what are some good treatments for Sore Nipples?

Carrie - posted on 01/28/2012

Mine cracked & bled. It was awful. I bought "Soothies" at the Mommy & Me store at the hospital which helped relieve the immediate pain. Kinda like gel pads that I put in the fridge, they absorb milk when you leak, & felt sooo good when I put them on. However, to actually help get my skin back to the way it was before nursing I bought the organic Peter Rabbit Therapy Cream sold at Whole Foods. I did a lot of research to find a nipple cream that could be safely ingested. And as a bonus, I use it for diaper rash cream, on the cheeks & chin for chapped face from drool, & even on my dry hands from washing. It's the best stuff & worked really well on my very painfully sore nipples & loved the fact that it was totally safe for my baby to ingest. Just don't use anything that has petroleum oil/jelly or products with mineral oil...mineral oil is just a petroleum byproduct!! This absolutely should not be ingested!! Petroleum jelly/oil & mineral oil act like saran wrap on the skin, it doesn't let the skin breathe, blocks pores, & doesn't let the body's natural ability to moisturize itself so you will have a continuous battle of chapped/cracked skin. For ex, you can take a cracker & put in water & it turns to mush, but if you take a cracker & put in baby oil even a day later you can take it out and it will crumble like a fresh cracker. No moisture can soak in the cracker so same goes with your skin. So, I highly recommend the Therapy Cream!

Angela - posted on 07/19/2011

i had thrush with my secnd child. check the inside of the baby's mouth. it looks like a whitish film on the inner cheeks and lip. a little cream for u and drops for baby and it is over. good luck

Tara - posted on 07/17/2011

I had big pain problems and, no, it wasn't the latch. It turned out to be thrush - which takes many forms so you should try treating for that - it was the only thing that worked for me. Nystatin doesn't work very well - the only thing that works for sure on thrush is gentian violet. You can get it from your pharmacy from the pharmacist without a prescription. Use it for 5 days. It turns you nipples and your baby's mouth purple for a while (that's the colour of the medicine) but it WORKS!!! I also had secondary complication of reynaud's syndrom in my nipples, which is also painful from exposure to cold, but that went away after the thrush was treated with gentian violet. In Canada you don't need a prescription but not sure about the US.

Inga (Uttara) - posted on 07/17/2011

LANSINOH has always saved me. Apply after every feeding. When soreness is gone once a day. Also in the begging when my nipples were sore for about three months I pumped the milk and bottle feed my baby to give myself time for healing and rest.

Tanya - posted on 07/17/2011

It's not normal to have extremely sore nipples, especially at 4 months old! You could have thrush, or your baby's latch might have changed so that it's hurting you. You should see a lactation consultant ASAP, but if you can't, check out www.drjacknewman.com and look for his info on latching and thrush (Candida Protocol). You can print out his "recipe" for APNO (all purpose nipple ointment) as well.

Normally, breast milk works very well for sore nipples, but if you have thrush, you will probably need something more than that.

Te - posted on 07/17/2011

Also sunshine or a nice cold cabbage leaf on the breast is soothing.

Te - posted on 07/17/2011

Hey guys good tip for using your own milk, i didn't think to put it on myself, I will use it on baby's face if she scratches herself, for my sore nipples so far I have used the Homeopathy nipple cream, it is sooo soothing, however I thinking half the time shes not on me correctly especially during the night if I get a bit too tired to do it properly.

Kayleigh - posted on 07/17/2011

hiya hun i suffered with sore nipples, it was my position that needed correcting maybe baby not on correct ? i used lanolin but they was so bad i used nipple shields x

Dena - posted on 07/16/2011

I have BF 4 kids... I have tried so much! The BEST treatment is your own milk!!! I know it doesn't sound like it would be, but really, it is. I did have 'thrush' or the 'mouth candida' as previous replies have mentioned a couple times throughout my nursing career (yes, it's a career!). I have used lanolin a lot, and it's great - do try that or continue with that as well (specifically at night), but at every feeding just squirt a little milk out at the end and rub it in to your nipple and surrounding area and, most importantly, let air dry... yes, walking around the house when you're putting your little one to bed or picking up toys is a little awkward, but we're moms so we do what we need to for our babies.

So, check w/ doc. to see if you need thrush medication (that isn't what it's called for us, but it's the same thing and the same meds). Then, at every feeding use your milk and air dry and at night apply lanolin. I am sure you'll be feeling much better soon.

Oh, and just in case, you might also want to look up symptoms of mastitis and compare. If they match, talk to your doc. Good luck!!!

Susan - posted on 07/16/2011

Go to a La Leche League meeting. I found them very helpful.

Stephanie - posted on 07/16/2011

How are you supporting? Boppy? Pillows?
Babies can easily get lazy. This creates drag on the nipple and a lot of pain. Even though he is a little older, I would do a boppy on your legs and a sleeping pillow on top tucked tight. This brings baby up to a better position and less drag on the nipple.
The soothies are also a great choice for after a nursing.
sapslucymom - IBCLC

Heather - posted on 07/16/2011

You might have Thrush, call and go see your OB, and take your baby to the ped. to get checked out too. Don't leave without some Nystantin cream.

Anne-Marie - posted on 07/16/2011

I would check the latch - this is likely part of the problem. One trick that is good to always do is to use a bit of the milk once the nursing is done and rub it on your nipples - the oil acts as a natural and clean lubricant - if you get in the habit of doing it every time then your nipples should never crack.

Sally - posted on 07/16/2011

Are they cracked or just sore?
4 months is a good time to start teething. Every time either of my girls was teething or had just gotten a new tooth, her latch changed just enough to hurt like he!! for a week or two. Then my nipple would get used to the new position and we'd be fine until next time.
Good luck

Anna - posted on 07/16/2011

maybe you have http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/breastf... . I had it too , twice, A cream for treating mouth candida helped.

Mimi - posted on 07/16/2011

Whenever you think of it, squeeze a little milk out and rub it all over your nipple. You do this after you feed, as well. The milk is the best for healing the fastest.

Amy - posted on 07/13/2011

I know how you feel. The first 2 and a half weeks of breastfeeding I thought I would throw up while nursing because I was hurting so bad. I even started bleeding and scabbing. I bought soothies..put them in the fridge, they feel great cold. I know you said you're doing the lanolin every time..I did that as well. I also had to pump to give my nipples a rest and heal. My daughter is a very aggressive little eater! She's a month old now and it doesn't hurt anymore..thank goodness, because I don't think I could've continued with as bad as it was hurting. Anyway, try the soothies and pumping to give your nipples a rest and continue using lanolin and see if that helps! Good luck!

Kathy - posted on 07/13/2011

Glad it's not the latch! That can be a pain! What other symptoms do you have apart from the pain?

Regina - posted on 07/13/2011

thank you but it's not the latch. She had a hard time with that at first and i have my LC on speed dial :) I was thinking it may be thrush but the symptoms aren't the same.

Kathy - posted on 07/12/2011

I always found that letting breastmilk dry on my nipples helped.

As Ania said, you may have a problem with your latch, as an incorrect latch can lead to sore nipples.
Consulting a Lactation Consultant may help.Make sure you consult a Lactation Consultant who has been certified by the IBLCE - the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. Alternatively, there are many videos available which may help with your latch. This is a good one:


All the best!

Regina - posted on 07/12/2011

i did multiple times

Ania - posted on 07/12/2011

Maybe the latch is bad. Try to consult an LC at this point your nipples should be fine.