EPers please come in

kgauntt

I've been eping for about 3 or 4 weeks now. I pump 7-8 times a day for 20 min each session and sometimes even do smaller sessions in between that (not very often though). I'm really trying to get my supply up, I can't take Fenugreek so I'm on my own. Although, I think oatmeal is helping some. Anyways, do any of you have nipple pain when you first turn on the pump? My pain will last about 30 secs and then it's fine - zero pain after that. That 30 secs is pretty brutal though. Ouch! Is this normal? My baby and I are being treated for thrush. Does that have anything to do with it? I keep the settings on the pump as low as they'll go, I have an older Medela Pump in Style.

preggersINschool25

I have never had thrush, but I did think that was suppose to make things painful.

If it hurt when you didn't have thrush, you could try increasing the breastshield size.  The standard shields that come with the pump don't fit everyone.  Also, if the standard ones fit at first after pumping and nursing often people do need to go up a size on the breastshield.

xnbride

Put it on a lower setting when you first turn it on. If it is too high then you could cause trauma to your nipple and cause a clogged duct. The lower setting will act to stimulate your letdown reflex too since it kind of tickles your breast and should trigger milk to release.

edit: oh I just saw that you already keep it on the lowest setting. Definitely make sure the shields are the right size for you. Has it always hurt or just recently? If it is a more recent thing then it probably does have to do with thrush.