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Lactation Consultant's Comments: Keeping your breasts healthy is important for
breastfeeding success. Early onset of nipple soreness can be due to a
number of things. Poor positioning, poor latch-on, not breaking the
suction properly, bras and pads that aren't cotton or changed infrequently,
or bad breast pumps can be the cause. Make sure that the baby's ear, shoulder,
and hips are aligned. Make sure the baby has 1 - 1 1/2" of the areola
in his/her mouth. Make sure you break the suction when you take the
baby off the breast by releasing the seal with your finger. Keep the
baby from slipping down by supporting the breast during the entire feeding.
Use a firm pillow or
nursing pillow to the baby's body from becoming too heavy to hold.
Air dry the nipples after each feeding. Use expressed milk or
hospital grade lanolin
sparingly on sore spots. Comfortgel pads can also be used to speed healing. Use only 100%
cotton or paper, breathable
nursing pads and change them frequently. Nipples may still be
uncomfortable for a few seconds after latch-on, but they should be getting
better daily.
Cracked Nipples If nipples are cracked or bleeding, follow the steps
above for sore nipples, but use
breast shells to keep the skin from pulling away when you change bra pads.
A little blood won't hurt the baby because breast milk is blood product. A
new product is now available that had been used to treat burn victims in the
past. These
Comfortgel pads are extremely helpful in healing wounded nipples. 
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