Initial pain, then subsides...

As of tomorrow we will have been BF for 4 weeks, yet I'm still having nipple pain just when she initially latches on. It lasts for maybe the first 10 - 15 seconds of the feed, then it just feels normal/nothing for the rest of it. I'm 99% sure our attachment is good because I'm always checking, and my nipple is normally always nice and round etc when she comes off. Could there be something I'm not doing/doing wrong? Or is this just the way it is? Or just early days still?

She's just started having both breasts each feed so I'm even more aware of it now!

Also, 9 times out of 10, right before she comes off, she has this burst of harder sucking and I just know she's going to come off, then I cringe because it's like she gums my nipple really hard as she let's go and it nearly sends me through the roof! It's only ever right at the end though.....I'm already fearful of when the time comes that teeth are involved :o Does anyone else's bubs do this?

Yes! Both Annabelle and Lucy are/were biters! With and without teeth!

My nipples hurt sooooooooooooo bad for a couple of months then got better:) I found the best cure was to feed:)

If they get cracked you can just pop some breastmilk on them and walk around the house with no bra ;)

Your bubs is still really young and learning herself, so I think its all normal. Actually I know it is as its exactly what BOTH of mine did;)

And I went on to feed Annabelle for 15months and still feeding Lucy I think you're doing a fab job :thumbsup:

not every feed, but some of them i get the initial sore then its ok. my student midwife said count to 20 and if you get to 20 and it still hurts, detach and try again. if it settles, you forget that you were counting!

my little one gets lazy at the end, and i have to watch she still has enough nipple in her mouth, or she just chews on the end.

The initial pain sounds pretty normal to me hon, I think it's actually called 'draw out' pain as it has to do with your LO drawing the nipple out. Anyway, I had it for probably the first couple of months before it slowly stopped. Like Kate said, if it doesn't last more than 20 or so seconds I don't think it is anything to worry about.

like the others have mentioned the initial pain is normal. it can be a combo of the vacuum force of those little mouths :D and the milk flowing through. it will get better as time goes on and she gets really efficient at the sucking.

also as for the end of feeds i can HIGHLY recommend that JUST before she comes off you gently pry/push down with your index finger the boob/nipple part that is just at the edge of her mouth, this releases the pressure that she has created and means that she doesnt just 'snap' off itms. (i hope i explained that ok lol).

Hey, congratulations and well done!
It sounds like fairly normal sensitivity, yeah. And I also suggest watching closely and popping her off before she can chomp. If you do it consistently she should eventually get the message (hopefully).

Excellent - thanks for the advice everyone! I've tried the counting to 20 today and it does goes away before hitting 20 so not too worried now - thanks!

I will try breaking the seal with my finger right before she comes off too - thanks for the hint :)

glad you've been reassured! I was the same too. Those first couple of sucks KILLED, but then it subsided. Mine lasted til about 6ish weeks, too, then one day it just stopped. - Like having a really bad ulcer, then one day you wake up and it's gone!
Just keep in mind, although BF is natural, our poor nipples aren't used to being sucked on so often and they need some time to toughen up :)