I'm Breastfeeding - Is THIS Normal?

After the birth of a baby most women wonder if many things are “normal”, especially if this is your first baby. Your baby may want to nurse every 30 minutes, your breasts may be very firm and swollen, and sometimes your nipples are tender to the point of being “sore”. Are these things normal?

Is this normal?

La Leche League has said babies and breasts expect a lot more feeding than most new mothers expect. The picture most women have in their minds is one of a baby feeding and then falling asleep for a few hours before expecting to feed again. This is not usually a breastfed infant, however. Most infants will wake to nurse in clusters, short but mostly satisfying feedings and then nap. They may nurse and seem content, only to be ready to nurse again as soon as you try to put them down. Don’t worry – you are not spoiling your baby if you hold them while they doze, and go ahead and nurse again if they are showing you the hunger cues: hand or fingers to or in their mouth, turning towards the breast, sucking their tongue, etc. It’s really hard to overfeed a breastfed baby, because they let go and refuse to try to latch again if they are full. Frequent feedings are normal especially in the beginning – 8-12 feedings every 24 hours. And sometimes this feeding pattern lasts for a significant amount of time (2-3 months). Remember your baby cannot tell time, but their tummy tells them when they should eat.

Sore nipples

There is a difference between nipples being tender and being sore. Usually nipples can be tender because they have not been “used” as often as a baby does when nursing from them. Even if your baby has a good latch they may be tender. Nipple discomfort can be common in the early days, but it is not necessarily normal.

But do check for a good latch. Baby will have his lips flared out over the areola (the dark brown area around your nipple) and you will not necessarily see much of the areola at all. Both his top lip and bottom lip will be rolled out with the moist inside of his lip on the areola. He will be face on the breast, with his chin tucked in to the breast and his nose touching on the other side. He needs a good deep latch with a “big mouthful” of breast. Second, try to change how you hold your baby when nursing. Alternating positions every feeding if you can: from the cradle or cross-cradle position to the football or clutch position, will help your tender tissue have a break from the pressure of baby’s latch. Also remember to try the side-lying position in bed, it is great to allow you some rest and also moves the pressure point on your areola and nipple. Lastly take care when showering to prevent the soap from drying out your nipples and areola. If your nipples are sore allowing some expressed breast milk to dry on the nipple and areola after every feeding and shower can help. A little lanolin can help with dryness, and if it is applied just before you step in the shower it can help prevent the soap from drying the nipples and areola. If your nipples are bruised, blistered, cracked or bleeding it is time to call for some help. Make an appointment with your lactation consultant so she can evaluate the latch and make suggestions on improving this.

Swollen and firm breasts

This usually can happen about 3-5 days after birth and is due to engorgement. The breasts swell due to extra fluids in the tissue surrounding the milk-making glands (necessary to increase the milk volume) and the volume increasing. Nurse often to help prevent this. Breasts can also be swollen and firm due to other things: a blocked milk duct or mastitis, or a growth spurt that quickly increased volume but now baby doesn’t want to nurse as often again.

In any case, try to offer the breast more often. Moist heat just prior to nursing along with a gentle breast massage can help the baby remove more milk at the feeding. After a feeding try just a few minutes of cold compresses to be more comfortable. This should pass in time, unless it is a blocked duct or mastitis – then seek help from your lactation consultant.