Pain in Breastfeeding ~ Language and Empowerment
(May 2015)
Parents in my antenatal sessions express a number of anxieties about breastfeeding and the early parenting experience however one stands out above the rest; pain. My own dissertation findings highlighted that partners were also worried that it would be painful, with an additional anxiety about how to protect her from this difficulty.
Much of breastfeeding antenatal education is focussed on achieving pain free breastfeeding and in supporting women in their feeding problems, sore nipples is a recurrent issue. It has been said that “If you’re doing it properly then it shouldn’t hurt” and this statement has sat uncomfortably with me for a very long time. Ultimately it blames the woman for her own pain, and regardless of her proficiency at positioning and attachment, this sort of language does not empower or encourage women. Furthermore it may well be that her technique is ‘textbook perfect’ but there may be another reason for the pain such as a tongue tie, Raynauds Syndrome, D-MER, or simply unexplained pain which is unrelated to position.
In my experience to date, it is a rare woman who has no moment of discomfort, sensitivity or pain in the early breastfeeding period. I believe though that people shy away from saying this for fear that it will put women off from breastfeeding in the first place and I’d like to think however that we can give women far more credit than that. If women know what to expect then they can feel prepared. I’ve found women are surprised by a couple of things – firstly that breastfeeding is something requiring education, and secondly that when they attempt it, that it sometimes hurts and isn’t that straightforward.
Breastfeeding education can go a long way toward emphasising the need for early support and giving some concepts which may help such as biological nurturing. Of course there is much more work to do in terms of re-establishing breastfeeding as a biological norm but framing that within the kind of support those women would have had at a time in history when breastfeeding was prevalent. In those times women would have been surrounded by their sisters, aunts, mothers, female friends – women who have birthed as well as their midwives who may well have been one of those women but certainly a person who might have been at their birth and knew them well.
Sadly today’s society is simply not there and so breastfeeding supporters and midwives need to be absolutely clear on the local breastfeeding support available to women as well as a heightened awareness of the impact the woman’s partner can have on the breastfeeding experience and therefore targeting antenatal breastfeeding education to those partners.
In conclusion it is vital that women receive plain speaking yet sensitive information about the early experience of breastfeeding. That they may well experience some nipple sensitivity and some discomfort as they get used to the new sensation. They need to be shown clearly how to recognise good attachment, perhaps with plenty of pictures (which you can get using the Baby Milk Action Calendars) and explained how to un-attach their baby if they experience nipple pain, which again should be explained clearly when to recognise this and the signs and symptoms of nipple trauma. Naturally this is also alongside good information about positioning and attachment with an emphasis on biological nurturing as a starting point.
As much as I am 100% on board with the reality of breastfeeding being a biological norm, I am also convinced of its extraordinariness, of the amazing benefits to both women and babies. Empowering women to take control of their early experiences rather than be swept along by the unknown and frequently mixed messages associated with breastfeeding may go some way to turning the tide and having a health revolution.
Much of breastfeeding antenatal education is focussed on achieving pain free breastfeeding and in supporting women in their feeding problems, sore nipples is a recurrent issue. It has been said that “If you’re doing it properly then it shouldn’t hurt” and this statement has sat uncomfortably with me for a very long time. Ultimately it blames the woman for her own pain, and regardless of her proficiency at positioning and attachment, this sort of language does not empower or encourage women. Furthermore it may well be that her technique is ‘textbook perfect’ but there may be another reason for the pain such as a tongue tie, Raynauds Syndrome, D-MER, or simply unexplained pain which is unrelated to position.
In my experience to date, it is a rare woman who has no moment of discomfort, sensitivity or pain in the early breastfeeding period. I believe though that people shy away from saying this for fear that it will put women off from breastfeeding in the first place and I’d like to think however that we can give women far more credit than that. If women know what to expect then they can feel prepared. I’ve found women are surprised by a couple of things – firstly that breastfeeding is something requiring education, and secondly that when they attempt it, that it sometimes hurts and isn’t that straightforward.
Breastfeeding education can go a long way toward emphasising the need for early support and giving some concepts which may help such as biological nurturing. Of course there is much more work to do in terms of re-establishing breastfeeding as a biological norm but framing that within the kind of support those women would have had at a time in history when breastfeeding was prevalent. In those times women would have been surrounded by their sisters, aunts, mothers, female friends – women who have birthed as well as their midwives who may well have been one of those women but certainly a person who might have been at their birth and knew them well.
Sadly today’s society is simply not there and so breastfeeding supporters and midwives need to be absolutely clear on the local breastfeeding support available to women as well as a heightened awareness of the impact the woman’s partner can have on the breastfeeding experience and therefore targeting antenatal breastfeeding education to those partners.
In conclusion it is vital that women receive plain speaking yet sensitive information about the early experience of breastfeeding. That they may well experience some nipple sensitivity and some discomfort as they get used to the new sensation. They need to be shown clearly how to recognise good attachment, perhaps with plenty of pictures (which you can get using the Baby Milk Action Calendars) and explained how to un-attach their baby if they experience nipple pain, which again should be explained clearly when to recognise this and the signs and symptoms of nipple trauma. Naturally this is also alongside good information about positioning and attachment with an emphasis on biological nurturing as a starting point.
As much as I am 100% on board with the reality of breastfeeding being a biological norm, I am also convinced of its extraordinariness, of the amazing benefits to both women and babies. Empowering women to take control of their early experiences rather than be swept along by the unknown and frequently mixed messages associated with breastfeeding may go some way to turning the tide and having a health revolution.
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