There seems to be a lot posts lately asking what to do with sore and cracked nipples and that gave me the idea to make this thread. I am hoping to get it stickied so as to make the info more easily accessible. Please reply with your helpful info and links.
NOTE: This FAQ is not about treating thrush. There is already a dedicated thread for thrush. This FAQ is about treating sore/cracked nipples in general, regardless of whether there is thrush, and without specifically giving info on treating thrush. Thank you in advance for sticking to topic and helping to create an effective sticky.
Thanks!
To start out, here is my advice for cracked or beat-up nipples:
When I get a crack I go straight for the Aquaphor. This stuff is a lifesaver for cracked nipples or lips. What I do is
1. Hand express a little breastmilk onto the nipple and rub it to soften the cracked skin
2. Nurse the baby, being sure to change positioning often to help avoid soreness or more cracking
3. When the baby has finished, I hand express a litt more milk onto the nipple and let it air dry
4. Then apply a thick layer of Aquaphor onto the cracked nipple
5. Make sure no clothes are abrading the nipple and the Aquaphor stays on until the next nurse (no top on is the best)
6. Gently rub any extra Aquaphor off the nipple before the next nurse
Aquaphor has no flavor just FYI.
Other helpful info:
One thing I found VERY helpful was realizing that changing nursing position often was the best help for alleviating soreness when nursing my newborns. This helps because the baby's palate is rubbing on different sides of your breast instead of in the same spot all the time you nurse.
It was helpful to learn that a painful initial latch-on the first few weeks was just normal for me and it diminished over time. The pain would only last for about 1 second and curled my toes.
It was also helpful to learn that there is often pain when your milk lets down. It can be an excruciatingly sharp pain for a couple seconds. This pain also diminished over time.
Both of these kinds of nipple pain are usually very normal. Deep breathing through the intital latch-on and letdown pains helped me a lot. After a few weeks, breastfeeding became pretty much painless.
Constant pain while nursing is not normal. If for any reason you feel the pain is too severe or that breastfeeding doesn't seem to be going right or is failing, immediately contact a Lactation Consultant, or the nearest Le Leche League group for more assistance. www.llli.org Don't wait too long if you feel something is wrong, as supply problems can quickly appear, when a mom is hesitant to nurse because of the pain.
NOTE: This FAQ is not about treating thrush. There is already a dedicated thread for thrush. This FAQ is about treating sore/cracked nipples in general, regardless of whether there is thrush, and without specifically giving info on treating thrush. Thank you in advance for sticking to topic and helping to create an effective sticky.
Thanks!
To start out, here is my advice for cracked or beat-up nipples:
When I get a crack I go straight for the Aquaphor. This stuff is a lifesaver for cracked nipples or lips. What I do is
1. Hand express a little breastmilk onto the nipple and rub it to soften the cracked skin
2. Nurse the baby, being sure to change positioning often to help avoid soreness or more cracking
3. When the baby has finished, I hand express a litt more milk onto the nipple and let it air dry
4. Then apply a thick layer of Aquaphor onto the cracked nipple
5. Make sure no clothes are abrading the nipple and the Aquaphor stays on until the next nurse (no top on is the best)
6. Gently rub any extra Aquaphor off the nipple before the next nurse
Aquaphor has no flavor just FYI.
Other helpful info:
One thing I found VERY helpful was realizing that changing nursing position often was the best help for alleviating soreness when nursing my newborns. This helps because the baby's palate is rubbing on different sides of your breast instead of in the same spot all the time you nurse.
It was helpful to learn that a painful initial latch-on the first few weeks was just normal for me and it diminished over time. The pain would only last for about 1 second and curled my toes.
It was also helpful to learn that there is often pain when your milk lets down. It can be an excruciatingly sharp pain for a couple seconds. This pain also diminished over time.
Both of these kinds of nipple pain are usually very normal. Deep breathing through the intital latch-on and letdown pains helped me a lot. After a few weeks, breastfeeding became pretty much painless.
Constant pain while nursing is not normal. If for any reason you feel the pain is too severe or that breastfeeding doesn't seem to be going right or is failing, immediately contact a Lactation Consultant, or the nearest Le Leche League group for more assistance. www.llli.org Don't wait too long if you feel something is wrong, as supply problems can quickly appear, when a mom is hesitant to nurse because of the pain.
Yes, I used these a lot when my psorasis (yes, I have psoriasis on my nipples) would flare up and I would have a horrible crack halfway around my nipple. I put on my RX ointment, put a shield on and it healed wonderfully.
