How to Care for Sore, Cracked or Bleeding Nipples When Breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding is a natural process, a special activity through which a baby and mother bond. It shouldn’t have to be painful for moms and difficult for babies.
It might take a little practice for both you and your baby to make this a pleasant experience and get it right.
You might experience soreness or discomfort when you don’t have a lot of practice and are just starting out. There could be many reasons for this. But don’t worry! There are several ways to make breastfeeding a positive and wholesome experience.
Here’s everything you need to know about breastfeeding the right way.
How to get your baby to attach to your breast correctly
You might be experiencing sore nipples or pain after a breastfeeding session if your baby is unable to latch onto your nipple correctly. This is the most common cause of sore cracked nipples, in fact, more than 80% of new mothers experience this.
After some trial-and-error you should be able to find the perfect position for you. Correcting your baby’s latching position will help heal any soreness and prevent it from happening again. Your nipple should rest against their soft palate and shouldn’t cause any pain or discomfort.
Another sign that your baby isn’t latching correctly is if you notice your nipples becoming flat, wedge-shaped, or white in colour. This happens because your baby is getting too little of the areola (the dark coloured circle around your nipple) in their mouth.
How to manage sore nipples during breastfeeding
Here’s a few at-home treatments you can try:
- After each feeding, don’t wipe your nipples of the excess breastmilk, instead let them air-dry.
- Get medications prescribed by your doctor for the pain.
- Apply 100% pure lanolin or Vaseline to your nipples after feeding sessions to get rid of dry, sore, cracked nipples.
- Sore nipples during breastfeeding do not improve with shorter feedings. Let your baby have milk for as long as they need to.
Finding the cause of cracked or bleeding nipples?
The most common cause of cracked or bleeding nipples in breastfeeding moms is a bad latch. Your baby might be struggling with taking your nipple and areola far enough into their mouth, to prevent irritation. This causes them to become painful and crack, bleed, or scab.
It is advisable to take help from a professional, or your baby’s doctor to help you with the latch.
How to treat cracked or bleeding nipples?
- Check the latch.
- Try different nursing positions.
- Apply cold packs to numb the pain.
- Breastfeed frequently to improve your baby’s latch.
- Hand pump breastmilk before each session for two to three minutes to help your baby get milk and latch easier.
- Nurse on the injured side last as your baby gets a little less hungry and loosens their latch. Or just feed with one and gently hand pump the other side.
- Babies find sucking very calming and pleasurable. So, know when your baby is done with their meal and gently unlatch. The less time spent on the injured nipple the faster the healing process.
Leave prescribed ointments on your nipple and areola overnight as it is the best time to heal. Babies usually wake up in the middle of the night, often due to a wet diaper and demand they also be fed. So, make sure you are putting them in a diaper that absorbs well and lasts all night. Diapers made by Teddyy, are the best diapers for the sensitive skin of your baby and absorb like magic.
Breastfeeding can get stressful. Take help and support from your partner and family members whenever things get too overwhelming for you. And for advice you can always reach out to us, and we’ll take care of your problems! 🙂
