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thesisThe purpose of this sutdy was to compare the incidence of nipple pain and damage in two groups of mothers who differ in duration and frequency of breast feeding periods during their hospital stay. The length of the feeds was controlled. However, the investigator was unabel to contro the interval between nursing periods to that the two gorups were comparable on this variable. Thus, the conditions previuously established as necessary to test the hypothesis were not satisfied. Group on (control) mothers nursed for shorter lengths than did group two (experimental) mothers. The first seven nursing periods of thos mother who were in the hospital were analyzed. Twenty mothers, ten each from two hopsitals, were included in the study. Mothers were discharged home at varying times causing the sample size in the two groups to differ after the fourth nursing period. To assess nipple pain, the mothers were asked to report on a six point scale the degreee of nipple discomfort they felt at threee times of each nursing period. The three measuring times were the intervals: 1)piro to nursing; 2) during first minute of effective sucking; and 3) after effective sucking was established. The nipple damage was evaluated by the investigator prior to each feeding period on a three point scale. The scale was 0 for no damage, 1 for swelling of nipple tissue and/or petechiae on nipple and areola, and 2 for break in tissue. The two groups were similar in the degree of discomfort they reported during the first minute of effective sucking. Group two had statistically significant more discomfort during the internval prior to nursing periods two, four, five, and seven (p<,05); and more discomfort during the first approximate minute of effective sucking of the seventh nursing period (p , .05). Other statistically signficant findings included positive correlations between older mother sna dmore breast feeding experience (p <.001), between older mothers and arker areola (p<.01), and between more breast feeding experiences and arker areola (p,.001). Mothers who were older, who had more breast feeding expierience, adn who had darker areola tended to have less nipple discomfort and damage. Mothers in group two (experimental) showed a trend toward having more milk in their breastsbefore the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh nursing periods than did grou one mothers. Althought group two mothers reported more nipple discomfort, this did not prevvent them from nursing for longer periods than group one mothers. The findings suggest that instruction and close supervision be given several times each day in the hopsital to breast feeding women with special emphasis on placing the infant's mouth on the areola properl