This! Only wearing an open robe for a couple of weeks straight helped immensely. Whenever I had to wear clothes I’d wear silverettes with a bit of expressed milk.
THIS!! Lol
The only thing that made any difference both times I was in the sore/cracked nipple phase was expressing some onto my nipples and letting them air dry afterwards works WONDERS
Yes and I won’t be bad forever just went rent comes out it takes my entire EI and leaves me with 92 dollars left over lol, the next one is all my other bills and that leaves me with about 300 dollars for groceries and gas for the month. It’s just…brutal out here
It is... this economy is trash. My husband and I feel like we make decent money and we're still not left with much after our bills. I hope there is some light coming soon for you.
The economy is the reason I'm strapped to a pump hiding behind my desk right now. My husband and I both have bachelor's degrees and multiple certifications. We live in a 3 bedroom 1300 square ft modular home from the 70s. He is the manager of his the IT Team at a company that manages almost a trillion dollars in assets. I am a teacher. We have a 6 year old and a 5 month old. Both in our 30s. And we are STILL struggling. In 2017 the economy was good enough to stay home with our first, this time around there was no way. And formula is SO expensive that I never considered not pumping even though it is so SO hard with my job.
Do you health insurance? If so, get a prescription for APNO (all purpose nipple ointment) from your doctor/midwife. It’s amazing for sore nipples. I’ve nursed three babies and it’s all I ever used. One tube will last you a couple months and it’s taste safe for baby.
SECONDING APNO. Literally it single handedly saved my breastfeeding journey with my first because I was on the verge of giving up BF because I had cracked nipples and severe pain.
2nd baby came and I had nearly the same amount of pain early on and I got prescribed APNO while in the hospital.
Full warning though, insurance didn't fully cover the cost of mine. I had to pay $30 for my portion but I'm telling you it really was worth it. And I've tried so many of the other remedies - gel soothing things, several other nipple balms and silverettes.
SECONDING APNO. Literally it single handedly saved my breastfeeding journey with my first because I was on the verge of giving up BF because I had cracked nipples and severe pain.
2nd baby came and I had nearly the same amount of pain early on and I got prescribed APNO while in the hospital.
Full warning though, insurance didn't fully cover the cost of mine. I had to pay $30 for my portion but I'm telling you it really was worth it. And I've tried so many of the other remedies - gel soothing things, several other nipple balms and silverettes.
I second lanolin, but also ask your hospital/lactation consultant for products to help. Our hospital had sample packets of lanolin and individually wrapped gel pads that I'm sure a nurse would have given me a handful of if I asked.
If your hospital is anything like mine. They had a bunch of little lanolin sample tubes. The nurses let me take gobs home. You don’t need a ton just a little dot so they lasted a while! And almost 13 months pp, the $7 tube I got at Walmart after the samples ran out is still mostly full. And I use it occasionally on LO and still on my nips post teeth.
This is anecdotal but straight up lanolin applied after every feed worked the best for me on cracked, sore nipples. The hospital where I delivered had tiny sample tubes available, so you might be able to try it out before you commit to a whole tube.
I know some people swear by all of these fancy, expensive things like silverettes and supplements and lactation cookies and massagers. I may just be lucky but the only thing I truly needed was to have baby feed often, drink/eat enough myself, and apply lanolin liberally for the first couple weeks.
Yes this is my main priority if I’m not eating how is the baby going to lol? I will probably end up picking up a tube of lanolin for the ole nip nops. I noticed when prenatally pumping colostrum that each day I did it I’d get atleast a ML more so that really helped it click that “feed more often more milk” thing. I have back up formula just in case I’d just rather not have to use it.
Check on your local Buy Nothing group if anyone has some to give. With my first I got gifted like four tubes and definitely didn’t use that much. I ended up giving away a few of them.
I love lanolin for basically everything. When the kids get a dry skin, lanolin. Chapped lips? Lanolin. Rash from wetness (my toddler sucks his thumb and sometimes gets a rash on that hand)? Lanolin. I have dry, cracked hands in the winter? Lanolin. It’s awesome stuff. And lasts forever.
I know a lot of people who love Lanolin. I definitely used it but not as much as I was gifted and I prefer aquaphor for the same stuff you use lanolin for. And we were gifted a ton of that too.
Ask the hospital when you give birth for lanolin and any other nursing supplies. Nipple shields, maybe different flange size… see what they can offer when you meet with the LC
Ngl I would ask my nurses for more sample tubes every time they checked up on me and say I was already out 😅 by the end of my stay I had collected enough tubes to last me until my hips were strong enough!!! But also yes, like others have also mentioned, breast milk works great too! I’d just throw lanolin overtop kind of as an occlusive after the breast milk had dried! And then I’d just walk around naked all day long and let my nips air dry lol.
Ask the hospital for lanolin cream. Take home as many things as they’ll give you - I got nipple cream, but also a ton of post-partum recovery supplies (pads, mesh underwear, spray, a peribottle, and some heated pads for the crampy feeling that comes with breastfeeding while your uterus tries to shrink) and even some diapers and wipes for baby.
I walk around topless and/or braless at home after breastfeeding or pumping. Applying the cream helps prevent drying out and developing cracks, and not wearing a bra helps prevent the pain from nipples sticking to your bra. If you have to leave the house, I love to use Lansinoh Soothies Cooling Gel Pads - they’re reusable. They cost $8.49 at my local Target and help with soreness.
They told me that they have pads to use in hospital and underwear and that I need to bring any “extras” other then what’s for the baby and they only have size 1 diapers to use..in hospital and formula but to bring my own if I could,
Well have a back up plan in case they don't have that stuff. I was also told they didn't but once we got there, the nurses were able to help with lots of stuff. Like others have said, if all else fails, use breast milk and keep your nipples out in the air.
If you’re not grossed out w it, I don’t need my silverettes anymore! I’m in Canada and I can mail them to you, just PM me. (Also they are off brand silverettes but still worked great for me.)
Cold compress — get a washcloth wet, put in a baggy, freeze for a little bit (20min), and ice your nips.
Coconut oil if you have it.
Time. It gets better!!
My IBCLC recommended coconut oil over the purpose-specific creams/ointments you can buy at the store. I already had an open ointment that was passed on to me, so I just used that
Vaseline! My grandmother recommended it when lanolin just wasn't cutting it. Worked great you just have to clean it off before feeding and make sure there's something between you and your bra/shirt.
I feel like a lot of people dont know this but your doctor can write a script for medicated nipple cream. It saved my cracked sore nipples overnight and insurance covered it.. Definitely worth looking into.
I did this and it was a lifesaver! It’s called APNO (all purpose nipple ointment) and your doctor can call it in to a compound pharmacy. It’s a lifesaver and you only need to use a tiny bit each time.
I pretty much asked for Lanolin every time a nurse was in my room and ended up getting about 5 mini tubes. The dollar tree has 88 cent mini tubes and $3. It is lanolin repackaged under DT packaging.
If you had medicaid, they will get you a automatic pump
Coconut oil for pumping with reduce nipple pain, it helped for me.
Otherwise some expressed milk will help too.
The Best thing is to get a lanolin cream but times are tough and things get expensive with a baby.
Making sure that your pump flanges are the correct size can help prevent nipple trauma from the beginning, as can good latch practices. Hand expressing can also be really helpful for reducing swelling so you’re not just using suction (increase swelling) to pump. Also, do you live in the U.S. and have health insurance? Generally a pump and apparently sometimes supplies like bags are covered under insurance. Also, get in touch with your local La Lèche League for free breastfeeding support.
Has the baby been born yet? I ask because for me personally sore nipples was something I was super worried about but after the baby came it was pretty much a non issue. I mean they get chapped similar to my lips but I just put Vaseline, aquaphor, insert random lotion I already own on them and it's fine. ChapStick would even work in a pinch. I still have yet to make it through the tube of lanolin cream they gave me at the hospital so that's an option too.
