Nipple Care

Which nipple care product should you choose for pain-free breastfeeding?

Although breastfeeding is a wonderful experience, it can be disrupted or even made very difficult for some women due to irritation, pain, cracks, or chafing around the nipples. Your breasts are sensitive during the first few days of breastfeeding—this is completely normal. However, sore, cracked, or bleeding nipples should not be the price you pay for breastfeeding your child. Breastfeeding isn’t supposed to hurt!

Breastfeeding makes the nipple more delicate, as it is stretched and exposed to moisture with every feeding. It takes a little time for it to adjust, and this is completely normal; the force the baby exerts on the breast while nursing is very strong. If everything is going well, the pain occurs at the start of a feeding, then subsides, and after a few days of breastfeeding, this sensation disappears.

Unfortunately, the pain doesn’t always subside over time. At first, the nipples show no visible damage but are painful during feedings. If the cause of this pain isn’t identified quickly, cracks may form. Cracked nipples appear as small red fissures on the surface of the nipple or as lesions; these are nipple cracks, or the entire nipple may look red and chafed. In the most severe cases, these lesions may even bleed. Since feedings are very frequent, the nipple does not have time to heal between feedings.

Breast milk: the ideal solution right at your fingertips

Colostrum and breast milk act as an ideal “bandage” that moisturizes the affected area. Its scent is familiar to the baby, it tastes good, is non-allergenic, and effective because it is rich in antibodies and growth factors (which help regenerate the skin). Simply apply a drop of milk to the nipples at the end of a feeding to prevent irritation. If cracks develop, you can place compresses soaked in milk on the nipples several times a day.

Lanolin:

It provides a moisturizing barrier that helps retain the body’s internal moisture while allowing oxygenation. Normal skin hydration is maintained, and the skin remains supple. It is particularly useful for treating cracked nipples and irritation.
Lanolin is naturally dense and compact; feel free to rub it between your fingers a little before applying it.

Specialized nipple care products or balms: 

There are balms and oils specially formulated to soothe and protect sore nipples. Essential Care balm , with calendula and shea butter, can be applied before, during, and after breastfeeding and provides effective relief. Pranarôm’s Nipple Cracks treatment is formulated with essential and plant-based oils that protect and regenerate the delicate skin of the nipple. Apply it immediately after breastfeeding to and around the painful area.

A vegetable oil:

Any vegetable oil can be used to moisturize the nipples. Calendula oil is particularly recommended for irritation. It is therefore useful for massaging the nipples immediately after breastfeeding.

Do silicone nipple shields replace nipple care?

Throughout the breastfeeding journey, many tools are available to mothers, including silicone nipple shields.

The silicone nipple shield is an accessory, similar to a small cap, designed to help mothers during breastfeeding. Its thin silicone construction and small holes at the tip are intended to facilitate feeding while allowing the baby’s nose to remain in contact with the mother’s skin.

However, the use of this device is the subject of much debate.

Debates and Considerations

• Effects on Breast Emptying: Experts are concerned that some babies may not empty the breast properly with this tool, leading to insufficient weight gain and a decrease in the mother’s milk production.
• Impact on Preterm Infants: Studies indicate that its use with preterm infants may reduce maternal frustration, while raising questions about its effectiveness in milk transfer. Paradoxically, other research shows that some preterm infants may transfer more milk with a nipple shield than without one.
• Transition from Bottle to Breast: It can help bottle-fed babies adapt to breastfeeding. Indeed, babies who have become accustomed to the rigidity of a bottle nipple often have trouble figuring out how to draw the breast into their mouths.
• Pain Relief: Some mothers use it to soothe sore nipples or make latching easier, particularly when they feel their nipples are too flat. In most cases, these mothers have not been shown how to latch a baby onto the breast.

Proper Selection and Use

Size and Shape: The size of the silicone nipple shield that’s right for each mother depends on how it’s used and how the baby takes it into their mouth. A well-fitting nipple shield will allow the baby to feed effectively by covering a good portion of the breast tissue without being limited to just the protruding part of the nipple. The shape of the nipple shield is important; it must allow the nipple to expand during the let-down reflex. Otherwise, it may compress the milk ducts and reduce the volume of milk available to the baby, just as a breast pump flange that’s too small would.

The nipple elongates as the baby sucks; if, at the end of a feeding, the small holes at the tip of the nipple are imprinted on the mother’s nipple, it means that this nipple shape is not suitable for this mother-infant dyad.

Adaptation to the Baby’s Mouth

The nipple must also adapt to the shape of the baby’s mouth. If the nipple is longer than the baby’s palate, the baby will take it less deeply into the mouth, which will reduce milk flow. In this case, the baby’s gums may pinch the mother’s breast and cause pain through the nipple.

Some nipple shields that are wider at the base are often longer. Finding the right nipple shield for each mother-baby pair can be a real challenge.

Sometimes the problem with latching stems from the fact that the nipple is too large for the baby to hold in their mouth, and in this case, no nipple shield will be a solution.

Finding the right nipple shield—in terms of both size and shape—may require some trial and error.

Application Techniques

Specific techniques are needed to properly insert the breast tissue into the nipple shield and keep it in place during breastfeeding. For example, showing the mother how to turn the nipple shield inside out and then slide her nipple into it, or how to stretch the base of the shield and then press the nipple and the shield together.

Additional Considerations:

• Ongoing Evaluation: The use of the nipple shield should be regularly reevaluated, with the goal of gradually phasing it out to promote natural breastfeeding.
• Masked Problems: Overly systematic use can sometimes mask underlying problems that would have required a different approach.
• Care and Practicality: Nipple shields require thorough cleaning, can be difficult to use in public, and are prone to being misplaced.

What breastfeeding products can be found on the Soin-et-Nature website?

Soin-et-Nature offers a comprehensive selection of products to support mothers during breastfeeding and ensure their baby’s well-being. Here are the main categories available:

• To care for the nipples and prevent irritation, specialized nipple care products moisturize, soothe, and protect sensitive skin during breastfeeding.
• To promote lactation and help moms maintain a balanced diet, breastfeeding supplements support milk production and boost essential nutritional intake.
• To make breastfeeding easier and help express breast milk, high-performance, ergonomic breast pumps are available to meet the daily needs of breastfeeding moms.

These breastfeeding products available on Soin-et-Nature provide optimal support to ensure moms’ comfort and babies’ well-being, all while adhering to a natural and gentle approach.