How can we better support women who want to breastfeed their newborns?

Although breastfeeding is a wonderful experience, for some women it can be disrupted or even complicated by irritated, sore, cracked or chapped nipples. However, sore, cracked or bleeding nipples should not be the price you have to pay for breastfeeding your child. Breastfeeding isn't supposed to hurt!

Breastfeeding makes the nipple more fragile, and it becomes stretched and wet with every feed. It takes some time for the nipple to adapt, and this is perfectly normal, as the force exerted on the breast by the baby to suckle is very strong. If all goes well, the pain occurs at the start of each feed, then subsides, and after a few days of breastfeeding, the sensation disappears.

Unfortunately, the pain does not always subside as the days go by. At first, the nipples are without visible lesions, but they are painful during feeds. If the cause of this pain is not identified quickly, cracks may form.
Crevice lesions appear as small red cracks on the nipple surface, or as nipple chapping lesions, or the whole nipple may look red and abraded. In the most severe forms, these lesions may even bleed. With frequent feedings, the nipple doesn't have time to heal between 2 feedings.

breast milk: the ideal solution at hand

Colostrum and breast milk are the ideal dressing, helping to hydrate the lesion. It has a familiar smell for the baby, a good taste, is non-allergenic and effective, as it's full of antibodies and growth factors (to regenerate the skin). Simply spread a drop of milk on the nipples at the end of each feed to prevent irritation. In the event of cracks, milk-soaked compresses can be placed on the nipples several times a day.

Lanolin:

Provides a moisturizing barrier that slows down the body's internal hydration while allowing oxygenation. Normal skin hydration is maintained and the skin remains supple. It is particularly useful for treating cracks and irritations.
Lanolin is naturally dense and compact, so don't hesitate to rub it a little between your fingers before applying.

Special nipple care products or balms:

There are balms and oils specially formulated to soothe and protect sore nipples.
Essential Care balm, with Calendula and Shea Butter, can be applied before, during and after feedings, and provides effective relief.
Pranarôm Crevasses du Mamelon is formulated with essential and plant oils that protect and regenerate the delicate skin of the nipple. It is applied immediately after feeding on and around the painful area.

Vegetable oil:

Any vegetable oil can be used to moisturize the nipples. Calendula oil is particularly recommended for irritated nipples. It is therefore useful for massaging into the nipples just after feeding.

The Silicone Nipple: A Controversial Breastfeeding Tool

In the breastfeeding process, many tools are available to mothers, including the silicone breast tip.

The silicone breast tip is an accessory, similar to a little hat, designed to help moms during breastfeeding. Its thin silicone design and the presence of small holes at its tip are designed to facilitate breastfeeding, while allowing the baby's nose to remain in contact with the mother's skin.

However, the use of this device is the subject of much debate.

Debates and considerations

Effects on Breast Drainage: Experts are concerned that some babies are not draining the breast properly with this tool, leading to insufficient weight gain and reduced milk production in the mother.
Impact on premature babies: Studies indicate that its use in premature babies can reduce maternal frustration, while questioning its effectiveness on milk transfer. Paradoxically, other research shows that some premature babies can transfer more milk with a breast tip than without it.
Transition from bottle to breast: It can help babies used to bottle feeding to adapt to the breast. Indeed, babies who have become accustomed to the rigidity of a bottle nipple often have difficulty understanding how to draw the breast into their mouths.
Pain relief: Some moms use it to soothe sore nipples or make it easier to latch on, particularly when they feel their nipples are too flat. Most of the time, these mothers have not been taught how to put a baby to the breast.

Appropriate choice and use

Size and shape: The right size of silicone breast tip for each mother depends on how it is used and how the baby takes it in. A well-fitting breast tip will enable the baby to feed efficiently, encompassing a good portion of the breast tissue without being limited to the forward part of the breast tip. The shape of the breast tip is also important: it must allow the nipple to unfold during the ejection reflex. Otherwise, it risks compressing the milk ducts and reducing the volume of milk available to the baby, in exactly the same way as a breast pump nipple that's too small.

The nipple lengthens as the baby sucks, so if at the end of the feed the little holes at the end of the nipple tip are imprinted on the mother's nipple, this means that the nipple shape is not suitable for this mother-child dyad.

Adapting to the baby's mouth

The breast tip must also adapt to the shape of the baby's mouth. If the breast tip is longer than the baby's palate, the baby will take it less deeply into his mouth, reducing milk transfer. In this case, baby's gums may pinch mom's breast, causing pain through the tip.

Some breast tips with a larger diameter at the base are often longer. Finding the right breast tip for each dyad can be a real challenge.

Sometimes the problem is that the nipple is too big for baby to hold in his mouth, in which case no breast tip will be a solution.

Finding the right breast tip, both in terms of size and shape, can take time for fitting and experimentation.

Application techniques

Specific techniques are needed to correctly insert the breast tissue into the breast tip and maintain its position during breastfeeding. Such as showing the mother how to turn the breast tip over and then slide her nipple into it, or how to stretch the base and then compress the nipple and breast tip together.

Additional considerations :

Ongoing evaluation: The use of the breast tip should be regularly reassessed, with the aim of gradually withdrawing it to promote natural suckling.
Masked Problems: Its over-systematic use can sometimes mask underlying problems that would have required a different approach.
Care and Practicality: Breast tips require careful cleaning, can be difficult to use in public, and are prone to misplacement.

What breastfeeding products can I find on the Soin-et-Nature website?

Soin-et-Nature offers a comprehensive selection of products to support mothers in their breastfeeding and ensure baby's well-being. Here are the main categories available:

To care for nipples and prevent irritation, specific nipple care products moisturize, soothe and protect sensitive skin during breastfeeding.
To promote lactation and maintain a balanced diet for the mother, breastfeeding supplements support milk production and reinforce the necessary nutritional intake.
To facilitate breastfeeding and express breast milk, high-performance, ergonomic breast pumps are available to meet the daily needs of nursing mothers.

The breastfeeding products available on Soin-et-Nature offer optimal support to ensure moms' comfort and babies' well-being, while respecting a natural, gentle approach.