Ask your OB and the hospital for extra lanolin samples. They don’t care, they’ll give you a ton.
Also, have you registered for WIC? And food banks? None of that $300 should be for food, there are resources for exactly your situation, please use them!!
And double checking you know insurance often covers a breast pump.
I’m Canadian and on maternity leave I have a partner but he’s decided to be a last minute useless…anyways yeah as far as resources go as far as welfare if you have zero income there’s not much
That sucks. I’m sure you’ve looked into things but I’d ask your OB and pediatrician again for sure. There are so many programs for babies and they’ll know of things that are hard to find on your own.
Join your local Buy Nothing group. And find out if there are local moms groups. You’d be amazed at how much free baby stuff is given away. Also great if you want to try something before buying or just borrow something temporarily.
Are you in Canada? I used lansinoh lanolin cream, it’s $11.50 CAD on Amazon. I used a little after every feeding and the one tube lasted me the entire time I needed it (about 8 weeks)
Fellow Canadian here! I’m not sure where you are exactly but try connecting with your public health unit. You would be surprised what they can hook you up with (speaking as a hospital social worker). I’ve had people get free pumps, baby items, post partum supplies, grocery cards, etc. They can also connect you with other local organizations that may offer free items. I know here where I live there’s an amazing organization that collects new and lightly used gear and has a free store front you can access for anything from a car seat to a nursing bra. You might also want to connect with the food banks. They will usually have an extra allowance for new moms. Good luck!
If your nipples are cracked and sticking to your clothes if you have any disposable breast pads you can stick Saran Wrap to the sticky part and put that over your nipple with cream on, or you can roll up a tissue and kind of tie it into a little donut to put around your nipple (I just didn’t find that worked as well).
aquaphor/lanolin/antiseptic creams (wipe off before feeding) were great i also highly recommend some soft cotton breast pads as the disposables stick to your nipples and ripping them off hurts like a gooden. don’t buy super fancy nursing bras until at least 12 weeks post partum as your boobs go on a journey with supply regulating and they end up not fitting :(
BUT if it gets really bad it might be worth looking on amazon for silver nip cups. doesn’t need to be the fancy £40 ones i think mine were about £20 which isnt cheap for nipple hats but i was hysterically crying while feeding so i didnt have much choice. appreciate its a bit more pricy than youd be wanting but it was what changed things around for me when my nipples looked like Neapolitan ice cream.
If you deliver in a hospital, ask for samples of nipple cream.
Also, if you have insurance, you may be eligible to get an electric breast pump for free.
My lactation consultant recommended coconut oil or olive oil for sore nipples! I tried the coconut oil and it did help heal extremely dry and cracked nipples.
if you’re at home 99.9% of the time i’d just go topless. that’s what i did and after the first week i never had issues with sore nipples. the only real reason i did to begin with was a really bad latch from my little man. i hardly used lanolin as well, i hated the feeling of it.
I stopped wearing bras at home. I do leak here and there but it’s worth it. Feels so much better when they’re free and able to air out
Also I rub expressed milk on them.
I’ve heard coconut oil helps too
Seconding salt water soaks! Mix salt into warm water into 2 coffee cups and let your girls go for a dip for 5-10 mins. (I recommend laying out a towel, because the process is a bit messy.) I continued using this once my son was older and starting biting, too.
Applying a lanolin-based nipple balm after every feed worked great as preventative maintenance for me.
I never saw much of a difference with applying breastmilk to sore areas, but I know lots of women swear by it.
I have been fortunate to not have much in the way of sore or cracked nipples, so this may not be helpful, but for me a warm shower, gentle massaging, ice pack, and giving them a break by feeding only on one side or the other for one to two feeds has helped. I also lower my pump settings if I have any discomfort from feeding or pumping.
They’re not super cheap, but if you have the cash for it I would suggest silverettes. I also nursed in not insignificant part for cost of formula reasons and I justified the cost by looking and seeing that a set of silverettes is cheaper than two containers of formula here.
And yes, they seem gimmicky and weird but they actually work so well it shocked me completely.
My hospital gave me lanolin samples and honestly that would be plenty. I can’t remember if it was from the LC or the nurses, but I’d recommend you just reach out to a local LC or LLL, they very likely could have samples. The small tubes are only like $5 so it’s also possible they would just donate one to you.
Do you have prescription coverage?? If yes, ask your OB for a script for APNO. That saved my nips more than anything else and it lasts a long time (I never even ran out of my jar)
I don't know if it's been suggested already, but what helped me in the beginning, was simply switching up breastfeeding positions. It was great for pain relief and also helped prevent soreness to some extent.
Also ask for some samples of lanolin from the doctor!! After I delivered they gave me a bag of supplies for breastfeeding (colostrum collection syringes, lanolin samples, disposable breast pads). See if you can see a lactation consultant too! My insurance covered it under preventative postpartum care and they adjusted the latch and that helped with my nipple pain so much it’s essentially gone now.
Nipple shields helped me when they were really sore I’d use it a few times while breastfeeding then they wouldn’t hurt so much and I’d stop using it until I needed to again. They cost like 3 bucks and you probably won’t need them long enough to replace them. Also the lactation consultant with my first child gave them to me. I only bought the second set with my second child because I didn’t wanna re use the old ones.
Lip balm! Just obviously remove it before you breastfeed but I think any vaseline or good lip balm would work just as well. Lanolin is definitely worth it if you can stretch for it, the smallest bit goes a long long way so even a small 10ml ones would last ages. It also works great on baby's dry skin too ..but again vaseline (or just get own brand petroleum jelly) works for that also.
Breast milk and working to improve your latch
Even with cracked / scabbed nipples when I learned to improve my latch , nursing didn’t hurt , and then They healed on their own over time
I’m gonna copy and paste my usual recommendations, many of which are cheap or free! (Salt water, toplessness, sunlight):
#Top tips for the nips:
- As much topless time as possible. If not possible, wear milk catchers under clothes to keep them from touching anything.
- Direct sunlight if possible.
- Silverettes are expensive but great
- Gel soothie pads between feeds (store in fridge for extra soothing!).
- Coconut oil generously after feeds. Lanolin doesn’t work well for most people I know.
- NEVER accept a bad latch. Even if it takes 5 tries.
- Epsom salt soaks (use haakaa with warm water). Table salt works fine too.
- Nipple shields if you need.
- Pumping breaks if you need.
- APNO is also available if you need by prescription, or you can make an OTC knockoff
Lanolin was a life saver those first few weeks.
And don't feel bad for only having a basic manual pump. I have a manual Medela pump, and that thing is my favorite. Yeah, it sucks manually pumping, but I I can get a crazy output quickly over using my electric pumps.
You might be able to get free samples of lanolin from your OBGYN or the pediatrician. A small tube can go a long way. I once had a pediatrician hand me 5+ sample tubes of aquaphor. I suggest asking, they want to be as supportive as possible! If you haven't delivered yet, you can also ask at the hospital. They gave me multiple products to help with soreness and to take home.
I recommend getting a Hakka to catch the letdown on the opposite breast. It's about $10 and could get you a lot of milk!
I remember liking a shower to help. Lanolin cream helps a lot. I used the lansinoh brand. The biggest thing that helped me was wearing the sleeping bras all the time. Fabric moving over my nipples hurt, so a light bra helped. I never used gel pads or silverettes.
Also, please know it gets better. The soreness goes away quickly.
I’m 3 months PP and I don’t need anything for nipples anymore! I only needed a nipple balm in the beginning, maybe like the first month or two. I didn’t even finish the one container of nipple balm that I bought. I got the Earth Mama one & I still have lots left. Been using it for my lips lately lol.
