When do breasts stop hurting during breastfeeding

Whether you're a new mom or a seasoned parenting pro, breastfeeding often comes with its fair share of questions. Here are answers to some common queries that mothers — new and veteran — may have. During the first few days to weeks after delivery, you may feel strong, menstrual-like cramps in your uterus when your milk lets down. This is your uterus shrinking back to a smaller size. If your baby is latched on properly, you may have 30 to 60 seconds of pain from the nipple and areola being pulled into your baby's mouth , then the pain should ease.

But if you continue to feel pain, stop feeding momentarily and reposition your baby on your breast. If the pain persists, something else might be going on. If your baby consistently latches on wrong, sucking on your nipple without getting much of your areola in the mouth, you'll probably feel discomfort throughout each feeding.

Some moms say it's painful or feels like a pinch as their babies nurse. And you'll probably have sore, cracked nipples in no time.

Consulting with your doctor or lactation consultant can help with these situations. If your breasts are sore and you have flu-like symptoms, fever, chills, a hard or red area of the breast, or red streaks on your breast, you may have an infection in your milk ducts called mastitis.

If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor. If he or she finds that you have mastitis, the infection can be easily treated with antibiotics. You may also have a yeast or thrush infection of your breast. It's important that you call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms:. Babies with oral thrush may have cracked skin in the corners of the mouth, and whitish or yellowish patches on the lips, tongue, or inside the cheeks. Sore breasts with a lump also may be a sign of a plugged milk duct, in which a particular duct gets clogged.

To help unclog the duct and ease your pain:. Women who have inverted nipples that turn inward rather than protrude out or flat nipples that don't become erect as they should when your baby is nursing also may have trouble breastfeeding and may have frequent nipple pain.

To help relieve your discomfort, use the care tips given above. Call your doctor or a lactation consultant if you find it too painful to breastfeed or if you've tried home treatment for 24 hours and it doesn't help. Watch for signs of infection, such as a fever, flu-like symptoms, or a painful area on the breast that may be reddened, warm to the touch, or both.

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Updated visitor guidelines. Top of the page. Topic Overview Pain during breastfeeding is a sign of a problem and should not be ignored. This often is caused by: Improper positioning. Problems with latching on. A poor let-down reflex. Inverted nipples. Sore nipples and breasts may also result from: The baby sucking for comfort "hanging out" without a proper latch after falling asleep at the breast. Pulling the baby's mouth away from the breast without first breaking the suction.

The baby having a short frenulum the frenulum connects the tongue to the bottom of the mouth. This is also called "tongue-tie. Make sure that your baby is latching on correctly. View a slideshow on latching to learn how to get your baby to latch on. To minimize discomfort, start breastfeeding on the side that is less sore for the first few minutes, then switch to the other side.

The baby's initial sucking is usually the most vigorous. Express a little milk from your breasts right before a feeding. Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, 4th ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett; Wilson-Clay B, Hoover K.

The Breastfeeding Atlas, 5th ed. What is Normal? Can I Breastfeed if…? Is nipple pain normal in the early weeks?