Nipple Care Guidelines
Here are some important things to remember in your early postpartum days when you are in the thick of cluster feeding, working through latching difficulties, the babe has oral restrictions, or things are plain old, feeling tender, sore, and raw.
First and foremost, could you get a latch and feeding assessment done with an IBCLC? Ensuring optimal positioning and latch is the first step in protecting your nipples from pain and damage. If you are pumping, get a pump flange fitting done to ensure your pump is not causing unnecessary pain and injury.
You might have pain with initial latching in the first couple of weeks postpartum. This is normal, and the pain is due to your nipple hitting the baby’s hard palate when they latch initially. As the baby continues sucking and maintains an active nursing pattern, the nipple stretches to the baby’s soft palate. This is why within 20-30 seconds of dynamic nursing, the nipple pain you felt with the initial latch should drastically decrease or completely disappear. If toe-curling, slicing pain persists past the first 30 seconds, the latch is likely too shallow and will cause nipple damage. Always check to see what your nipple shape is when the babe unlatches. (It should be rounded and not misshaped in any way)
Pro tip: When unlatching the baby from the breast, stick your pinky finger in the corner of the baby’s mouth to release the suction before removing the baby from the nipple.
Non-Pharmacologic Nipple Care Options:
Freshly expressed Colostrum or Expressed Breastmilk
-Human milk has many healing properties to it. Express milk and rub onto nipples and let air dry after each feeding or pumping session
Silverettes or Silver Nipple Caps
-Silver has natural healing properties, and the caps protect tender nipples from rubbing on clothing or getting compressed into bra pads.
Organic Coconut oil
-Coconut oil has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties to it. It absorbs quickly and conditions the skin
Organic Nipple Balm or Organic Nipple Butter
-Most of the options have calendula, which is a healing
Medihoney
-Medical grade honey that is ultra-filtered and pasteurized, so there is no risk of bacteria or spores that could contain botulism. It is soothing and healing. This is not regular honey that you find at the grocery store. Ask your IBCLC for an appropriate brand
Epsom Salt Soak
-Lean over a bowl of warm water and Epsom salt to aid in healing and decrease inflammation. It can also help with blebs, blisters, and overall breast engorgement, as well
Remember, it is common and normal to have nipple tenderness and soreness for 1-2 weeks postpartum. Visible nipple damage (cracks, blisters, bleeding) is not necessarily normal but widespread. Sometimes the damage is not necessarily from a suboptimal latch, but it can be caused by oral restrictions in babe or maternal nipples being inverted or flatter in shape. It takes time for adhesions to break up and for babies to latch easier on flatter nipples. Seek out an IBCLC for an assessment to get to the root cause of the nipple damage so you can quickly get things healed up and heading in the right direction.
This is not medical advice. Always check with your Dr. or Midwife or schedule an appointment with an IBCLC to determine what would work best for you and your baby and your unique situation.
