Mango

Hi ladies, I'm breast feeding and my lil one latches on okay I think but it is very painful for the first 30 seconds. After that I'm fine. It's almost as if she gets too excited and sucks extra hard. Not sure if I am doing anything wrong as the pain does not stay...but obviously I'd prefer no pain at all...

Is anyone else experiencing the same thing during the initial stages of a feed?

freckleonear

It is thought that pain in the first few seconds of a feed is due to the strong negative pressure caused by the baby's sucking before the milk is let down. As breastfeeding becomes established, you may find that your milk lets down sooner, or even before you put the baby to the breast, so the pain should improve. Going through a routine of getting ready to feed each time can help to establish the let down reflex. But if that is the only time you get pain, it is a really good sign that everything is going well!

coccyx

I had something simialr with my last baby. She was about a week old , and those first 20 seconds of a feed made my toes curl. !!! Got better quite quickly as feeding more established

Helen

Just wanted to back up what coccyx said. It gets better/easier the longer you are doing it for. I also thought it was easier the fuller I was - like first thing in the morning as the let down reflex seemed quicker then.

When I was feeding a lot (every 3 hours) the pain more or less went away but then later on as I cut out feeds I found it increased a little bit again.

tanya29

i didnt start breastfeeding my youngest monkey until he was 4 days old...so it started off as a relief to my bulging boobs...then i experienced what you are...breastfeeding at the start isnt easy i can understand why some mums give it up...i ended up having two bouts of mastitus by the time my baby was 1 month that was painful...but i stuck with it and never regretted it...when my baby was a bit older the way he used to look at me and carefully carress me while feeding will stay with me for the rest of my life...it gives a unique bond between mum and baby

good luck it gets so much easier

Mango

Thanks sooo much ladies. So far I am hanging in there. I found how to latch my lil one on even better which I noticed has also made a difference. I'm going to hang in there. Most people say it takes a few weeks to get use to it. Good to know I'm not the only one that thought the initial pain was a bit much.

mickey

yes, I had the same, but by time the supply and demand is established it disappears, wereas I tend to have it now again, after my milk supply has increased due to the 3 months growth spurt!

I assume it will as well settle now again as before

B4byAnge1

With my last child I tried to breastfeed, only managed a week, but I also remember a lot of pain for the first little while...I am intending on trying my hardest this time around, so its good to know that the pain gets less the longer you feed!