Explain this nipple pain? = hormones?

[waldorfknitmama]

My baby is nearing a year. I got my cycle when he was 5mo old. Almost every month around ovulation time/when my period comes my nipples get really irritated. Like a dull itchy/ache (not thrush) I just assumed that's what happens when your cycle/hormones return. Now the nipple pain has been getiting worse these last two or so months, like to the point of ovualtion time until after my period ends---- so basically 3wks long. And it's not PAIN like I HAVE TO STOP nursing, more like an irritating frusterating feeling. But now I am 5dpo and had intercourse 2 days before I o'd and my nipples are getting progressivly more painful but no pg symptoms. I thought maybe I could be pg, but didn't really have the greatest cm last cycle. The pain is felt immedently upon latching (almost like he uses his teeth to nurse) and peaks at my letdown, then gets better and better towards the end. Does this sound like pregnancy? Or perhaps since I've been dealing with this since the return of my cycle, just hormone related?? I am super frusterated, becuase my baby is a baby and it's really hard for me to enjoy nursing at this point, but I'm not (and he's not) ready to wean. Does anyone else experince typ of pain? What is it's cause and what do you do to feel better? If this happened to you when you were pg when did the nipple pain begin and how di dit feel. I am just at a loss and want my nipples to be happy again!

TIA to all who reply, I'm feeling bad about this. . .

[Ruthla]

It could be caused by more than one thing. You might be dealing with a very slight case of thrush (or some other treatable nipple pain cause) that's so minor you don't even feel it unless you're in a "hormonally sensitive" time of the month.

The "treatable cause of nipple pain" might be a bad latch- it's not necessarily an infection. Can you get an LC or LLL Leader to watch you nurse and figure out if bad latch is part of the problem?

[waldorfknitmama]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

It could be caused by more than one thing. You might be dealing with a very slight case of thrush (or some other treatable nipple pain cause) that's so minor you don't even feel it unless you're in a "hormonally sensitive" time of the month.

The "treatable cause of nipple pain" might be a bad latch- it's not necessarily an infection. Can you get an LC or LLL Leader to watch you nurse and figure out if bad latch is part of the problem?

hmmm I thought thrush but it doesn't seem likely I am taking probiotics, limit my sugar and baby has no white patches/mom's nipples aren't pink/flakly ect. I too have also thought latch becuase it really does feel like teeth on my nipples and it's really only the first part of nursing when it really hurts. Then I though perhaps I have a strong letdown and maybe he is nursing from the tip to aviod choking but he get's most of the nipple in and the pain is BEFORE the letdown. And the pain PEAKS at letdown. What is going on?? Urgh, I just think its some kind of hormone thing becuase why all of a sudden when I get my . back the pain starts?

[pbjmama]

I have bad ovulation pain every month from 3-5 days. I think in your case it is probably hormonal and something else. I would get latch checked out for sure. Thrush can be asymtomatic and 'go away' when hormones are not at their peak.

[Picard]

I get really sore nipples when I am ovulating for about 5 days.

[lucifugous]

The "feels like teeth" sounds extremely familiar! I just responded to the latch thread with what I did after dealing with this. In my case, there were a handful of times I could actually see the marks from her top teeth, way inside the areola... and I could kinda see that even when it wasn't that bad, she still wasn't taking enough in on top.
My other thought is that you could have a dip in supply. Which would be, like you said, a hormonal thing. For months before I actually had menstruation, and even after when it decided to not come for a month or two, I have noticed a cycle still present because she seems to spend so much more time at the boob and yet my supply feels as low as ever. In your case, your child could be sucking harder instead of spending more time, or this might otherwise explain the increased pain at certain times of the month.
If not an explanation, I offer my commiseration. Hope everything smooths out soon!!

[desamom]

Oh mama!! I could have written this post to the exact word (save for my daughter being 19 months old and getting my period back when she was 14 months old). I too started out having nipple pain for a few days before my period (took me a month to figure out that's what it was), but it has gotten progessively worse, to the point that I have just over a week of pain free nursing each month. It's awful.

I also thought thrush, but I've had it before and this is a totally different feeling. I also get the same thing as you when I have a let down, it really hurts but right in my nipples! I started BBT charting over a month ago and tracking my sore nipples alongside...it definitely starts just before I'm going to ovulate and ends about 3 days into my period. Then I am totally pain free for about 10 days.

My dd's latch is good (I had mega-latch problems at the beginning and am now an LLL Leader so do know a good latch when I see one). I guess there is a chance there is a bit of thrush in my nipples, but then why does it go away for those 10 or so days?

This is all the say I totally sympathize with you, but haven't figured out the cause yet. A fellow leader said she'd never heard of anything so extreme save for pregnancy nipples and I am positive I am not pregnant (plus this is the third month of this).

Originally Posted by naturalmamaof1

My baby is nearing a year. I got my cycle when he was 5mo old. Almost every month around ovulation time/when my period comes my nipples get really irritated. Like a dull itchy/ache (not thrush) I just assumed that's what happens when your cycle/hormones return. Now the nipple pain has been getiting worse these last two or so months, like to the point of ovualtion time until after my period ends---- so basically 3wks long. And it's not PAIN like I HAVE TO STOP nursing, more like an irritating frusterating feeling. But now I am 5dpo and had intercourse 2 days before I o'd and my nipples are getting progressivly more painful but no pg symptoms. I thought maybe I could be pg, but didn't really have the greatest cm last cycle. The pain is felt immedently upon latching (almost like he uses his teeth to nurse) and peaks at my letdown, then gets better and better towards the end. Does this sound like pregnancy? Or perhaps since I've been dealing with this since the return of my cycle, just hormone related?? I am super frusterated, becuase my baby is a baby and it's really hard for me to enjoy nursing at this point, but I'm not (and he's not) ready to wean. Does anyone else experince typ of pain? What is it's cause and what do you do to feel better? If this happened to you when you were pg when did the nipple pain begin and how di dit feel. I am just at a loss and want my nipples to be happy again!

TIA to all who reply, I'm feeling bad about this. . .

[Shanny2032]

I have been battling a case of thrush for months now. DD has never shown any signs (although I finally treated her in an attenpt to try everything). After each round of treatment I have about 2 days pain free and then it starts to come back. Only initially, before any treatment could I really see any sores on my breast and that was only if I looked right after nursing (had to manipulate the girls a little too just to see underneath). Anyway, It hurts at latch and letdown and sometimes gets better as a nursing seesion progresses and sometimes I have to ask her to try again and it usually helps when she re latches. I agree with other posts that it may be a little thrush along with some possible other issues like hormones. Does it feel like baby is pulling nipple or you are "too far away" and if you just move closer it would go away (but doesn't when you try?). That's how I feel when the thrush is coming back.