Breastfeeding Pain | Right Decisions

Please update your RDS mobile app to version 4.7.1

We are pleased to advise that deep linking capability, enabling users to directly download individual mobile toolkits, has now been released on the RDS mobile app. When you install the update, you will see that each toolkit has a small QR code icon the header area beside the search icon – see screenshot below. Clicking on this icon will open up a window with a full-size QR code and the alternative of a short URL for sharing with users. Instructions are provided.

You may need to actively install the update to install RDS app version 4.7.1 to see this improvement. Installing this update is also strongly recommended to get the full benefits of the new contingency arrangements – specifically, that if the RDS website should fail, you will still be able to download new mobile app toolkits.

To check your current RDS version, click on the three dots bottom right of the RDS app screen. This takes you to a “More” page where you will see the version number. To install latest updates:

On iPhones – go to the Apple store, click on your profile icon top right, scroll down to see the apps waiting to be updated and update the RDS app.

On Android phones – these can vary, but try going to the Google Play store, click on your profile icon top right, click on “Manage apps and device”, select and update the RDS app.

Please get in touch with ann.wales3@nhs.scot with any questions.

Pain when breastfeeding, although common, is never “normal”. Pain may be due to a variety of causes – sometimes more than one.

A very common reason in the early days is a suboptimal attachment of baby at the breast. These babies often present with faltering growth, frequent feeds lasting one hour or more and/or sore, damaged nipples. Please DO NOT recommend alternative supplementation/expressing. This presentation requires a full breastfeeding assessment and support from a midwife, health visitor or a member of the infant feeding team (please refer to infant feeding team as above).

Other causes of nipple/breast pain to consider may include:

Thrush (see below)
Nipple trauma (from poor attachment/latch/baby with tongue-tie) - full assessment can be carried out by the infant feeding team.
Bacterial infection of cracked nipple (see mastitis)
Eczema/psoriasis
Vasocompression or Raynaud’s
Milk bleb
Blocked duct/mastitis/abscess (see mastitis)

More information about the above can be found in the following pages or at:

The GP Infant Feeding Network