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Breastfeeding was hard for me. Both times. I was not expecting so many obstacles or breastfeeding back pain and nipple pain. I mean, what could be more natural than breastfeeding your baby?
I was not expecting the back pain.
I was not expecting the breast and nipple pain.
I was expecting it to just, well, happen naturally!
I came across Opal Cool products and just had to share them with you. They truly make your breastfeeding experience feel much more natural (and enjoyable) so you can truly bond with your baby!
Whether you are recovering from a vaginal birth or c-section, Opal Cool products will soothe your discomfort so mama can focus on the baby and not the pain.
Below I have outlined some of the common breastfeeding back pain and nipple pain issues that plague new moms and breastfeeding moms. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first, second, third, or more child, unfortunately, the breastfeeding back pain will keep rearing its ugly head time and time again. The initial nipple pain of a new mom is to be expected as well.
Having the right set of products ready to go BEFORE you give birth will help. I have breastfed two babies (and soon will be having my third child) so I know a thing or two about the best and most helpful breastfeeding back pain and nipple pain products.
I’ll give you my best advice below on how to combat these common issues (coming from an experienced mom)!
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Relief for Back Muscles of New Moms
Are you looking for safe and natural relief for your back muscles as a new mom?
Having a baby can put so much stress on your back in ways you never thought possible. Between carrying the baby, breastfeeding, and recovering from labor, your back muscles could use some TLC in the early months of having a newborn.
Here are a couple of tips to help with relieving back muscle pain:
- Watch your posture. Good posture is important for everyone, but especially for new moms. During breastfeeding, bring the baby to your breast, not the breast to the baby. Slouching can cause or accentuate back muscle pain. Sit in a firm chair with a nursing pillow and try the cradle hold or football hold in an upright position.
- It’s a good idea to use breastfeeding pillows. My favorite breastfeeding pillow is called My Brest Friend, and it truly will be your best friend while breastfeeding! I am excited to use it again with my third baby because I know it doesn’t disappoint and I can tell a huge difference when I don’t use it while breastfeeding. When you use pillows, it gets you instantly in a proper nursing position for your baby.
- Seek cooling relief for your back muscles by using a cooling phase change material! Opal Cool has a product called Cool One that naturally relieves back, hip, and belly pain. It’s a clinically tested material that is physician-recommended, FDA registered, and a Class One medical device. All you have to do is refrigerate the product for 30 minutes and then wear it to relieve your back pain.
Clinically tested cool therapy products for hot women at every stage of life, from motherhood through menopause, and to treat MS and heat stress.
Lower Back Pain Relief
Back pain that is focused in your lower back region is tough when you have a newborn baby. Here are my best tips for dealing with lower back pain relief:
- Get a relaxing massage. Massages may have been something you steered clear of during pregnancy, but now is the time to give them a go! After all, new mums deserve it! Having a newborn baby is tough work on your lower back.
- Get walking. Walking will help with the strengthening of your back and neck muscles. Your lower back pain can be alleviated by putting the baby in the stroller and going outside for a nice stroll. You can even walk with a baby carrier. Watch the position of your shoulder blades when you walk.
- Use Opal Cool’s wearable Cool One wrap on your lower back. It’s safe for continuous use as a cooling therapy and you will feel the difference after using it. It can be placed in the fridge or freezer for just 30 minutes and used right away.
- Cat-Cow exercise helps with lower back pain relief and doesn’t take that long to do either! All you need is to perform these light exercises for 30-60 seconds per day for relief. Find some quiet time to incorporate these gentle exercises.
Abdominal Muscles in the Early Weeks
If you are dealing with pain in your abdominal muscles in the early weeks after birth, be sure to check out my best tips below.
- Heat helps sore muscles. You may experience cramp-like pains (especially while breastfeeding) in the first few days and even weeks after giving birth. Treat these Abdominal muscle pains like you would your menstrual period cramps and apply heat! Think of a warm bath, hot compress, warm showers, heat pack, or a hot water bottle.