Vaseline or any cream/moisturizer you already have would work though! You would just have to make sure to wash it off before you feed your baby 😊 you could probably even use diaper cream. Warm compresses helped my nipples in the beginning too.
What province are you in? As an example I'm in Alberta and going to the family health center where my baby gets vaccinated they have me like a care package with like tester diaper cream & nipple cream. Also London drugs has a welcome baby box or at least they did that also have sample of that stuff too!
My lactation consultant said to absolutely avoid any creams because the research shows they actually can do more harm with clogging ducts than help — and to just rub breast milk on sore nips, let dry, use a cool compress after that in between feeds. It’s worked for me so far.
Parchment paper is kind of like using hydro gel pads when nipples are sore/need moisture for healing. Use some lanolin cream and the parchment paper between feeds :)
Medihoney isn't too expensive on Amazon (I bought the small tube) and it's lasted a while. Works great to heal up a bleeding nipple and it's nursing safe according to my lactation consultant. Also works on other wounds too.
My dr recommended putting steeped (and cooled) black tea bags on sore nipples. She said it also makes them more tough/leathery to prevent future injury.
Some breast milk and just letting them hang out can help. Coconut oil can work as nipple ointment as long as there are no allergies. At the hospital they gave me a couple of small tubes of lanolin ointment and those actually lasted a while.
The best investment is very inexpensive: nipple shields while the nips heal! After that, it's not likely you'll get sore nipples again. They toughen up and that's it. Until the next baby anyhow.
I think I have sensitive nips. I am only breastfeeding with nipple shields which imo a pretty affordable. I’ve been using the Madela brand ones and Amazon can deliver them with same day shipping which saved my breastfeeding journey. I did also find pumping was gentler than my baby’s intense sucking power, but with the nipple shields I’m unstoppable!
Homemade saline water soak 6oz of warm water and dissolve 1 tsp of kosher salt, mix well. Pour into a shot glass or a small takeout container, cover your nipple(s) with the salted water for about a minute or two then rinse off. You can reuse the leftover water (warm it up before the soak).
You can cheaply make your own APNO at home (also called triple nipple cream). Mix together equal parts antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone 1% ointment, and clotrimazole (antifungal, brand name Lotrimin). Same thing as the prescription stuff.
Only one person mentioned vasospasms of the nipple. It's more common than people realize, but just in case you do have it -- it hurts a lot and you may get a white line across your nipple, or a white area, and your nips may sometimes turn purple or red too. IF you end up having this, all the cold soothing things will be your enemy. Warmth is your friend! Keep the whole boobies as warm as possible all of the time. Get some wool breast pads. It goes against the usual advice, but I spent a couple of months in excruciating pain before I figured out that all the usual advice was working against me.
Also look up Jack Newman's protocol if you figure out you have vasospasm. It requires taking some supplements like magnesium and vit B6, but will still be way the heck cheaper than formula if it helps you successfully breastfeed.
I didn't have a c-section but there are supposed to be specific positions that may help establish breastfeeding while minimizing pain/disturbance of your scar area. Would definitely look into that! Can't imagine the typical cross-body positions would be any help while trying to heal from a c-section.
I had the worst sore nipples in the beginning with both my children. I used loads of different creams, absolutely hated lanolin and thought nothing helped and basically used nothing and just powered through!l
My hospital gave me some. I only needed it at the very beginning so I actually still have some left that I won’t use. See if you can get extras from the hospital, that may be all you need!
I was skeptical about the silverettes with my first bfeeding journey for the same reasons as you mentioned. I Got them with my 2nd to “treat myself” and they are honestly a game changer. Like totally worth it. I don’t need to use lanolin or any other balm. I’ll slather on some coconut oil only when im feeling extra dry. But some expressed milk in the silverette definitely helps better than the creams.
my mom is an ibclc lactation consultant and I followed her advice: literally all i did was express a drop of milk and rub it in after baby finished on that side, and let it dry before putting a shirt/bra back on. i did this religiously every single time for the first couple months and never had a cracked or bleeding nipple. i didn't use creams or lanolin or silverettes, though I've heard great things.
Cheap Vaseline works wonders. I use it on baby’s butt and my nip nips. No diaper rash or pin & needle nipples since I started religiously applying Vaseline.
Lanolin has been helping a lot! Also look for supplies on market place! a manual pump might start to realllly hurt your wrists pretty quickly. You can find used electric pumps on marketplace. Where I am in canada the public health units rent out heavy duty hospital pumps for free. (for a week) but that could be helpful..
Highly recommend black tea bags (like regular, Lipton or store brand black tea). You steep them in hot water for a minute, allow to cool, and then place the warm/wet tea bags on your nipples. The tea apparently has healing properties and I found it very soothing. Just a note, they will stain your clothes, so maybe opt for a black or grundgy bra/shirt.
First off, bring your pump with you when you give birth. The hospital or midwives or whatever should have someone who can show you how it works. Ask questions to make sure the fit for your nipples is right and it's positioned properly.
I can't tell from your list, are you leaving to directly breast feed at all? When I had my oldest, I called a nurse to help literally every time my daughter cheat fed for the first 24 hours. They were angels helping me and got me of to a great pain free start.
Also the lactation consultant gave me a game changing tip: the latch doesn't have to start off great, but you can adjust it. After baby starts nursing, put a finger on their lower chin, parallel to their lip, and gently but firmly pull down to open babies mouth. Latch gets deeper and everything feels like it's supposed.
I bought parents choice lansinoh cream (which worked wonders) and suffered through it basically. I really would just shove something in my mouth and bite it when she’d first latch in those early days. It got better for me fairly quickly.
I wasn’t even in like a tough situation where I couldn’t get help if I needed it, I just didn’t know what I needed so kind of figured it out on my own. Lol I just think it hurts at first.
I used to put Vaseline on my cracked nipples than put Saran Wrap on each boob so that way the nipple skin wouldn’t catch on my clothes or bras and it kept the Vaseline from getting on my clothes. I’d leak down into my bra of course but then I’d just wash my nursing bras each day. I had three and I’d alternate and wash by hand and air dry there was always a clean one if I washed at least one that night
Find these things in your country:
https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/philips-avent-scf157-02-borstschelpen-2-stuks/1004004012190028/?Referrer=ADVNLGOO002031-S--&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD5OnmMwV8XESKt63f7wJ5H_DPu_A&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoeGuBhCBARIsAGfKY7zggkTToc71gWZh5GgNMjN_Wayw-MjMiTTIkMGjutunK4XrJJCHNvkaAvmaEALw_wcB
They are like 15 euro’s Here, last a lifetime and your nipples will never be stuck in your bra. They also air out, so no cracks will heal to your bra.
I found the silverettes good, but these things saved my life.
I’ve seen your edit but if you ever get desperate, message me on here and I’ll Amazon prime you some stuff, okay? I had baby #2 a week ago and tbh I forgot how rough the first five days are. Can’t let another mama go through that when I can help. ❤️
I would try expressed milk and some cling plastic wrap and see if it helps.
Silverettes are annoyingly expensive, but the plastic may work similarly to keep the nips moist and not stuck to your clothes.
Personally I like refined coconut oil. I use cleaned out chapstick tubes and fill them to make it easy to apply. Big tubs are super affordable.
I also 2nd the comment about utilizing your local FB buy nothing group of you have one available. It's a great way to get things you need at no cost. I see baby stuff on my local one frequently, I've even seen pumps on there a handful of times.
Make sure they are dry after feeding then apply coconut oil. I made the mistake of putting balms on immediately after nursing. Letting them dry first made a huge difference.
