depends on how things have been up until this point..

has it always been painful? Or is it just now becoming painful? (And I can't remember, but isn't your baby 6 months old now?)

that would help...I've had horrible pain like that, but it was in the early months when my first wasn't latching on properly. I've never experienced that during ovulation...however...I never ovulate/have periods while I'm nursing.

I have a 3 week old, and my nipples hurt constantly, even after a visit with a lactation consultant and the baby being latched on and positioned correctly (she said it just may take us a few more weeks to not hurt because he's small and, um, I'm not). She says for many moms it will be somewhat painful when they first latch on, even for a while. Have you tried contacting a LC to see what they say? I just called the one from my hospital and she was very helpful. Good luck figuring it out. It sounds like you could use a little encouragement on this like me right now... 

She will be 7 months tomorrow.  It did hurt really bad when she was a newborn, but that ended after about 3 weeks.  She is teething. No cracks. And no I am sure that I am not drinking enough water. 
I know that I have plenty of milk to go around.  I don't know! 
It hurts though.

It could be thrush. Are your nipples red?  I had that.  It's painful, from the moment they latch on until they are finished.  Even when you aren't nursing, are your nipples tender when you put your bra on, or if they get touched?

Unless you have a fever, then it could be Mastitis, which is a different thing altogether, and a lot more serious. (sp?)

Thrush is hard to treat - it's a yeast infection.  Does your baby have white patches in the mouth, or a diaper rash?

You will have to boil your nursing bras, bottles, cloth diapers, anything your nipples, milk, and baby's mouth and butt comes in contact with.  Fortunately there is treatment.  You can take Diflucan, which is what a lot of docs prescribe for yeast infections.

Also, there is medicine for your baby on the spots.

Get in touch with an experienced lactation consultant first, just to be sure.

Most docs get very little training on breastfeeding and associated issues.  Diflucan is usually prescribed in just 2 pills for your run 'o the mill yeast infection down under.  F

For thrush you will need to take it daily for 10-14 days.  Get your lactation consultant on board with that effort, because not enough meds will equal a stronger resurgance of the thrush yeasty beasties.  Your doc may not know how much to prescribe/how long the therapy needs to be.

TRUST ME I have been down this road.

PM me if its thrush!!  Also, you can google Thrush.

GOOD LUCK!

 

Yeah, but from what she's saying, doesn't it seem like she probably has thrush?  Evil stuff, that thrush!  Sick

I second the thrush opinion...one old fashioned natural way (although messy) it to treat it (your nipples) is with violet gentian (SP?). Dark purple liquid that stains everything and kills yeast. We can get it here OTC, just have to ask the pharmacist.

Then you just paint it on your nipples before and after you breast feed, baby's gets a deep purple ring around their mouths...don't worry it fads with time...
Good luck....I know how awful thrush can be! 

The fact that she wasn't staying latched on is another sign of thrush... please get checked out, and let us know what happens.