since giving birth ? It really affects my milk supply since my supply is decent for having to feed twins plus I have to feed formula as well otherwise not enough for them. Let me know in the comments if maybe I’m doing something wrong to be getting it so many times. Man it hurts to even walk :( submitted by”

“My baby is 11 months old and lately I get these random shooting pains kind of like behind my nipple, usually on one side, and it’s only really happens in the morning like 30 minutes to an hour after her first feed - anyone else experience this? I am currently on my cycle, don’t know if that contributes! they can be very painful and last for an hour or so submitted by /u/Anxious-Soup7848 [link] [comments]”

“10w PP and have been EBF, pumping enough for a bottle a day. Since about 3 weeks PP I have been experiencing extreme pain on my right breast nipple after feeds. It comes in waves, lasting about 3-4 hours and it’s a shooting stabbing pain where each “contraction” lasts for a minute, 9/10 pain. If it happens at night I can’t sleep. These episodes don’t happen every feed, but if her latch is particularly chompy or poor, it will trigger an episode. I did have a bleb for 6 or so weeks and it was trea”