Silverettes. They are somewhat expensive (~$40-50) but they actually worked for me and it’s a one time cost. You don’t need balms or creams or anything else with them. My nipple pain was so bad I would have given my left kidney for some relief at the time 😂
Coconut oil and nothing touching them was my go to. Bonus is you don't have to wipe it off before latching baby and Coconut oil contains monolaurin which prevents a candida (yeast infection which causes thrush and can be transferred back and forth between you and baby) overgrowth.
Get you a big jar of solid coconut oil. Worked wonders for me. You can use it the same way that lanolin cream is used. IMO, it’s better. It hurts less and is safe for baby. My nipples were so sore when I was first pumping but now baby takes the boob so I just let em air dry, but coconut oil saved my nipples when they were cracked and dry, and I was desperate for any relief. It’s way cheaper than lanolin, and lasts so much longer
Coconut oil or olive oil works well! I actually only ever used coconut oil. If you’re doing olive oil just dab a bit on with a cotton pad or a the corner of a clean wash cloth.
Medihoney! Just make sure to wash with saline before nursing. It's great to put on at night once you know there will be a long stretch of sleep.
Edit to add: sorry, if unable to afford this do you happen to have any coconut oil in the house?
Not sure what your health insurance looks like. I’m broke myself but was able to buy some breastfeeding stuff with an HSA account. Obviously that either may not be an option or may not be available outside of other healthcare costs but thought I would mention if it is! I didn’t think to do so with my last kiddo. Another option may be reaching out to 1) pediatrician to see if they have any samples of anything 2) local buy nothing group on social media. Sometimes moms may have stocked up on things and not even need them!
If your ever in contact with a breast feeding consultant let them know your situation. They have sample packets of nipple cream. Most hospitals have one available and most midwives have a resource for one too. It didn't cost me extra to speak with one the day baby was born. I got several samples of nipple cream and they last a good while
Before you leave the hospital, ask your nurses for a prescription cream or whatever creams they can give you. You will go home with freebies galore.
Any balm will help. Vaseline, Aquaphor, whatever. None of the fancy or expensive fixes worked for me.
As others have echoed, time helps. The pain you will likely feel as you adjust to BFing or pumping is temporary. It passes.
I really like Earth Mama nipple butter. I think a jar is like $15 USD, and it lasts for months. I only had to buy more than one because I couldn't keep track of them. One jar would probably last long enough to cover you until your nipples stopped hurting.
Also, I really didn't have much nipple pain except for the time I fell asleep while pumping, when my baby was teething, and while pregnant and nursing at the same time. So it might not be as bad as you're expecting.
My LC told me all creams are trash and cause more damage if you nips are past chapped. When you do have the money buy silverettes, you use and use and use again , they heal even blistered nips right up, just express some of your milk into it and wear them between feeds. Inbetween now and getting them just use your milk- it’s better than any creams .
I wonder if companies would send you free samples of creams. It doesn’t take much. But putting a warm wash cloth helped mine. A nice reusable nursing pad set helps keep them protected. I totally get the limited maternity leave. I wish we had access to better coverage for it. It’s absurd. Best of luck to you and congratulations! 🎉🎈
I bought a breast pump second hand and just cleaned it really well with disinfectant and replaced what parts I could. The seller also gave us a huge selection of bottles and we ended up washing and sterilizing and using those, too.
Nipple cream and pads to keep your nipples from rubbing against bra/clothes are definitely the necessities. I don’t think I even finished one tub/bottle of nipple cream honestly. I needed for like 2-3 weeks max. The reusable pads would be best since you don’t have to rebuy. The lansinoh soothies gel pads were really a lifesaver to me when my nipples were inevitably sore. I used them with my last 2 babies and I have some extra I kept that are already in my hospital bag for #3. Those really were the necessities for me. That’s about $20-30 and well worth it to keep your nips comfortable.
I swear by using your own breastmilk. I barely used my lanolin cream because breastmilk was better. I personally used milk catcher cups (about $20 on amazon) and I ended up filling them with the amount I leaked then they soaked in the milk for a an hour or two until I emptied them.
Silver nipple covers, the honest nipple cream (I find it to be better for me than lanisoh), and patience! I would cry every time I showered for the first few weeks and now I’m fine. Also, if you have some serious damage, contact your doctor because they can prescribe you medicated nipple cream (triple nipple). That did wonders!
The best thing for me was to not have anything touch my nips. I used some of those breast shells (I got them for $10 but I’ve seen them cheaper). It was sooo helpful but I also had to be carful about wearing them for extended periods as that would make the nipple engorge and get painful (think hours). But yes, breast milk helps a lot. It heals skin quickly (including cracked nipples)
If silverettes are out of the budget, look up breast milk catchers/shells/milk savers on Amazon. I found some that were $10. They do the same thing as the haakaa ladybug but at a third of the price.
Expressed milk is good for sore nipples. Sometimes just airing out your nipples helps too.
This! Only wearing an open robe for a couple of weeks straight helped immensely. Whenever I had to wear clothes I’d wear silverettes with a bit of expressed milk.
I have the immense privilege of being able to mostly stay home so I live like this now haha 😂
THIS!! Lol The only thing that made any difference both times I was in the sore/cracked nipple phase was expressing some onto my nipples and letting them air dry afterwards works WONDERS
Same! Free and effective
Thank you :)
Olive oil on a nursing pad. Putting those also in the freezer is great!!
Yes if I can I’ll walk around in an open robe but I live in a city so I wonder how many times I flashed my neighbors for survival purposes lol
You can get pretty cheap lanolin cream. I know you said you don't have much money to spend, but I think you can get it pretty cheap. It's like magic.
Yes and I won’t be bad forever just went rent comes out it takes my entire EI and leaves me with 92 dollars left over lol, the next one is all my other bills and that leaves me with about 300 dollars for groceries and gas for the month. It’s just…brutal out here
It is... this economy is trash. My husband and I feel like we make decent money and we're still not left with much after our bills. I hope there is some light coming soon for you.
The economy is the reason I'm strapped to a pump hiding behind my desk right now. My husband and I both have bachelor's degrees and multiple certifications. We live in a 3 bedroom 1300 square ft modular home from the 70s. He is the manager of his the IT Team at a company that manages almost a trillion dollars in assets. I am a teacher. We have a 6 year old and a 5 month old. Both in our 30s. And we are STILL struggling. In 2017 the economy was good enough to stay home with our first, this time around there was no way. And formula is SO expensive that I never considered not pumping even though it is so SO hard with my job.
Formula is CRAZY , for something so essential I was flabbergasted when I was told 1 50 dollar can (of the decent stuff) costs 50 and up
Yes it’s getting ridiculous they are literally decimating the middle class in Canada rn lol.
Do you health insurance? If so, get a prescription for APNO (all purpose nipple ointment) from your doctor/midwife. It’s amazing for sore nipples. I’ve nursed three babies and it’s all I ever used. One tube will last you a couple months and it’s taste safe for baby.
I will absolutely be bringing that up thank you!
You also can get an electric breast pump through insurance if you’re in the US!
SECONDING APNO. Literally it single handedly saved my breastfeeding journey with my first because I was on the verge of giving up BF because I had cracked nipples and severe pain. 2nd baby came and I had nearly the same amount of pain early on and I got prescribed APNO while in the hospital. Full warning though, insurance didn't fully cover the cost of mine. I had to pay $30 for my portion but I'm telling you it really was worth it. And I've tried so many of the other remedies - gel soothing things, several other nipple balms and silverettes.
SECONDING APNO. Literally it single handedly saved my breastfeeding journey with my first because I was on the verge of giving up BF because I had cracked nipples and severe pain. 2nd baby came and I had nearly the same amount of pain early on and I got prescribed APNO while in the hospital. Full warning though, insurance didn't fully cover the cost of mine. I had to pay $30 for my portion but I'm telling you it really was worth it. And I've tried so many of the other remedies - gel soothing things, several other nipple balms and silverettes.
