If skin is especially dry or damaged, a small amount of purified natural wool-based emollient, also known as lanolin, may be applied to nipples and areolae. Lanolin supports moist wound healing.
Apply warm compresses or gel pads to relieve pain.
Gel pads for your nipples can soothe your pain and promote healing. A homemade warm towel compress can promote healing while easing sore nipples, too.
If you use lanolin before breastfeeding, however, apply it 10 to 15 minutes before your baby is going to nurse to give it time to absorb into your skin.
Breast milk contains natural skin softeners and antibodies to fight infection, which can help heal nipples and keep them healthy. Let your nipples air-dry after each feeding.
Nipple cream made from ultra-pure lanolin – a natural product obtained from sheep's wool. This moisturises and supports healing. It's harmless for your baby, so there's no need to wash off lanolin before breastfeeding.
Do not put on 2 doses or extra doses. Many times lanolin is used on an as needed basis. Do not use more often than told by the doctor.
Lanolin can be harmful if it is swallowed.
If your sore nipples are causing you so much discomfort that you feel like you need to take a break from breastfeeding, don't worry! You can still use a breast pump to express your milk. This will give your nipples a rest, while allowing you to continue to give your baby all the benefits breastmilk can provide.
The duration of the healing will vary. Superficial and recent soreness may clear in a matter of hours or days. However, long-established and profound wounds may require a up to 2 or 3 weeks to be entirely resolved even after the cause of the soreness has been eliminated.
While achieving a good latch is an important step to pain-free breastfeeding, even mothers of babies with a good latch can find breastfeeding painful at first.
Because of its high fat content, lanolin is occlusive, meaning it prevents the evaporation of water from the skin (transepidermal water loss). This keeps skin moisturized and helps the skin heal.
This discomfort can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks after giving birth. Your breasts will soon “toughen up” a bit and get used to your baby nursing. Until then, it's normal to feel a small amount of discomfort while your baby latches on and pulls your nipple and areola into his or her mouth.
You may be able to breastfeed with cracked or bleeding nipples – but if this becomes too painful, you may need to stop breastfeeding and pump for a few days (or possibly longer) to let your nipples heal. Exclusive pumping is one way to give yourself a break.
You'll know it's fully healed when there's no indication of any redness, swelling, tenderness or discharge. Nipple piercings can sometimes take up to 12 months to fully heal, so be patient!
If you can, continue breastfeeding (it is quite safe for baby to feed on a bleeding nipple). But if it's too painful, you may need to take your baby off the breast for 24 to 48 hours, rest the nipple and feed your baby expressed breast milk.
Keep baby's body tucked in close to yours. You may use your hand to reach over and move the breast to line up with baby's mouth or press gently on the top side of your breast so that baby's chin can easily get underneath the breast for a deep latch.
change breast pads at each feed (if you're using them) – if possible, use pads without a plastic backing. wear a cotton bra so air can circulate. keep feeding your baby for as long as they want – keeping breastfeeds short to "rest" your nipples will not ease nipple pain and could affect your milk supply.
Does coconut oil work as well as lanolin? Coconut oil is thought to work as effectively as lanolin, if not better, as it contains natural healing properties that can help to prevent infection. Lanolin is more of a general moisture barrier and won't have any natural healing properties.
Lanolin's coating effect keeps moisture from being drawn out while also allowing the skin to breathe, making it a winter skin wonder.
As often as you like. For optimal protection, use Multi-Mam Lanolin at least twice a day.