Sore, cracked or bleeding nipples
Sore, cracked or bleeding nipples are usually a sign that either your baby is not latched on properly, is positioned incorrectly, or you could be using a breast pump incorrectly. To help soothe this you could try Karicream Breast and Body.
Blocked ducts
There are two things that indicate you might have a blocked milk duct.
- A small white spot at the end of your nipple: you can normally remove it with a clean fingernail when your skin is soft after feeding.
- A painful lump in your breast with inflamed skin around it.
If you have any concerns with your breasts while breastfeeding it's important to speak to your health care professional as soon as possible to help you get back to feeding your baby.
In the meantime:
- Feed your baby as often as you can to drain the excess milk
- Concentrate on helping your baby latch onto your breast correctly
- Try using a breast pump to drain your breasts fully to help relieve any pain. Gently massaging your breasts and applying warm washcloths can help too.
Engorged breasts
Two to three days after you give birth, your breasts may become full, tender and lumpy with flattened nipples. The swelling may even spread to your underarms and you might get a small fever. This happens when your milk 'comes in'. It can be painful, but it's quite harmless and usually goes away quickly.
To help this, try applying hot, moist towels to your breasts for a few minutes or taking a hot shower before feeding baby. After using moist heat, gently massage your breasts with massage oil all over in small circular movements. You can then use either your hands or your pump to express some milk. This will help soften the areola and make it easier for baby to latch on to your breast. Apply cold compresses or ice packs to your breasts after the feeds. This will relieve discomfort and swelling.
Leaking breasts
Your breasts may leak if they are too full of milk, or your 'let down reflex' is triggered. Usually your breasts only release milk when your baby suckles, but sometimes just hearing a baby cry can trigger your breasts to 'let down' their milk!
The more regularly you feed, the less likely your breasts are to leak. Most mums wear breast pads inside their bras in case of any leaks. The reassuring thing is you'll probably find that the problem disappears almost completely after about seven to ten weeks of breastfeeding.
Problems with your milk
Too little milk
The more milk your baby consumes the more your body will produce to keep up with their healthy appetite! So, too little milk can be a sign that your baby isn't latching on properly so your body produces less milk. If you're worried your baby may not be getting enough milk, speak to your health care professional.
Too much milk
Producing too much milk is common in the first few days. Initially your body produces lots of milk to allow for a high volume of feeding, but this settles down once your baby is feeding regularly and well and so should regulate itself. However, if your baby isn't latching on properly then this regulation doesn't happen and you may find that you continue to produce extra milk, especially as they'll need to feed more often. So, it can't be said enough how important it is to make sure your baby is latched on properly!
Too much milk can also be caused by an overactive let-down reflex in your breasts or an imbalance between the fore milk and hind milk your producing.
If you're still producing too much milk after your baby's pattern has settled, you can express some and store it for later. Be sure not to express too much or in-between feeds though, as this will cause your body to produce more milk to fill the extra demand.
Milk spray
Some mums can produce a strong spray of milk either as a side effect of producing too much or as a problem on its own. Understandably, this can be off-putting for your baby and might even cause some babies to refuse the breast.
If this happens, it helps if you can express some excess milk before you let your baby feed. Or you can try letting them suckle to bring the milk down, and then capture the initial spray in a towel. When the flow has calmed a little let your baby latch on again, and they should be feeding happily again in no time!
Problems with your baby's feeding habits
Breast refusal
If your baby is refusing your breast, it's usually just their way of telling you there's something wrong. It might just be teething pain, or difficulty breathing, especially if they've got a cold or a sniffle.
If your baby goes on a breast strike, try feeding them when they're very sleepy, and keep the room quiet and distraction-free. You could also try different feeding positions, or even try feeding on the move as the rocking motion can be comforting to your baby.
Feeding from one breast only
Sometimes babies develop a preference for one breast. It's certainly not harmful to your baby, but you'll want to give both your breasts the chance to produce equal amounts of milk.
If your baby's being choosy, try feeding them on the breast they don't favour in the same position as the one they do. So if you're cradling your baby on your left breast, just move them across to the right one, instead of turning them around. You'll find it more comfy if you put a pillow under your supporting arm.
Biting baby
As much as you love your baby, if they bite you it's not much fun! So if your baby is teething, let them have a good chew on a cold teething toy first to get it out of their system and numb their gums. And if they still bite, draw them close to you. This will make it difficult for your baby to breathe through their nose for just a moment, forcing them to open their mouth and let go. Don't worry, it won't hurt them, and you'll be more likely to stop any nasty bites this way!
If your baby keeps biting – maybe because they think making mum yell is a great game! - be firm, say 'no!' and place them gently on the floor for a minute to chill out.