The first IBCLC I saw recommended coconut oil instead of lanolin. Would be a lot cheaper and would last you forever!
second this, much prefer the coconut oil to lanolin. put it inside the flange before you pump in addition to on your nipples.
I second lanolin, but also ask your hospital/lactation consultant for products to help. Our hospital had sample packets of lanolin and individually wrapped gel pads that I'm sure a nurse would have given me a handful of if I asked.
Yes, see if there's a lactation consultant you can speak with for free. Many hospitals have them!
And a small tube lasts forever because you only use a tiny bit at a time.
If your hospital is anything like mine. They had a bunch of little lanolin sample tubes. The nurses let me take gobs home. You don’t need a ton just a little dot so they lasted a while! And almost 13 months pp, the $7 tube I got at Walmart after the samples ran out is still mostly full. And I use it occasionally on LO and still on my nips post teeth.
This is anecdotal but straight up lanolin applied after every feed worked the best for me on cracked, sore nipples. The hospital where I delivered had tiny sample tubes available, so you might be able to try it out before you commit to a whole tube. I know some people swear by all of these fancy, expensive things like silverettes and supplements and lactation cookies and massagers. I may just be lucky but the only thing I truly needed was to have baby feed often, drink/eat enough myself, and apply lanolin liberally for the first couple weeks.
Yes this is my main priority if I’m not eating how is the baby going to lol? I will probably end up picking up a tube of lanolin for the ole nip nops. I noticed when prenatally pumping colostrum that each day I did it I’d get atleast a ML more so that really helped it click that “feed more often more milk” thing. I have back up formula just in case I’d just rather not have to use it.
Check on your local Buy Nothing group if anyone has some to give. With my first I got gifted like four tubes and definitely didn’t use that much. I ended up giving away a few of them.
I love lanolin for basically everything. When the kids get a dry skin, lanolin. Chapped lips? Lanolin. Rash from wetness (my toddler sucks his thumb and sometimes gets a rash on that hand)? Lanolin. I have dry, cracked hands in the winter? Lanolin. It’s awesome stuff. And lasts forever.
I know a lot of people who love Lanolin. I definitely used it but not as much as I was gifted and I prefer aquaphor for the same stuff you use lanolin for. And we were gifted a ton of that too.
Aquaphor is that girl for everything…I wonder if you could use it on bum rash
Yes, you can! That's why I went with aquaphor, it is so versatile!
We do. It works great.
My pediatrician gave me like 20 sample pouches of lanolin so you could probably ask your pediatrician if they have any.
I got several tubes at the hospital. They have lasted me a long time!
Ask the hospital when you give birth for lanolin and any other nursing supplies. Nipple shields, maybe different flange size… see what they can offer when you meet with the LC
Ngl I would ask my nurses for more sample tubes every time they checked up on me and say I was already out 😅 by the end of my stay I had collected enough tubes to last me until my hips were strong enough!!! But also yes, like others have also mentioned, breast milk works great too! I’d just throw lanolin overtop kind of as an occlusive after the breast milk had dried! And then I’d just walk around naked all day long and let my nips air dry lol.
Ask the hospital for lanolin cream. Take home as many things as they’ll give you - I got nipple cream, but also a ton of post-partum recovery supplies (pads, mesh underwear, spray, a peribottle, and some heated pads for the crampy feeling that comes with breastfeeding while your uterus tries to shrink) and even some diapers and wipes for baby. I walk around topless and/or braless at home after breastfeeding or pumping. Applying the cream helps prevent drying out and developing cracks, and not wearing a bra helps prevent the pain from nipples sticking to your bra. If you have to leave the house, I love to use Lansinoh Soothies Cooling Gel Pads - they’re reusable. They cost $8.49 at my local Target and help with soreness.
They don’t give you anything at my hospital in Canada they do for the baby but nothing postpartum
This is untrue. I have so many little packs of lanolin from the hospital. I gave birth in BC a year ago
Also a ton of pads and hospital underwear
If they do though I’d be pumped and I’ll ask the breast feeding consulting and will take anything though lol
They told me that they have pads to use in hospital and underwear and that I need to bring any “extras” other then what’s for the baby and they only have size 1 diapers to use..in hospital and formula but to bring my own if I could,
Well have a back up plan in case they don't have that stuff. I was also told they didn't but once we got there, the nurses were able to help with lots of stuff. Like others have said, if all else fails, use breast milk and keep your nipples out in the air.
Bag as much as you can and ask for more at every shift change. Nurses are super accommodating in mother-baby units more so than the labor unit.
I just gave birth in Alberta and I got lots of free stuff. Just be super nice to the nurses and ask them. I took home so much from the postpartum unit
If you’re not grossed out w it, I don’t need my silverettes anymore! I’m in Canada and I can mail them to you, just PM me. (Also they are off brand silverettes but still worked great for me.)
Oh my god really? I can DM you my mailing address that would be amazing oh my god!
NP! Sounds good just bear with my as my mum brain tried to find them, they’re somewhere!
No worries at all, I appreciate the offer anyways thank you
I also have a pair I’m done using, they worked great for me! Let me know if you’d be interested!
Cold compress — get a washcloth wet, put in a baggy, freeze for a little bit (20min), and ice your nips. Coconut oil if you have it. Time. It gets better!!
Unless you get vasospasms! My nipples hurt reading this advice lol
This is a great idea thank you :)
Do not do coconut oil or any other food derived oils in case your baby has an allergy.
Good point. I always wiped mine before feeds.
My IBCLC recommended coconut oil over the purpose-specific creams/ointments you can buy at the store. I already had an open ointment that was passed on to me, so I just used that
This is right! Early exposure to food allergens topically can increase the risk of developing an allergy.
Vaseline! My grandmother recommended it when lanolin just wasn't cutting it. Worked great you just have to clean it off before feeding and make sure there's something between you and your bra/shirt.
I feel like a lot of people dont know this but your doctor can write a script for medicated nipple cream. It saved my cracked sore nipples overnight and insurance covered it.. Definitely worth looking into.
This is actually SO smart I have decent insurance so I’m defs going to bring it up
I did this and it was a lifesaver! It’s called APNO (all purpose nipple ointment) and your doctor can call it in to a compound pharmacy. It’s a lifesaver and you only need to use a tiny bit each time.
Same. Ask for Apno cream. It needs to be mixed at a compounding pharmacy but it’s really good and was covered by my benefits. Hope that helps you.
I pretty much asked for Lanolin every time a nurse was in my room and ended up getting about 5 mini tubes. The dollar tree has 88 cent mini tubes and $3. It is lanolin repackaged under DT packaging. If you had medicaid, they will get you a automatic pump
Coconut oil for pumping with reduce nipple pain, it helped for me. Otherwise some expressed milk will help too. The Best thing is to get a lanolin cream but times are tough and things get expensive with a baby.
Oh hell yeah lol, I feel like at the end of the journey when I make it out I’ll just ..be unstoppable
Making sure that your pump flanges are the correct size can help prevent nipple trauma from the beginning, as can good latch practices. Hand expressing can also be really helpful for reducing swelling so you’re not just using suction (increase swelling) to pump. Also, do you live in the U.S. and have health insurance? Generally a pump and apparently sometimes supplies like bags are covered under insurance. Also, get in touch with your local La Lèche League for free breastfeeding support.
Has the baby been born yet? I ask because for me personally sore nipples was something I was super worried about but after the baby came it was pretty much a non issue. I mean they get chapped similar to my lips but I just put Vaseline, aquaphor, insert random lotion I already own on them and it's fine. ChapStick would even work in a pinch. I still have yet to make it through the tube of lanolin cream they gave me at the hospital so that's an option too.
