Nipple health is important, and having cracked nipples is something everyone would like to avoid. There are numerous ways to prevent this condition, and people often talk about aloe vera, ice cubes, and other ways to treat the condition.
What causes cracked nipples?
Cracked nipples is a term that describes traumatized nipples. It can manifest as oozing, bleeding, soreness, throbbing, cracking, and so on. There are two possible reasons why this might happen.
Firstly, your baby might have a shallow latch. This means that the baby isn’t opening its mouth enough, and as a result, feeding your baby might be painful or uncomfortable. If the baby has a good latch, they will be able to fit the entire areola and nipple in their mouth.
The second reason why this might happen is bad positioning. If the baby isn’t positioned properly during breastfeeding, they can cause trauma to the nipple. One of the things you need to understand from the start is that breastfeeding is not something you will both know how to do from the start.
It is a process for both the mother and the baby, and it requires practice. It is also possible for the baby to pinch the nipple due to several anatomical problems as well. The best course of action would be to talk to your doctor and try to understand the reason for your cracked nipples. They will be able to spot the problem and help you improve it.
How can I treat cracked nipples?
We have already mentioned proper positioning, and it is the easiest way to prevent cracked nipples. However, if you are already experiencing problems, you want to know the easiest way to treat them:
- Change nursing pads Frequently — The first thing you need to do is replace nursing pads as soon as they become damp. If pads are moist, they will delay the process of healing and prolong the condition. Furthermore, always go for 100% cotton pads and avoid anything containing plastic.
- Apply medical-grade lanolin ointment — Lanolin ointments are designed for mothers, and they promote healing. All you need to do is apply the ointment to your nipples after breastfeeding. The best thing is that you don’t need to remove it before you start to nurse your baby again.
- Salt water rinse — Homemade saline solutions can hydrate the skin around nipples and promote healing. You need to mix half a teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of water. After that, just soak the nipples in the bowl at least a minute before breastfeeding.
- Warm compress — Using warm water to dampen a towel won’t promote healing or fix the problem in any way. But it might feel soothing and help you ease the pain.
- Apply freshly expressed breast milk — Breast milk can offer anti-bacterial protection, and applying it to your nipples might solve the problem. If you plan to try this, be sure to wash your hands before applying milk. You can leave the milk to air dry.
Remedies to avoid
While home remedies can often be life-savers, there are a couple of things you should not use. One of the first things you need to avoid is any nipple creams or ointments that aren’t 100% lanolin. There are a couple of products you can find that will prevent air circulation and cause your skin to dry even more.
The next thing on the list is tea bags. People often use tea bags to treat numerous skin conditions, but this time, you will want to avoid them. Tannic acid can have an astringent effect on the skin, and it can worsen the problem. It is possible that it will dry the skin even further or even cause cracking.
Finally, avoid any products that can’t be ingested. If your baby can’t eat it, it’s not good for you. Washing your nipples before every breastfeeding will cause you to lose natural lubrication.
Will it impact nipple sensation?
After the treatment is over, you should not feel any side effects at all. Having problems with cracked nipples should not affect the sensations in them after the problem is solved. Remedies for sore nipples are used for treating the condition, but they can’t prevent it from happening again unless you continue to use them.
One of the ways you can enhance the sensation in the nipples is by using nipple clamps. If you are not familiar with these sex toys, they are placed on the nipple, and their goal is to prevent blood flow for a certain period of time. Clamps are one of the most popular adult toys for nipple play. Get to know nipple clamps more by visiting one of the best stores out there, lovegasm online.
After that, removing the toy will cause blood to rush into the nipples, causing sensation and pleasure, or even nipple orgasms. While many people are afraid of having permanent damage or having problems with nipples, nipple clamps are, in fact, harmless, at least if you use them correctly. Our advice is to find a toy that has adjustable clamps. You’ll be able to loosen them if the pressure is too much for you.