- First-time moms tend to have these “afterpains” more mildly than moms who have already given birth before. Keep that in mind and prepare by getting the right heating pad all set to go.
- Get adequate rest. Life with a new baby can be tough mentally and physically. Getting a lot of time to rest (or as much as realistically possible with a newborn) is key to your recovery.
Cooling Compress for Breast Pain
Breast pain after birth will happen whether you are breastfeeding or choose not to breastfeed. If you are breastfeeding, you can reach for Opal Cool’s cooling breast pads to help soothe your breasts and pull heat away from your breast area.
- Opal Cool’s Gal Pals Chill Pack is great for refrigerating and reusing. They reach 58 degrees Fahrenheit for maximum cooling therapy for breast pain and sore nipples. They can also be used to calm hot flashes, treat heat stress, and cool you down after a workout. The best part is they are reusable and provide portable pain relief for headaches, fevers, first aid, and more.
- Opal Cool’s Gal Pals Go Pack doesn’t even need refrigeration. To be honest, I am wearing them right now and all I had to do was grab them out of the package and place them in the correct spot. These Gal Pals are for use on the go to provide cooling comfort and breast pain relief when you need it! You can wear them inside your bra until the cooling pads become clear, which takes about 30-40 minutes. They are so comfortable and cool! You get 4 in a pack and they can be reused once they return to room temperature and turn firm and white again!
Nipple Pain Cooling Relief
Nipple pain is tough when you first start breastfeeding. It crops up even after you have established your breastfeeding routine if the baby does a poor latch, you get a blocked milk duct or other reasons. Here are my top tips for dealing with nipple pain and providing cooling relief to help ease the pain:
- My go-to nipple cream is the Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream for Baby and Mom. I love that it’s 100% natural, soothes and protects nipples, and is safe for babies too! I would apply it right after I breastfed my baby to start soothing those nipples and/or preventing sore nipples.
- For cooling relief, I like to use Opal Cool’s Gal Pals Chill Pack, which comes with 4 reusable cooling breast pads. You can simply leave them in your bra and let them do their job. It feels so good to have this cooling relief to relieve breast pain and sore nipples after breastfeeding. Take deep breaths and feel the Gal Pals soothe your nipples.
Clinically tested cool therapy products for hot women at every stage of life, from motherhood through menopause, and to treat MS and heat stress.
MOM TIP: How are your eyes feeling, mama? If you like the feeling of cooling relief on your back and breasts as a new mom, you should also check out Opal Cool’s Cooling Eye Mask! If you are anything like I was as a new mom, your eyes are probably puffy and aching from lack of sleep. This cooling mask helps to revitalize your eye puffiness, swelling, headaches, and migraines. All you have to do is refrigerate your mask for at least 20 minutes and you’ll be all set!
Neck Pain and Poor Posture
Neck pain can happen with breastfeeding, especially if you are using poor posture. Here are some tips to deal with neck pain from breastfeeding:
- Change positions. Sometimes the act of feeding the baby in the same position every single time is enough to cause neck pain. Try different positions and see if that helps (I have found changing positions to be exactly what I needed.) Make sure you are nursing in the right chair, and not in an awkward position.
- See a physical therapist. Tell them about the neck pain you are having and they can help with pain relief by giving a targeted therapy specific to your neck pain needs. Consult your healthcare provider if a Physical Therapist is right for you.
- Do stretches before and after breastfeeding.
- Apply a heating pack to your neck and shoulders to help with neck pain relief.
Final Thoughts on Breastfeeding Back Pain
As you can see, I have given you my best tips on how to soothe breastfeeding back pain and nipple pain. I hope that these suggestions help you combat your pain and enjoy breastfeeding more fully! Cooling therapies work wonders on back pain and nipple pain. Applying heat to abdominal muscles and sore neck helps with pain relief.
If you found this post helpful, be sure to save it on Pinterest and share it on social media!
Here are some additional posts you may find helpful:
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Thanks for reading!
