Why is pumping painful

Breastfeeding and Human Lactation. Jones and Bartlett Learning. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFamily. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.

These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Pump Flange Fit. Breast Position. Suction and Speed. Don't Pump Excessively. Bicycle Horn Pumps.

Where to Find Help. Caring for Your Breasts When Breastfeeding. Was this page helpful? Thankfully, in nearly all cases, pain during pumping is a solvable problem. All rights reserved. Phone: Nancy Mohrbacher. Nancy Mohrbacher Breastfeeding Reporter. Breastfeeding Reporter Blog. Follow Nancy On:. Hardcover Breastfeeding Answers, Second Edition Articles RSS.

Download the Breastfeeding Solutions App. Upcoming Events. There are a few main breast issues that can cause nipple and breast pain — clogged ducts, mastitis, thrush, milk blisters, vasospasms, and galactoceles. How do you know if you have one of these? Here are the major symptoms:.

Clogged ducts can be treated at home, mostly by pumping the affected breast early and often. If you get recurrent clogged ducts , you may want to consider taking lecithin. Legendairy Milk reached out and gave me a discount code for their sunflower lecithin. Mastitis might require antibiotics, while thrush usually calls for an oral fungal medication like Nystatin. While you wait for your nipples to heal or recover from mastitis or thrush, there are a few things that you can do to make yourself more comfortable.

Here are six questions that can help you figure out the issue. What Causes Pumping Pain? Flange Size Your flange is the part of your breast pump that actually comes in contact with your breast and nipple.

Most flanges are sized in millimeters and based on nipple size, ranging on average from mm. With the correct size of flange , the nipple should have space around it as it elongates down the tunnel. The areola should rest comfortably in the funnel of the flange, stopping just at the narrower tunnel.

Breast Flange Size Guide If too small, the nipple will have too much friction and can lead to sharp pain, blistering, and restricted output. It may also cause bruising to the breast tissue. Nipple elasticity and sensitivity will vary, and for some, too strong of a setting can be very uncomfortable.

Strength of suction is not the main source for milk removal, but stimulation for alveoli contraction- the milk ejection reflex. Too high of a setting may also cause swelling or blood vessels to block the pathways, too. Maternal Breast or Nipple Issues Issues with the breasts or nipples may need to be ruled out, especially if sizing and settings are set correctly.

Yeast overgrowth , or thrush, will cause an intense burning sensation. Usually this does not happen to healthy, undamaged tissue, so it's important to look into causes. Bacterial infection , which could happen from nipple damage making the breast tissue vulnerable.

Fibroids in the breast tissue can be painful when lactating, as the milk pushes against them. Frequent emptying may help, especially in early morning hours when prolactin is at its highest for milk production.