Why Do I Only Have Nipple Pain with the Willow Pump?
Seriously…Why do I only have Nipple Pain with the Willow Pump?
You may have an issue with sizing, alignment, or bra fit. Willow is a constant suction, a strong suction, and a fairly large and heavy pump. It’s not easy to see if you are well aligned until after the pumping session until you get used to using it. If you have an issue with any one of these three things, nipple pain or damage occurring is a strong possibility. The way to fix that is to find and fix the issue there.
You have some type of underlying issue such as tissue trauma, infection, or swelling that isn’t presenting as a problem until we toss the Willow into the mix. Here, the Willow isn’t the root problem, but it’s taking a manageable (though not great) situation and pushing it over the edge. The way to fix that is to do a thorough assessment of what is going on to assess and address all of these underlying issues so that the Willow doesn’t have any drama to fight with once you start using it. Common issues that can cause this are nursing with a latch issue, subclinical infection, and swelling (typically related to poor flange sizing over time or with another pump). Healthy nipples and the Willow can usually, and happily, coexist.
Your healthy nipples either don’t tolerate the constant suction well, or can only tolerate it in moderation. This is not anything anyone wants to hear about this incredible and expensive pump, but it can happen. So what can you do if this is your situation? We assess to be sure there is nothing else going on. We take a break from the Willow to get to a healthy, pain-free place, then, slowly and carefully, reintroduce the pump. By building up it’s use over time, we find how often you can comfortably tolerate the suction - if at all.
What makes this situation so frustrating?
Willow Pumps aren’t cheap. No one drops $500 on a breast pump for fun. You bought this pump because it offered you something you felt would improve your situation. To not be able to successfully use it after that type of investment is frustrating and disappointing.
There may also be another issue with your breastfeeding situation that doesn’t have a simple solution. Or, the solution is simply not something you can make happen right now.
And it sucks. It really does.
I understand these feelings in my core when I have to deliver the news to a client that this situation doesn’t have a simple, easy fix. My heart sinks everytime because I’ve been the parent in the thick of it without a clear path out of the issues that felt achievable. I don’t take it lightly when I have to break that news to a parent, and I only do so after I have evaluated everything as much as I can with a particular situation.
So, if this is the reality you are facing, I’m sorry this is happening. I can’t change a lot of what’s happening, and you get to feel however you want about it. I’m here when you are ready to start working through any issues we know of or to create a new plan going forward to meet your goals in a slightly different way.
