- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- babies today articles
- babies today q&a
- toddlers today articles
- toddlers today q&a
- breastfeed.com articles
- breastfeed.com q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Sore Nipples
Causes, Cures and Prevention
By Kelly Burgess
Some new moms think sore nipples are an inevitable part of nursing, so they try to treat the pain with home remedies or they just put up with it and hope it goes away. According to Dr. Nancy Brent, pediatrician and board certified lactation consultant at the Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh (www.breastfeedingcenterofpittsburgh.com), there is at least one study that has found as many as 97 percent of all nursing mothers struggled with the problem of sore nipples. That's the bad news. The good news, Dr. Brent says, is that sore nipples not only are completely treatable – they're completely preventable.
The key, Dr. Brent says, is knowledge of the causes of soreness and solving them before they become a serious problem. Here are the most common causes and their solutions:
"There are some other unusual causes for pain and discomfort, such as anatomical issues, but they're very rare," Dr. Brent says. "The one thing I tell people is that while Baby has an instinct to suck, the ability to breastfeed is not instinctual – it's taught."
If you feel pain when breastfeeding, do not continue and let it get worse. Rather, break the suction and try to reposition the baby for a proper latch, which is when the entire nipple is in the mouth. If you continue to have problems, contact your doctor, your hospital's lactation consultant or your local La Leche League representative. Any of these trained professionals can help you determine the proper latch for your baby and body. If you ignore the pain, it can progress to the point where the nipple is so sore that breastfeeding is very uncomfortable. There's no reason to let it get to that point.
Want to see more?
Comments
There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to 
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||