While some women find breast-feeding to be a calming, natural and positive experience, others struggle with the pain and sensitivity that can often accompany providing nourishment for your baby. Nipple sensitivity can range from mild discomfort to extreme pain and can be a factor in your decision to continue breast-feeding your baby. By understanding the various causes of your sensitive nipples, you can work with a lactation consultant to improve your experience and the chance of your breast-feeding until at least six months, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Step 1
Stimulate your nipples before beginning to breast-feed to trigger the letdown process, by which milk begins to flow freely. Your nipples are naturally sensitive before nursing, since it's that sensitivity which begins letdown. By letting down into a milk storage bag or towel and expressing a small amount of milk before breast-feeding, your nipples have already been sufficiently stimulated and will be naturally less sensitive when your baby begins to eat.
Step 2
Wear a nipple shield over your nipples to prevent cracking or sore nipples while breast-feeding. A nipple shield is a plastic cover that looks much like the nipple of a baby bottle. When worn over the nipple, it can help relieve some of the pain from cracked nipples, a poor latch or frequent nursing.
Step 3
Observe and assess your baby's latch. A poor latch can result in the wrong parts of the nipple begin stimulated and painful nursing. When properly latched, your baby's chin should rest on your breast and your baby should have the entire nipple, including the areola, sandwiched in his mouth. It may help to flatten the breast before your baby latches to ensure that he takes the breast, and not just the sensitive nipple tip, into his mouth to nurse.
Step 4
Apply nipple cream after each breast-feeding session. The constant suck and pull on your breast can result in cracked, tender nipples. Nipple cream, found at the drugstore or baby supply store, helps to restore moisture and soothe sore breasts after breast-feeding.
Step 5
Schedule an appointment with a lactation consultant through your local hospital or doctor's office if your nipple sensitivity doesn't improve with lifestyle or changes to your baby's latch. You could be suffering from a painful infection of the breasts, such as mastitis or clogged ducts. A lactation consultant can also watch your breast-feeding process to suggest changes, such as a change in the way you hold your baby when breast-feeding, to help relieve sensitive nipples while breast-feeding.
