ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03392675BSMUpdated Mar 11, 2021

Breastfeeding Self-Management for Nipple and Breast Pain

An interventional study of Self-monitoring of BF and intervention in Breastfeeding and Breast Pain, sponsored by University of Connecticut. Completed at 2 sites in United States. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 45 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-03-11.

Sponsored by University of Connecticut · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 8 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Apr 2017, registered Jan 2018).
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
65
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 45 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

This pilot project will provide an understanding of the contextual variables responsible for breast and nipple pain during breastfeeding initiation. These variables include, genetic variation, pain sensitivity, reactivity, pain catastrophizing and perceived stress. The purpose is to understand the efficacy of self-management (SM) strategies on each of these contextual variables, in an effort to inform a personalized approach to managing breastfeeding pain and its effect on improved health outcomes.

Read the detailed description

Breastfeeding (BF) is one of the most important early determinants of infant health and development. Duration of BF is significantly related to reduced incidence of infantile respiratory and gastrointestinal tract infections, obesity and asthma. However, over 35% of mothers cease exclusive BF during the first 6 weeks due to nipple and breast pain. While 90% of mothers report acute nipple and breast pain during the first week of BF initiation, approximately 30% will experience persistent pain (>10 days). Due to the significant impact of nipple and breast pain on BF duration, pain is a significant barrier for achieving public health outcomes.

The following pilot project will test the feasibility of a Breastfeeding Self-Management (BSM) Intervention on BF outcomes in mothers with nipple and breast pain. In addition, the proposed study will provide a preliminary examination of genetic, psychological and somatosensory factors that predict nipple and breast pain and possibly, early cessation of BF.

Individual factors, including genetic polymorphisms of pain sensitivity genes and the individual's interpretation of pain can influence pain facilitation or inhibition at the molecular level of pain processing. Moreover, maternal anticipation of pain may increase pain catastrophizing, perceived stress and reactivity contributing to increased peripheral and central sensitivity. Identifying strategies to increase mothers' BF knowledge, pain self-efficacy and self-regulation skills could lead to increased SM behaviors. Therefore, this pilot study was designed to target pain SM process factors (self-monitoring, knowledge of breast care, BF self-efficacy, pain self-efficacy, and problem solving) relevant to mothers who experience pain during BF. The overarching goal of this program of research is to improve nipple and breast pain SM in BF mothers and enhance their BF self-efficacy to achieve their BF goals.

The proposed study will address a major barrier of BF duration by identifying factors that contribute to nipple and breast pain. The proposed SM intervention will specifically target pain information, pain self-efficacy and problem-solving as central components of the SM process. In addition, the investigators will examine the influence of peripheral and central sensitivity and frequency of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), on SM process and outcome variables over time to gain knowledge about the precise influence of the molecular context of pain on risk of nipple and breast pain and BF outcomes.

02

Conditions studied

  • Breastfeeding
  • Breast Pain

Keywords

  • Breast and Nipple Pain
  • Quantitative Sensory Testing
  • Genotyping
  • Breastfeeding
03

In context

Breast Feeding

1,081 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Feeding; 217 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 65 is below the median of 100 across 844 interventional studies indexed under Breast Feeding.

Browse Breast Feeding studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Connecticut is the lead sponsor of 135 studies on the registry; 19 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 45 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Have just given birth (\<48 hours)
  • Intention to breastfeed for 6 weeks
  • Has daily access to a computer with internet
  • Access to a phone
  • Read and speak English
  • Delivered a healthy singleton infant born >37 weeks gestational age

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Infants with congenital anomalies
  • Mothers with major mental health issues (i.e Schizophrenia, Mania, Bipolar Disorder)
  • Complications during delivery requiring intervention
  • Mothers with major health issues that are not associated with pregnancy as determined by principal investigator (i.e. infection illness such as +, hepatitis, diabetes, history of seizures, current diagnosis of cancer).
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
65 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Self-monitoring of BF and intervention

    Self-monitoring and regulation skills will be provided to mothers at discharge. Aside from daily diaries outlining, infant feeding behaviors and pain, mothers will be instructed to watch several 5-minute video modules to assist with self-management of breast and nipple pain. These videos include: pain neurophysiology; non-pharmacological strategies; common BF issues and intervention; catastrophizing; stress reactivity; deep breathing; guided imagery and support (informational and instrumental). These mothers will also be asked to complete study questionnaires and measures at specified time points.

