Breastfeeding is the best way for your baby to absorb nutrients from the first few months of life. However, while breastfeeding, you will experience a stretched chest, and over time can lead to cracks and even bleeding in the breasts. aFamilyToday Health gives you tips right away to help you quickly relieve pain and soon regain smooth skin of "mounds".
Use your milk to apply to the nipples
Express a little milk and let it dry naturally on your nipples, breastmilk can make you feel less pain, milk also contains natural antibacterial agents that help heal cracks. However, if your baby is suffering from thrush, you should not use milk to sooth the cracks, as yeast can grow in the milk and infect the crack.
Wash your nipples after you breastfeed
The simple but effective way is to rinse your nipples after breastfeeding. You should wash off any remaining saliva and dry milk on your nipples with an odorless soap, gently wash to avoid irritating the skin. Then rinse with clean water to avoid remaining soap on your nipples and dry with a soft cloth.
Use some antibiotic ointments
If you have large cracks, you can consult your doctor to apply some antibiotic ointment to the crack site. You should choose fats that are natural and are not harmful to babies.
Rinse with salt water
You can make your own with salt water to clean the area with the crack. Mix half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of clean water and soak the nipples in salt water for about 5 minutes, then rinse with clean water to wash away any remaining salt on the nipples.
Take pain relievers
If you feel too much pain, you can take an extra pain reliever like paracetamol or ibuprofen 30 minutes before feeding your baby.
Change position to breastfeed
In addition, you should also try holding the baby and feeding in a different position. Try to find a suckling position that both the baby and the mother are comfortable with and the baby can latch on properly.
You should see your doctor if the skin cracks in the chest area during breastfeeding prolong and cause pain to have an appropriate diagnosis and treatment.