You’re 5 days, 8 days, maybe 2 weeks postpartum.
Your baby latches.
You’ve seen the lactation consultant — they said the latch looks great.
Your pediatrician checked for ties — nothing.
The nurses say you’re doing everything right.
And yet, every time your baby latches, you want to scream.
Sound familiar?
This is just what it’s like for SOME of us.
Let’s Be Clear:
For some women, breastfeeding is PAINFUL AS HELL — even when everything is “by the book.”
Yes, we’ve all heard:
- “If it hurts, you’re doing it wrong.”
- “It’s just your nipples getting used to it.”
- “It gets better soon!”
Sometimes that’s true.
But sometimes it’s not.
Because for some of us, it just hurts like hell no matter what we do.
About 1 in 5 Women Still Face Nipple Pain Around 8 Weeks Postpartum
Pain is super common — especially in the beginning. But not everyone bounces back in a week or two.
Roughly 1 in 5 women still feel nipple pain at the two-month mark.
Many stop breastfeeding because of it. That’s why hearing “Breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt” often misses the mark.



The Kind of Pain That Makes Birth Pain Take a Backseat
Let’s set the scene:
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It’s like acupuncture with hot needles — in your nipples.
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Latch pain so sharp you forget to breathe
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Shower water that makes you tear up
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Raw, cracked, bleeding nipples
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Dreading the sound of your baby crying for milk
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Feeling rage every time they open their mouth
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Screaming silently into a pillow during feeds
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Wondering how the hell you're supposed to do this again in less than two hours
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Feeling like a failure, even though you’re giving it everything you’ve got
This isn’t “mild soreness.”
This isn’t “being dramatic.”
This is body-shaking pain that takes over your entire day — in your comfy nursing top, gritted teeth, and all.
And Then You Hear:
- “It gets better soon.”
- “Maybe you’re just sensitive.”
Sometimes pain isn’t a technique issue. Sometimes your baby just nurses like a vacuum cleaner. Sometimes your body just isn’t playing nice.
And sometimes — NO ONE has a damn answer.


Let’s Talk About the “Solutions” (that sometimes actually help):
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Nipple shields – if they’re working, they’re winning
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Breast milk as nipple serum – weird, but effective
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Cooling pads / Silverettes / fridge therapy
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Mix in formula or pump – sanity over pride
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Try a different LC – not all lactation consultants are created equal
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Give it time – yes, we hate this advice too, but sometimes it works
Some moms find relief after a few weeks.
Some only after a few months.
Others need tools. Others need a break.
All of that is valid.
Pro tip: Slipping into soft, breathable breastfeeding clothing doesn’t fix the latch — but it can make 3 a.m. feeds just a little less brutal.
And If You Walk Away? Good.
Anyone telling you to “just keep trying” isn’t the one bleeding through their nursing top.
If switching it up saves your mental health, it’s not quitting.
It’s called prioritizing.
And in five years, you won’t remember which brand of milk they drank —
but you will remember whether or not you lost your mind doing it.

Heads Up: Just When You Think the Worst Is Over… Here Comes Teething
A few days ago, I was riding the metro and saw this sweet, innocent commercial poster of a baby’s mouth—and suddenly my breasts curled back in, asking for comfort. Because that little mouth reminded me of what’s coming next: teething.
You might finally start to get relief from those early breastfeeding pains—only to get blindsided by the next phase: tiny new teeth turning your baby into a little shark. Like it or not, it’s coming.
Brace yourself!
Bottom Line:
You’re doing what you can in the body you’ve got, under pressure no one else fully sees.
You don’t owe anyone a perfect breastfeeding story.
If it hurts, you’re allowed to say it out loud.
And whatever you choose next — make sure it’s something that keeps you sane.
References:
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Amir LH, Dennerstein L, Garland SM, Fisher J, Farish SJ, McNamee K. Nipple pain associated with breastfeeding: incidence, causes and treatments. Breastfeeding Review.