Nursing or breastfeeding is feeding a baby with milk that is created from mammary glands in breasts of female mammals. Newborns have a reflex for milking the breast, so this process should be very easy and painless, besides being very healthy and natural.
When baby starts sucking, some pain can occur, but it shouldn\'t last longer than 30-60 seconds. If, however, the pain, continues, breastfeeding should be discontinued immediately and other nipple should be offered.
One of the reasons a mother experiences pain is wrong positioning of the baby who is taking to much of areola in its mouth. This is easily corrected when a woman repositions her baby more often during feeding.
If one\'s nipples are sore, if one experiences pain, flu symptoms such as fever, then one probably has mastitis, an infection of her milk ducts. This infection is treated with antibiotics, so it is important to consult one\'s doctor.
A yeast or thrush breast infection is signaled by burning pain in breasts that doesn\'t go away after repositioning one\'s baby, cracked nipples, or even rash with blisters. Baby in this case may have white patches inside its mouth or even on its cheeks.
Another cause of breast pain is clogged milk duct due to too much milk. If one feels a lump in her breast, one can breastfeed one\'s baby, or use a pump to draw out the milk. One can also drain her milk manually, but it has to be done as soon as discomfort begins. Massage can be very helpful in these cases, but if it continues, one should visit her doctor.
Inverted or flat nipples can be the cause for pain after breastfeeding. This can be solved with fake nipples or consulting a doctor who may offer another solution.
In order to prevent pain after breastfeeding, a woman should position her baby correctly on the breast, she can rub special lotions on the nipples after feeding, or even leave some milk on the nipple after feeding to cure dryness.
For some mothers frequent but shorter nursing helps. One can nurse from the nipple that is less sore. If one starts experiencing pain, they should stop breastfeeding and offer her baby other nipple.
It is important to make sure that all the milk is drained after breastfeeding, and if one\'s baby had enough, a pump should be used to suck it out. Massaging the area that hurts before nursing is also helpful. If it is impossible for a woman to nurse without pain, however if symptoms of pain persists it is necessary to call a doctor.
It is recommended that a woman continues breastfeeding while getting a treatment for infection because it can help the process of treatment.
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