Finding Relief from Nipple Soreness

Nipple soreness is often the number one complaint among breastfeeding moms. And for some, it can be the main reason that they stop breastfeeding altogether. The truth is nipple soreness is not that uncommon, particularly in the very beginning of the breastfeeding relationship. However, this initial pain or tenderness often subsides after only a few days.

Nipple soreness can also occur for other reasons. For example, some breastfeeding moms experience soreness due to dry, cracked and even bleeding nipples as their breasts adjust to nursing a newborn with a voracious appetite. It usually takes a couple of weeks for the nipples to toughen up and become less sensitive. For other breastfeeding moms, nipple soreness may be caused by a poor latch or a yeast infection (also known as Candida).

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help relieve nipple soreness so you can continue breastfeeding your baby comfortably:

• To ensure a proper latch, your baby’s mouth should completely cover the nipple while nursing.

• To avoid a yeast infection, be sure to change your nursing bra and breast pads frequently, and allow your breasts to air dry immediately after a feeding.   

• Try applying pure lanolin or a special nipple cream directly on the breasts in between feedings, which can help soothe sore nipples. Lanolin and nipple creams are perfectly safe for your baby, so you don’t need to wipe them off before a feeding.

• You can also apply cooling gel pads to the nipples for relief before and after feedings.

If you’ve tried some of these suggestions and you’re still experiencing nipple soreness, you may want to talk to a lactation consultant to rule out any other issues (e.g. make sure your baby isn’t tongue-tied).  Typically, after observing one nursing session, a lactation consultant can quickly pinpoint what may be causing your chronic nipple pain and prescribe the appropriate form of relief.