Is it supposed to hurt or not? - I'm really confused now

ilovemybaby wrote: When I breastfed Abby it hurt every time except the very first time when I fed her after delivery. I was told that it shouldn't hurt if she is latched on right. Then I was told by someone else that it does hurt. Then I was told again, no it shouldn't hurt. Now I am reading again, it does hurt. Which is it? In the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding book it says that if baby is latched on correctly it should not hurt.

Or is this just another thing like Braxton hicks contractions? They shouldn't hurt but sometimes for some people they do. Is it just a matter of our pain tolerance level? Or is it uncomfortable but not painful?

coasterqueen replied: It REALLY SHOULDN'T hurt if baby is latched on properly. Once we got Megan's latch correct it was not painful what-so-ever. I think some say it hurts because it took them so long for things to go 'correctly' on their own or w/help that that's all they remember. It honestly SHOULD NOT hurt if baby is nursing correctly.

luvmykids replied: Mine were sort of chapped type sore, the solution was to rub a few drops of milk on them after and air dry or use the lansinoh.

ilovemybaby replied: So in other words... if nipples are not chapped/cracked or bleeding then it should not hurt? If baby is latched on right.
I was just wondering because the first time for me did not hurt at all. In fact I was falling asleep! LOL
But after that first time it hurt every time. I think it must have been because she wasn't latched on right and my nipples were cracked and bleeding.

MomToJade&Jordan replied: It should not hurt if the baby is latched on right. It never hurt for me when I nursed both of mine. You can actually use the lansinoh beforehand to get your nipples ready for nursing.

MyLuvBugs replied: It depends. If the baby is latched on right, then no. UNLESS the baby doesn't know how to suck properly like my daughter did or your nipples get chapped/bruised/cracked/ etc.

Also, if you have painful let downs (milk dropping down to be released from the nipple), that will hurt massively also.

I had all of the above go on, so BFing for me was not a joyous occasion. However, after Lorelei's mouth relaxed and she learned to suck correctly, and the nipples weren't chapped and bruised, and I learned how to breath through the let downs....it wasn't bad. (it only took 2 1/2 months for that to happen)

Nathansmom replied: It never ever hurt for me, even when we weren't latched completely right, until he got a couple teeth, and didn't bite, but rubbed them on my nipples.

ilovemybaby replied: Thanks. I was going to get the Lansinoh now too and start using it.
I always felt like Abby had teeth HAHA Their gums are soooo hard!

coasterqueen replied: You could get cracks in your nipples at anytime in your BF relationship, not just the beginning. And yes, they do hurt, but not a reason to end BF IMO.

Some people do also have painful letdowns. I am one of those people. BUT the painful letdowns DO, I repeat DO go away in time. You just have to be willing to stick with BF long enough for them too. Mine did with both my girls.

Kaitlin'smom replied: it only hurt for me when my nipples were dry and cracking. I uses lanisolin and it cleared right up. SO IMO it should not hurt unless you have nipple issuse, wrong latch or painful letdown. All that can be corrected.

ilovemybaby replied: I'm pretty sure it must have been an incorrect latch because the first time did not hurt at all. And the midwife said she was latched on right. Then at the local hospital it hurt every time and the midwife there said she wasn't latched on right.
I tried nipple shields but they did nothing.
I don't think I had painful let down... but I can't remember. I know I had pains from my uterus shrinking back to normal size that were like bad period cramps. I had to take Panadol for those.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: It never hurt for me. But everyone is different.

ashtonsmama replied: I think that it really shouldn't hurt if she's latched on correctly! That's what our LC told us, and she helped me find the right way to latch him on that got his mouth over my whole areola, and not just part of it, that helped alot. And it did hurt the first couple weeks, and now it's just comfortable, no pain, except for that week he wasn't eating much, then my boobs were engorged and all that...but that's different. I think it should be painless.