    Behavioral: Self-monitoring of BF and intervention

  • No intervention
    Control

    Usual care and asked to complete measures at follow-up time points.

Interventions

  • BehavioralSelf-monitoring of BF and intervention

    Self-Monitoring: At discharge, mothers will complete daily diaries for self-monitoring to stimulate cognitive reframing on the occurrence, duration, and characteristics of nipple and breast pain, infants' latch and sucking pattern, positioning, length of each BF session, and the MAIBB. Self-Regulation: To support self-regulation skills, mothers will be provided with several 5-minute video modules on pain and BF pain SM with additional resources links. After discharge mother will receive text message from a nurse 2X/week for BF support. Mothers may text the nurse for emergent BF support.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain Sensitivity

    Quantitative sensory testing

    Time frame: Baseline

  2. Genetic variations in COMT

    Pain susceptibility SNPs genotyping related to breastfeeding related breast and nipple pain.

    Time frame: Baseline

Secondary outcomes

  1. Increased duration of breastfeeding

    With self-management of breast and nipple pain

    Time frame: Week 1, 2 and 6

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • UConn Health
    Farmington, Connecticut 06030, United States
  • Manchester Memorial Hospital
    Manchester, Connecticut 06040, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Breastfeeding. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2015 Jan-Feb;44(1):145-50. doi: 10.1111/1552-6909.12530. Epub 2015 Jan 14. No abstract available. PubMed 25588888 ↗
  • Odom EC, Li R, Scanlon KS, Perrine CG, Grummer-Strawn L. Reasons for earlier than desired cessation of breastfeeding. Pediatrics. 2013 Mar;131(3):e726-32. doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-1295. Epub 2013 Feb 18. PubMed 23420922 ↗
  • Kent JC, Ashton E, Hardwick CM, Rowan MK, Chia ES, Fairclough KA, Menon LL, Scott C, Mather-McCaw G, Navarro K, Geddes DT. Nipple Pain in Breastfeeding Mothers: Incidence, Causes and Treatments. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015 Sep 29;12(10):12247-63. doi: 10.3390/ijerph121012247. PubMed 26426034 ↗
  • Dennis CL, Jackson K, Watson J. Interventions for treating painful nipples among breastfeeding women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Dec 15;2014(12):CD007366. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007366.pub2. PubMed 25506813 ↗
  • Nicholas Penney, J., The biopsychosocial model of pain and contemporary osteopathic practice. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 2010. 13(2): p. 42---47.
  • Amir LH, Jones LE, Buck ML. Nipple pain associated with breastfeeding: incorporating current neurophysiology into clinical reasoning. Aust Fam Physician. 2015 Mar;44(3):127-32. PubMed 25770578 ↗
  • Diatchenko L, Slade GD, Nackley AG, Bhalang K, Sigurdsson A, Belfer I, Goldman D, Xu K, Shabalina SA, Shagin D, Max MB, Makarov SS, Maixner W. Genetic basis for individual variations in pain perception and the development of a chronic pain condition. Hum Mol Genet. 2005 Jan 1;14(1):135-43. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddi013. Epub 2004 Nov 10. PubMed 15537663 ↗
  • Lucas R, Zhang Y, Walsh SJ, Evans H, Young E, Starkweather A. Efficacy of a Breastfeeding Pain Self-Management Intervention: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Nurs Res. 2019 Mar/Apr;68(2):E1-E10. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000336. PubMed 30829925 ↗

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — All of the individual participant data that are part of National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) designated common data elements collected during the trial, after de-identification have been submitted to NIH repository at the Common Data Repository for Nursing Science (cdRNS). Data can be accessed by directly submitting requests at that website. When will data be available (start and end dates)? Immediately. No end date. With whom? Anyone who wishes to access the data and creates an account on cdRNS.nih.gov. By what mechanism will data be made available? Data are available at cdRNS.nih.gov

Time frame: within 2 years

Access criteria: Requests will be submitted through the cdRNS website.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 11, 2021, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03392675
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 8, 2018
Start date
Apr 24, 2017
Primary completion
Nov 6, 2017
Completion
Nov 7, 2017
Last update
Mar 11, 2021

Study contacts

Ruth Lucas, PhD, RN
principal investigator · University of Connecticut

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2021. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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