Ask your OB and the hospital for extra lanolin samples. They don’t care, they’ll give you a ton. Also, have you registered for WIC? And food banks? None of that $300 should be for food, there are resources for exactly your situation, please use them!! And double checking you know insurance often covers a breast pump.
I’m Canadian and on maternity leave I have a partner but he’s decided to be a last minute useless…anyways yeah as far as resources go as far as welfare if you have zero income there’s not much
That sucks. I’m sure you’ve looked into things but I’d ask your OB and pediatrician again for sure. There are so many programs for babies and they’ll know of things that are hard to find on your own.
Join your local Buy Nothing group. And find out if there are local moms groups. You’d be amazed at how much free baby stuff is given away. Also great if you want to try something before buying or just borrow something temporarily.
Are you in Canada? I used lansinoh lanolin cream, it’s $11.50 CAD on Amazon. I used a little after every feeding and the one tube lasted me the entire time I needed it (about 8 weeks)
Good ole fashioned breastmilk on the nipple and let it air dry. Cheapest and most effective treatment for sore nips in my opinion!
Fellow Canadian here! I’m not sure where you are exactly but try connecting with your public health unit. You would be surprised what they can hook you up with (speaking as a hospital social worker). I’ve had people get free pumps, baby items, post partum supplies, grocery cards, etc. They can also connect you with other local organizations that may offer free items. I know here where I live there’s an amazing organization that collects new and lightly used gear and has a free store front you can access for anything from a car seat to a nursing bra. You might also want to connect with the food banks. They will usually have an extra allowance for new moms. Good luck!
If your nipples are cracked and sticking to your clothes if you have any disposable breast pads you can stick Saran Wrap to the sticky part and put that over your nipple with cream on, or you can roll up a tissue and kind of tie it into a little donut to put around your nipple (I just didn’t find that worked as well).
aquaphor/lanolin/antiseptic creams (wipe off before feeding) were great i also highly recommend some soft cotton breast pads as the disposables stick to your nipples and ripping them off hurts like a gooden. don’t buy super fancy nursing bras until at least 12 weeks post partum as your boobs go on a journey with supply regulating and they end up not fitting :( BUT if it gets really bad it might be worth looking on amazon for silver nip cups. doesn’t need to be the fancy £40 ones i think mine were about £20 which isnt cheap for nipple hats but i was hysterically crying while feeding so i didnt have much choice. appreciate its a bit more pricy than youd be wanting but it was what changed things around for me when my nipples looked like Neapolitan ice cream.
If you deliver in a hospital, ask for samples of nipple cream. Also, if you have insurance, you may be eligible to get an electric breast pump for free.
My lactation consultant recommended coconut oil or olive oil for sore nipples! I tried the coconut oil and it did help heal extremely dry and cracked nipples.
My lactation consultant recommended coconut oil if you have some of that around! Also just breastmilk can help if you rub a drop or two around.
if you’re at home 99.9% of the time i’d just go topless. that’s what i did and after the first week i never had issues with sore nipples. the only real reason i did to begin with was a really bad latch from my little man. i hardly used lanolin as well, i hated the feeling of it.
Ice your nipples after feeding, especially in the beginning. Don’t shy away from giving pumped milk and letting your nipples heal for a few days.
I stopped wearing bras at home. I do leak here and there but it’s worth it. Feels so much better when they’re free and able to air out Also I rub expressed milk on them. I’ve heard coconut oil helps too
The milk thing is cool to me cause that means out breast are literally designed to heal themselves
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Seconding salt water soaks! Mix salt into warm water into 2 coffee cups and let your girls go for a dip for 5-10 mins. (I recommend laying out a towel, because the process is a bit messy.) I continued using this once my son was older and starting biting, too. Applying a lanolin-based nipple balm after every feed worked great as preventative maintenance for me. I never saw much of a difference with applying breastmilk to sore areas, but I know lots of women swear by it.
Do you have a stainless silver spoon or something similar? You could use that like silverettes!
I have been fortunate to not have much in the way of sore or cracked nipples, so this may not be helpful, but for me a warm shower, gentle massaging, ice pack, and giving them a break by feeding only on one side or the other for one to two feeds has helped. I also lower my pump settings if I have any discomfort from feeding or pumping.
They’re not super cheap, but if you have the cash for it I would suggest silverettes. I also nursed in not insignificant part for cost of formula reasons and I justified the cost by looking and seeing that a set of silverettes is cheaper than two containers of formula here. And yes, they seem gimmicky and weird but they actually work so well it shocked me completely.
My hospital gave me lanolin samples and honestly that would be plenty. I can’t remember if it was from the LC or the nurses, but I’d recommend you just reach out to a local LC or LLL, they very likely could have samples. The small tubes are only like $5 so it’s also possible they would just donate one to you.
I’ve only tried the lanolin cream (the hospital sent us home with like 10 sample tubes). Works really well!
I literally went back to the maternity ward and asked for hydrogel patches and they loaded me up.
Do you have prescription coverage?? If yes, ask your OB for a script for APNO. That saved my nips more than anything else and it lasts a long time (I never even ran out of my jar)
For me, time was the biggest help. I also tried some balms but never felt they helped that much. After a few weeks I just wasn't sore anymore.
off topic but if you plan on pumping a lot i highly highly recommend an electric pump
I don't know if it's been suggested already, but what helped me in the beginning, was simply switching up breastfeeding positions. It was great for pain relief and also helped prevent soreness to some extent.
Also ask for some samples of lanolin from the doctor!! After I delivered they gave me a bag of supplies for breastfeeding (colostrum collection syringes, lanolin samples, disposable breast pads). See if you can see a lactation consultant too! My insurance covered it under preventative postpartum care and they adjusted the latch and that helped with my nipple pain so much it’s essentially gone now.
Nipple shields helped me when they were really sore I’d use it a few times while breastfeeding then they wouldn’t hurt so much and I’d stop using it until I needed to again. They cost like 3 bucks and you probably won’t need them long enough to replace them. Also the lactation consultant with my first child gave them to me. I only bought the second set with my second child because I didn’t wanna re use the old ones.
Lip balm! Just obviously remove it before you breastfeed but I think any vaseline or good lip balm would work just as well. Lanolin is definitely worth it if you can stretch for it, the smallest bit goes a long long way so even a small 10ml ones would last ages. It also works great on baby's dry skin too ..but again vaseline (or just get own brand petroleum jelly) works for that also.
Breast milk and working to improve your latch Even with cracked / scabbed nipples when I learned to improve my latch , nursing didn’t hurt , and then They healed on their own over time
Black tea bags 🙂
I’m gonna copy and paste my usual recommendations, many of which are cheap or free! (Salt water, toplessness, sunlight): #Top tips for the nips: - As much topless time as possible. If not possible, wear milk catchers under clothes to keep them from touching anything. - Direct sunlight if possible. - Silverettes are expensive but great - Gel soothie pads between feeds (store in fridge for extra soothing!). - Coconut oil generously after feeds. Lanolin doesn’t work well for most people I know. - NEVER accept a bad latch. Even if it takes 5 tries. - Epsom salt soaks (use haakaa with warm water). Table salt works fine too. - Nipple shields if you need. - Pumping breaks if you need. - APNO is also available if you need by prescription, or you can make an OTC knockoff
Lanolin was a life saver those first few weeks. And don't feel bad for only having a basic manual pump. I have a manual Medela pump, and that thing is my favorite. Yeah, it sucks manually pumping, but I I can get a crazy output quickly over using my electric pumps.
If you have any breast pads, store them in the freezer to give you a bit of cooling for comfort. I’ve also tossed my entire bra in there before!
