Care for Sore Nipples and Cracked Nipples

28 Jun

Posted by Admin as Uncategorized

Many mothers suffer from sore and cracked nipples immediately after the birth of their babies. Breast-feeding like parenting is a complicated issue for them. They sense a lack of hardness to their attractive nipples. For many mothers tender and sensitive nipples are common during the beginning days of breast-feeding. Pain during breast-feeding is a sign of sore and cracked nipples and should not be avoided. Sore and cracked nipples are common and may represent an obstacle to successful breastfeeding.

Sore and cracked nipples can be developed due to many reasons. The major cause for sore nipples is the baby, sucking the nipples harder because; she/he not getting enough milk. When the baby sucks only for comfort without a proper latch after falling asleep from the breast, it will lead to sore and cracked nipples. Mothers should not pull the baby’s moth away from the nipples without first breaking the suction, as it would lead to sore and cracked nipples.

General breast care and treatment for sore nipples

Allow some breast milk to dry on your nipples. Breast milk contains natural skin softeners and antibodies to fight infection, which can help heal nipples and keep them healthy.

Let your nipples air-dry or dry them gently with a hair dryer after each feeding. This prevents clothing from sticking to and irritating the breast. Moistening the nipple helps detach stuck clothing.

Apply modified lanolin or other specially formulated ointments or creams made with hypoallergenic ingredients (such as Lansinoh or modified lanolin USP25).

What to do about sore and cracked nipples:

Make sure your baby is properly positioned and has a proper latch on your areola, not your nipple.

Make sure your baby is always facing your breasts, but try varying your nursing position. This means that a different part of your nipple will be compressed each time.

Always try to use both breasts at every feeding, even if it’s not for very long. If one breast is more sore than the other, nurse from the less sore one first. If your baby is very hungry, she’ll tend to suck more vigorously at the beginning of the feeding. Avoidance, in this case, won’t work — and will actually make matters worse.

Positioning

Many mothers experience rapid relief from nipple pain when they begin to position the baby properly.

If your nipples are very sore, it may also help to change positions each time you nurse the baby; for example, sit up one feeding, lie down for the next. You can try the “football hold” explained in the Getting Started section.

Your nipples should not be sucked in by baby, but should be placed far back in baby’s mouth when his mouth is open very wide to breastfeed.

Keep your nipples dry.

Gently pat your nipples dry with a clean cloth after nursing. Wash your nipples with soap and water when you bathe. If you wear breast pads, change them as soon as they become wet.

Don’t dry your nipples too much. For example, don’t dry them with a hair dryer and don’t expose them to air for a long time if you live where the humidity is low. Too much dryness can worsen the condition of the skin.

Sore Nipple Management

Nipple pain that occurs between feedings or that continues during the entire feeding is not a normal part of the breastfeeding experience. Tell your lactation consultant, La Leche League or Nursing Mothers’ Council helper, or your health care provider if your nipples become cracked or blistered. Breastfeeding assistance from a knowledgeable breastfeeding professional can often correct these problems.

Most nipple injury results from a poor latch. Effective latch on insures that the most sensitive part of the nipple tissue is pulled deeply into the baby’s mouth. The tongue is forward over the lower gum to help cushion the compression.