Dealing With Sore Nipples – Nursing a baby is one of the greatest joys of motherhood. However, sore nipples can take away all the pleasure out of this process by making it extremely painful.
Many times a new mom is not able to cope with this pain and she might decide to give up breastfeeding at all. However, starting bottle feed in the first few months of birth is not at all advisable as experts suggest that no feed is as good as a mother’s feed. Sore nipples are not a very serious problem and can be resolved with certain precaution and care.
Here Are Some Tips For The New Mothers To Deal With Nipple Soreness:
Take Care of Proper Latching
Improper latching of baby is the greatest cause on nipple pain. So make sure to position your baby in a way that his/her mouth is wide open and the entire nipple should go inside the mouth. You should give your baby some time to open the mouth completely before you begin feeding or press your breast to let him/her take in the entire nipple. Trying different positions while breastfeeding will also help you know the most comfortable pose while letting the baby latch appropriately.
Remedies and Ointments
If the pain is unbearable, you may ask your doctor for some safe medicines and also use some nice nipple cream to remove soreness. Regular lubrication with a petroleum jelly or lanolin cream will also help.
Change Your Bra and Nursing Pads Frequently
Moist nipples are more prone to soreness and irritation. So even if the nursing pads are not wet, you must change them after every feed. It is also important to use comfortable cotton bras that are easy to fit and can absorb some moisture.
Feed from Both Sides
Try to limit the suction to 15 -20 minutes from one breast and then latch the baby on another side. However, if one nipple is more swollen than another, you may nurse more from the less sore side. You can also relieve the pain by breaking the suction or using a breast pump for some days.
What more you can do to minimize nipple pain is to massage the breast and let the nipples get some air by exposing them to air after every feed. Lubricate the nipples frequently and let the little one latch properly to avoid and reduce pain.
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