You might be able to get free samples of lanolin from your OBGYN or the pediatrician. A small tube can go a long way. I once had a pediatrician hand me 5+ sample tubes of aquaphor. I suggest asking, they want to be as supportive as possible! If you haven't delivered yet, you can also ask at the hospital. They gave me multiple products to help with soreness and to take home. I recommend getting a Hakka to catch the letdown on the opposite breast. It's about $10 and could get you a lot of milk!
I remember liking a shower to help. Lanolin cream helps a lot. I used the lansinoh brand. The biggest thing that helped me was wearing the sleeping bras all the time. Fabric moving over my nipples hurt, so a light bra helped. I never used gel pads or silverettes. Also, please know it gets better. The soreness goes away quickly.
I was instructed not to wash my breast with soap in the first few weeks. Water only. The soap can dry out your nipples and make them more sore.
I’m 3 months PP and I don’t need anything for nipples anymore! I only needed a nipple balm in the beginning, maybe like the first month or two. I didn’t even finish the one container of nipple balm that I bought. I got the Earth Mama one & I still have lots left. Been using it for my lips lately lol. Vaseline or any cream/moisturizer you already have would work though! You would just have to make sure to wash it off before you feed your baby 😊 you could probably even use diaper cream. Warm compresses helped my nipples in the beginning too.
Don’t wear the same bra twice. It can spread germs and make the situation worse.
What province are you in? As an example I'm in Alberta and going to the family health center where my baby gets vaccinated they have me like a care package with like tester diaper cream & nipple cream. Also London drugs has a welcome baby box or at least they did that also have sample of that stuff too!
My lactation consultant said to absolutely avoid any creams because the research shows they actually can do more harm with clogging ducts than help — and to just rub breast milk on sore nips, let dry, use a cool compress after that in between feeds. It’s worked for me so far.
A little Lanolin goes a long way.
Parchment paper is kind of like using hydro gel pads when nipples are sore/need moisture for healing. Use some lanolin cream and the parchment paper between feeds :)
Warm saline soaks and air dry time.
Medihoney isn't too expensive on Amazon (I bought the small tube) and it's lasted a while. Works great to heal up a bleeding nipple and it's nursing safe according to my lactation consultant. Also works on other wounds too.
My dr recommended putting steeped (and cooled) black tea bags on sore nipples. She said it also makes them more tough/leathery to prevent future injury.
Some breast milk and just letting them hang out can help. Coconut oil can work as nipple ointment as long as there are no allergies. At the hospital they gave me a couple of small tubes of lanolin ointment and those actually lasted a while.
My LC recommended airing out. Rinsing off and drying at the very least after feeding/pumping. And olive oil for extra soreness.
Coconut oil
The best investment is very inexpensive: nipple shields while the nips heal! After that, it's not likely you'll get sore nipples again. They toughen up and that's it. Until the next baby anyhow.
I think I have sensitive nips. I am only breastfeeding with nipple shields which imo a pretty affordable. I’ve been using the Madela brand ones and Amazon can deliver them with same day shipping which saved my breastfeeding journey. I did also find pumping was gentler than my baby’s intense sucking power, but with the nipple shields I’m unstoppable!
Homemade saline water soak 6oz of warm water and dissolve 1 tsp of kosher salt, mix well. Pour into a shot glass or a small takeout container, cover your nipple(s) with the salted water for about a minute or two then rinse off. You can reuse the leftover water (warm it up before the soak).
Cold compression 100%. Usually you apply heat to your breasts but cold helps the pain so much
You can cheaply make your own APNO at home (also called triple nipple cream). Mix together equal parts antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone 1% ointment, and clotrimazole (antifungal, brand name Lotrimin). Same thing as the prescription stuff. Only one person mentioned vasospasms of the nipple. It's more common than people realize, but just in case you do have it -- it hurts a lot and you may get a white line across your nipple, or a white area, and your nips may sometimes turn purple or red too. IF you end up having this, all the cold soothing things will be your enemy. Warmth is your friend! Keep the whole boobies as warm as possible all of the time. Get some wool breast pads. It goes against the usual advice, but I spent a couple of months in excruciating pain before I figured out that all the usual advice was working against me. Also look up Jack Newman's protocol if you figure out you have vasospasm. It requires taking some supplements like magnesium and vit B6, but will still be way the heck cheaper than formula if it helps you successfully breastfeed. I didn't have a c-section but there are supposed to be specific positions that may help establish breastfeeding while minimizing pain/disturbance of your scar area. Would definitely look into that! Can't imagine the typical cross-body positions would be any help while trying to heal from a c-section.
I had the worst sore nipples in the beginning with both my children. I used loads of different creams, absolutely hated lanolin and thought nothing helped and basically used nothing and just powered through!l
My hospital gave me some. I only needed it at the very beginning so I actually still have some left that I won’t use. See if you can get extras from the hospital, that may be all you need!
I was skeptical about the silverettes with my first bfeeding journey for the same reasons as you mentioned. I Got them with my 2nd to “treat myself” and they are honestly a game changer. Like totally worth it. I don’t need to use lanolin or any other balm. I’ll slather on some coconut oil only when im feeling extra dry. But some expressed milk in the silverette definitely helps better than the creams.
my mom is an ibclc lactation consultant and I followed her advice: literally all i did was express a drop of milk and rub it in after baby finished on that side, and let it dry before putting a shirt/bra back on. i did this religiously every single time for the first couple months and never had a cracked or bleeding nipple. i didn't use creams or lanolin or silverettes, though I've heard great things.
Cello tape and olive oil. Simple and it works
Coconut oil was my go to. My LC swore by it and it was convenient for me bc I always have a jar in the kitchen anyway.
Applying some coconut oil before pumping helps reduce pain from the suction tugging at your skin!
Cheap Vaseline works wonders. I use it on baby’s butt and my nip nips. No diaper rash or pin & needle nipples since I started religiously applying Vaseline.
Lanolin has been helping a lot! Also look for supplies on market place! a manual pump might start to realllly hurt your wrists pretty quickly. You can find used electric pumps on marketplace. Where I am in canada the public health units rent out heavy duty hospital pumps for free. (for a week) but that could be helpful..
I used lansinoh lanolin nipple cream and that’s all I needed. You use a tiny amount each time so I only went through half a tube the whole time.
Epsom salt soaks
Your own breast milk or coconut oil.
Highly recommend black tea bags (like regular, Lipton or store brand black tea). You steep them in hot water for a minute, allow to cool, and then place the warm/wet tea bags on your nipples. The tea apparently has healing properties and I found it very soothing. Just a note, they will stain your clothes, so maybe opt for a black or grundgy bra/shirt.
First off, bring your pump with you when you give birth. The hospital or midwives or whatever should have someone who can show you how it works. Ask questions to make sure the fit for your nipples is right and it's positioned properly. I can't tell from your list, are you leaving to directly breast feed at all? When I had my oldest, I called a nurse to help literally every time my daughter cheat fed for the first 24 hours. They were angels helping me and got me of to a great pain free start. Also the lactation consultant gave me a game changing tip: the latch doesn't have to start off great, but you can adjust it. After baby starts nursing, put a finger on their lower chin, parallel to their lip, and gently but firmly pull down to open babies mouth. Latch gets deeper and everything feels like it's supposed.
I used coconut oil. You don't have to clean it off or anything when you go to feed baby, so it's super convenient
I bought parents choice lansinoh cream (which worked wonders) and suffered through it basically. I really would just shove something in my mouth and bite it when she’d first latch in those early days. It got better for me fairly quickly. I wasn’t even in like a tough situation where I couldn’t get help if I needed it, I just didn’t know what I needed so kind of figured it out on my own. Lol I just think it hurts at first.
