FAQ #3 What ointment can I put on my injured nipples?Injured Nipples , ouch If your nipples are cracked, bruised or bleeding something is not quite right. If your baby is latching on correctly you will avoid nipple pain and injury MOST of the time. Notice I say MOST of the time.There can be anatomy issues with your nipples or babies mouth that causes the injury. Or there could be an infection. The bottom line. Before you put one thing on your nipple: Seek professional help. A visit with a lactation consultant can prove invaluable at this time. Ointments are NOT the answer. Correcting the problem is the answer. Don’t be shy about talking with someone, if you don’t it could only get worse. Find a local lactation consultant. Assuming you have seen a lactation consultant and have the problem corrected. The very best thing to put on an injured nipple is your breastmilk/colostrum. Yep. It has all those wonderful antibodies in it and moisturing agents, so it is like a super duper antibiotic moisturizer all in one. Watch this video on how to hand express your breastmilk. Another option is the use of 100% pure lanolin. There are many commercial options for this. It is safe for baby to ingest. There two things most people do not realize about lanolin. #1 it has no healing properties in it, the purpose is to soothe ONLY. #2 overuse of lanolin can lead to a yeast infection on your nipple or in the babies mouth called THRUSH. Overuse can also keep your nipples TOO moist thus increasing the likelihood of further injury.So, if you are going to use lanolin, limit it to 3 times per day and use very sparingly. In my practice, I only suggest lanolin when expressed breastmilk is not providing enough relief. Be careful, there are many herbal ointments/remedies out there offered as nipple ointments. Remember, that what you put on your nipple will be ingested by baby, so use extreme caution on what you put on your nipples. Some other comfort techniques are applying warm or cold compresses (whichever feels better), the use of silicone gel pads for pain relief or the use of breast shells to provide some comfort. If you feel like you need to take some pain medication or feel you might possibly have an infection, please consult your physician. Could it be Thrush?
or Mastitis?
Back from injured nipples to breastfeeding problems page |
Online Childbirth/Breastfeeding Class
Share this page with your friends:
