Why Is My Breast So Itchy While Breastfeeding

During your breastfeeding period, you might experience something that never happened before. You’ll feel worn out a lot, body fatigue is common, and you’ll get extra hungry. These are all common experiences during breastfeeding and postpartum. Another question you might ask is why is my breast so itchy while breastfeeding.

Since the itchiness won’t go away easily, most women consider it a serious problem. They don’t know that your breasts go through sucking, getting wet and pulled, and it is common for them to itch a lot. However, if the itchiness gets strong and feeding the baby becomes painful, you must visit the doctor.

Most mothers experience this in the first month of breastfeeding as the tissues acclimate. There is no need to panic or feel irritated; just use some anti-itching creams suggested by your doctor, and you will be fine. Naturally, it should go within three to four days, but the itching can sometimes last a week or more.

What you need to be careful about is the itching intensity. Typically, the itching only increases when you are feeding. After 5-10 minutes, it should be mild so it won’t become irritating. However, you might have other issues if the sensation increases after every feeding session.

On the other hand, ensure that your baby won’t suck hard or don’t press your breasts; that might make the sensation even more painful. The idea here is to get rid of itchiness without scratching the breasts. Your breasts are extra sensitive during breastfeeding, so avoid scratching. You can use creams or oils to get rid of itching.

Why Is My Breast So Itchy While Breastfeeding 

Here are the most common reasons for breast itching during breastfeeding.

Dry Skin

It is common for your skin to itch if it is dry; this is not a big problem if you take measures at the start. Since you’ll feed the baby multiple times a day, milk stimulation can cause the sensitive nipples to get itchy. On the other hand, sore breasts are another reason your skin gets dry quickly, and you feel like scratching your breasts.

If this is your first child, this might get a bit challenging for you, so all the measures should be ready before you feed your child. As long as it is only itching, everything is fine; the biggest problem starts if your breast starts wearing skin because of dryness. It won’t happen casually, but it can happen, so ensure that you have the creams and oils for breast massage to avoid getting them dry. Another thing that you might experience is nipple tugging, which could cause damage to the nipples, but the damage goes away within a week.

Infections

This is the part that you should worry about the most. If the baby sucks your nipples harder than usual, your nipples crack open. More bacteria can enter your body if that happens, causing a breast or nipple infection. Instead of visiting the doctor, you can check it yourself if there is a problem like this or not.

If your nipples have a pink appearance or you feel extremely itchy while breastfeeding or directly after, you are likely to suffer from an infection. This is not something you should take lightly; visit your doctor quickly if you feel like this is the problem with your itching.

Poor Latch

Usually, the itching symptoms go after three to four days as your nipples and breasts get used to feeding. However, if you still feel itchiness even after ten days, the chances are that your baby cannot properly grip the nipple. It can lead to itchiness if your baby cannot open the mouth properly and narrowly latch the nipples. A good latch is important, and you can train your baby to do that.

Stretchy Skin

Stretchy skin is quite common among ladies after pregnancy; in some cases, the stretching even affects the breasts. Now, that doesn’t mean that your breasts will grow bigger, but they’ll itch a lot. Since the skin requires time to revert to normal, the constant changes in your breasts can cause irritation. This natural process takes some time, so you must bear it since medication won’t help you much.

Blocked Ducts

Typically, sharp pain in the breasts indicates the blocked ducts, but the itchiness can be a symptom. If you feel lumps in your breasts leading to the urge to scratch, it is because of blocked ducts that requires opening quickly.

Take a warm shower, massage your breasts, or continue breastfeeding to open the blocked ducts. On the other hand, your baby will remain safe thanks to the antibodies in your breast milk.

If the ducts remain blocked after a couple of days, visit your doctor before your ducts catch an infection that might spread throughout the breasts.

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How to Fix Breast So Itchy While Breastfeeding

Remember, you’ll feel the itchiness during the first three or four days of breastfeeding; that is unavoidable. However, after a week, you can take measures to eliminate itchiness. First, take care of your breasts, massage them, ensure they remain moist, and not let them get dry.

Keep a record of your breastfeeding them and when the itching starts. It gives you a better idea to solve this problem. On the other hand, train your baby to get a proper grip on your nipples to avoid hurting them. That might be difficult in the first few days, but after a week, your baby should be able to do it. Otherwise, you’ll feel pain and itchiness after every feeding session.

Final Words

Why is my breast so itchy while breastfeeding? Simply put, it is because of dry skin or your baby cannot suck properly. Moreover, it could be due to an infection, but it rarely happens.

Your itching will go away within a week at max, but it stays and gets stronger after a week. Make an appointment and visit your doctor without any more delay. Your breasts and nipples are really sensitive, and you should take care of them.