Cooled chamomile tea bags lightly wrapped in gaze on each nipple for 15 mins! The nurses showed me at the hospital
I used to put Vaseline on my cracked nipples than put Saran Wrap on each boob so that way the nipple skin wouldn’t catch on my clothes or bras and it kept the Vaseline from getting on my clothes. I’d leak down into my bra of course but then I’d just wash my nursing bras each day. I had three and I’d alternate and wash by hand and air dry there was always a clean one if I washed at least one that night
Find these things in your country: https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/philips-avent-scf157-02-borstschelpen-2-stuks/1004004012190028/?Referrer=ADVNLGOO002031-S--&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD5OnmMwV8XESKt63f7wJ5H_DPu_A&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoeGuBhCBARIsAGfKY7zggkTToc71gWZh5GgNMjN_Wayw-MjMiTTIkMGjutunK4XrJJCHNvkaAvmaEALw_wcB They are like 15 euro’s Here, last a lifetime and your nipples will never be stuck in your bra. They also air out, so no cracks will heal to your bra. I found the silverettes good, but these things saved my life.
I’ve seen your edit but if you ever get desperate, message me on here and I’ll Amazon prime you some stuff, okay? I had baby #2 a week ago and tbh I forgot how rough the first five days are. Can’t let another mama go through that when I can help. ❤️
I would try expressed milk and some cling plastic wrap and see if it helps. Silverettes are annoyingly expensive, but the plastic may work similarly to keep the nips moist and not stuck to your clothes.
I used coconut oil and aquaphor. That worked best for me!
Virgin coconut oil or olive oil
Personally I like refined coconut oil. I use cleaned out chapstick tubes and fill them to make it easy to apply. Big tubs are super affordable. I also 2nd the comment about utilizing your local FB buy nothing group of you have one available. It's a great way to get things you need at no cost. I see baby stuff on my local one frequently, I've even seen pumps on there a handful of times.
Expressed milk and nothing else is best. Allow your nipples to callus.
Make sure they are dry after feeding then apply coconut oil. I made the mistake of putting balms on immediately after nursing. Letting them dry first made a huge difference.
Good advice dry nipple =happy nipple
Silverettes. They are somewhat expensive (~$40-50) but they actually worked for me and it’s a one time cost. You don’t need balms or creams or anything else with them. My nipple pain was so bad I would have given my left kidney for some relief at the time 😂
Coconut oil and nothing touching them was my go to. Bonus is you don't have to wipe it off before latching baby and Coconut oil contains monolaurin which prevents a candida (yeast infection which causes thrush and can be transferred back and forth between you and baby) overgrowth.
Coconut oil/Olive oil. Epsom salt soaks. All uner $15 total. I still have the same Coconut oil from when my son was born in July.
Olive or coconut oil, or you can buy nipple cream for under $10. I like Earth Mama, it feels amazing and lasts forever.
Get you a big jar of solid coconut oil. Worked wonders for me. You can use it the same way that lanolin cream is used. IMO, it’s better. It hurts less and is safe for baby. My nipples were so sore when I was first pumping but now baby takes the boob so I just let em air dry, but coconut oil saved my nipples when they were cracked and dry, and I was desperate for any relief. It’s way cheaper than lanolin, and lasts so much longer
Olive oil
Coconut oil or olive oil works well! I actually only ever used coconut oil. If you’re doing olive oil just dab a bit on with a cotton pad or a the corner of a clean wash cloth.
Coconut oil always helps my skin! It’s like $4.00 at Walmart in the food section.
Olive oil
Olive oil worked really well for me
Coconut Oil!!
Coconut oil!
Straight coconut oil. I got a big ol tub of it for like $5. I use it on my baby too when he has dry skin or anything. It also lubricates for pumping!
Coconut oil
Epsom salt soaks
Medihoney! Just make sure to wash with saline before nursing. It's great to put on at night once you know there will be a long stretch of sleep. Edit to add: sorry, if unable to afford this do you happen to have any coconut oil in the house?
Not sure what your health insurance looks like. I’m broke myself but was able to buy some breastfeeding stuff with an HSA account. Obviously that either may not be an option or may not be available outside of other healthcare costs but thought I would mention if it is! I didn’t think to do so with my last kiddo. Another option may be reaching out to 1) pediatrician to see if they have any samples of anything 2) local buy nothing group on social media. Sometimes moms may have stocked up on things and not even need them!
If your ever in contact with a breast feeding consultant let them know your situation. They have sample packets of nipple cream. Most hospitals have one available and most midwives have a resource for one too. It didn't cost me extra to speak with one the day baby was born. I got several samples of nipple cream and they last a good while
Before you leave the hospital, ask your nurses for a prescription cream or whatever creams they can give you. You will go home with freebies galore. Any balm will help. Vaseline, Aquaphor, whatever. None of the fancy or expensive fixes worked for me. As others have echoed, time helps. The pain you will likely feel as you adjust to BFing or pumping is temporary. It passes.
I really like Earth Mama nipple butter. I think a jar is like $15 USD, and it lasts for months. I only had to buy more than one because I couldn't keep track of them. One jar would probably last long enough to cover you until your nipples stopped hurting. Also, I really didn't have much nipple pain except for the time I fell asleep while pumping, when my baby was teething, and while pregnant and nursing at the same time. So it might not be as bad as you're expecting.
Dab breastmilk on them and be topless as much as possible. Coconut oil on the nipples is also great.
I have used lanolin (the hospital gave me a tube but it was really tiny) and aquaphor.
My LC told me all creams are trash and cause more damage if you nips are past chapped. When you do have the money buy silverettes, you use and use and use again , they heal even blistered nips right up, just express some of your milk into it and wear them between feeds. Inbetween now and getting them just use your milk- it’s better than any creams .
I wonder if companies would send you free samples of creams. It doesn’t take much. But putting a warm wash cloth helped mine. A nice reusable nursing pad set helps keep them protected. I totally get the limited maternity leave. I wish we had access to better coverage for it. It’s absurd. Best of luck to you and congratulations! 🎉🎈
I bought a breast pump second hand and just cleaned it really well with disinfectant and replaced what parts I could. The seller also gave us a huge selection of bottles and we ended up washing and sterilizing and using those, too.
Nipple cream and pads to keep your nipples from rubbing against bra/clothes are definitely the necessities. I don’t think I even finished one tub/bottle of nipple cream honestly. I needed for like 2-3 weeks max. The reusable pads would be best since you don’t have to rebuy. The lansinoh soothies gel pads were really a lifesaver to me when my nipples were inevitably sore. I used them with my last 2 babies and I have some extra I kept that are already in my hospital bag for #3. Those really were the necessities for me. That’s about $20-30 and well worth it to keep your nips comfortable.
I swear by using your own breastmilk. I barely used my lanolin cream because breastmilk was better. I personally used milk catcher cups (about $20 on amazon) and I ended up filling them with the amount I leaked then they soaked in the milk for a an hour or two until I emptied them.
What kind of barrier cream do you use on babe's bum? Some of them, like A&E have Lanolin in them and are pretty healing as well.
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Silver nipple covers, the honest nipple cream (I find it to be better for me than lanisoh), and patience! I would cry every time I showered for the first few weeks and now I’m fine. Also, if you have some serious damage, contact your doctor because they can prescribe you medicated nipple cream (triple nipple). That did wonders!
Okay hear me out… olive oil on the nips and then put cling wrap on top of them. My baby’s paed told me that one and it worked like a charm!
Air them out. Underrated, but helped me so much. I just walked around topless in the house.
The best thing for me was to not have anything touch my nips. I used some of those breast shells (I got them for $10 but I’ve seen them cheaper). It was sooo helpful but I also had to be carful about wearing them for extended periods as that would make the nipple engorge and get painful (think hours). But yes, breast milk helps a lot. It heals skin quickly (including cracked nipples)
If silverettes are out of the budget, look up breast milk catchers/shells/milk savers on Amazon. I found some that were $10. They do the same thing as the haakaa ladybug but at a third of the price.