I went on a lactation consult recently where a mom complained of severely sore nipples. While I was observing the latch she yelped out in pain. Sometimes sore nipples is an easy problem to fix; sometimes not. When ever mom is experiencing that much pain I usually look at the anatomy of the baby's mouth to rule out other causes. I look for a short tongue being restricted by a thin membrane that may or may not be seen. I look for an extremely high palate (roof of the mouth) which can interfere with comfortable placing of the nipple in the baby's mouth. Currently, I am finding a lot of babies who have a thin membranes underneath their top lip attached to the upper gum which restricts a tight seal at the breast, causing the unfortunate outcome of sore, cracked, beat up nipples.
These challenges can be a little trickier to fix than just putting a pillow underneath baby to help with positioning or teaching the baby to keep their lower lip down. These mothers struggle with getting their baby to breastfeed and, occasionally, there isn't a simple solution. Instead of a wonderful bonding moment, these moms have a baby who may cry a lot, while seeking more food, and finding that "right position" at the breast. Or mom is crying from the pain while struggling to get their baby to eat successfully. In trying to get food into the baby, she may also be pumping, finger feeding, bottle feeding or cup feeding, all the while dealing with healing her damaged nipples. It can be further discouraging when she sees other women have no pain, no struggle, no pumping, no "special techniques" - just mom, baby and breasts.
It is hard to convince every mom that she will need to do 5 extra things on top of all the other things she has to do in life in hopes that she can get through the storm, and hopefully leading to successful nursing. In MOST cases, if she is diligent, have found the right support for her specific situation, the baby will breastfeed. Some don't have the time or hope to wait it out. And in reality, who can blame these mothers?
Will this mom I saw in a recent consult breastfeed? I hope so. The best thing for a mom to do when having any difficulty is to get a supportive lactation consultant and a knowledgeable (in breastfeeding) pediatrician who can give the mom medical intervention if necessary. Just a glimmer of hope: MOST breastfeeding hardships that receive the "right intervention" and early on, resolve over time. Don't wait longer than a few days in hopes that things get better without some kind of professional involvement.
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