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Breastfeeding your baby with sore, cracked nipples isn’t fun for anyone – especially if it means you start dreading feeds.
Knowledge, patience and perseverance are the key to successful breastfeeding, and mums need to know how to care for their breasts and nipples so they can continue to care and feed their baby.
Here are eight breast care tips that will hopefully make breastfeeding easier for mums.
Sponsored by Medela
Your baby’s latch plays a considerable part in breastfeeding. An incorrect latch can cause lots of nipple pain for mum, and baby can struggle to get enough milk. When your baby is latching, aim your nipple at the roof of their mouth – their lower gum should be well below the base of the nipple. You can also try different breastfeeding positions to find one that works best for you and your baby.
If you’re struggling with your baby’s latch, get it checked by a healthcare professional, or contact the Australian Breastfeeding Association on 1800 686 268.
If, for whatever reason, you need to break your baby’s suction and reattach – do so gently. Pop your little pinky in the corner of your baby’s mouth to break the latch and avoid them from pulling on your nipple, which can be quite painful.
A soothing nipple cream can be a mum’s saving grace while breastfeeding. Medela’s new and improved Purelan™ Lanolin Cream is made from 100% natural, ultra-pure medical-grade lanolin with no additives, preservatives, and fragrance added. Medela’s Purelan™ is clinically proven to provide relief to sore nipples 1-4. Importantly, it’s safe for mum and baby – there’s no need to remove before feeding. Read Medela Purelan reviews.
Not only does breastmilk provide all the nutrients your baby needs, but it can also help soothe and heal cracked nipples. Express a little milk after feeding, soak a breast pad, apply to your nipples and just leave until your next feed.
The hungrier your baby is, the more aggressive their latch is going to be. Keep an eye out for those early hunger cues, such as their fists moving to the mouth or head turning to look for the breast, and feed them before they reach peak hunger.
As we mentioned above, when babies are hungry, their latch can be more aggressive. If you have one boob that’s more sore than the other, it’s a good idea to start a feed with your ‘good’ boob first, to avoid causing pain to your already sore breast. Then, once they’re not so hungry, offer the other. Make sure you’re still draining both breasts, though, to help prevent mastitis.
Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is a condition in which the thin piece of skin under the baby’s tongue is shorter than average and restricts the movement of the tongue. The condition occurs in about 3% of babies and can cause breastfeeding issues. If you think your baby might have a tongue-tie, make an appointment with your GP or another health care professional.
If one of your breasts is sore, it might be a good idea to give it a break from breastfeeding for 12-24 hours and express breastmilk instead. Keep feeding your baby from the unaffected side and provide a bottle using milk from the sore side. Another option may be to use Medela’s contact nipple shields. Medela’s Contact™ nipple shields make breastfeeding possible when latching on is difficult or painful by protecting sore nipples and helping your baby attach more easily.
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