Sore Nipples from Breastfeeding: Causes and Solutions

How to Relieve and Treat Sore Nipples When Breastfeeding

The best way to keep your nipples from cracking, chapping, and bleeding while breastfeeding is to help your baby properly latch. Once your little one gets the hang of it, your nipples will likely feel less painful, tender, and sore. An asymmetrical latch, in particular, can help protect the nipple. If you need any help or guidance on how to latch properly, you can contact your healthcare provider or a lactation consultant.

But it might take a little time to get to a good latch, so in the meantime, you can consider some other remedies. Below are a few treatment and care options for cracked nipples (nipple fissures) plus nipples that are sore, tender, painful, and chapped from breastfeeding. 

1. Avoid using soap. Using soap when bathing your breasts could dry out or irritate your nipples. Instead, just use plain warm water. 

2. Apply expressed colostrum or milk. After breastfeeding, it helps to put a bit of your expressed colostrum or milk on your nipple. This can help provide some pain relief. 

3. Use a barrier ointment. Another strategy is applying a barrier ointment, such as medical grade lanolin (labelled as purified lanolin) after your nipples have air-dried. As far as home remedies go for pain relief when breastfeeding, you can use coconut oil or even vegetable shortening in place of a prescribed or over-the-counter ointment. 

4. Soothe with cold compresses. Sometimes, you just need relief with something cool. A cold compress might do the trick. 

5. Apply a warm compress. When something cool isn’t working, try a warm compress or gel. Warmth can reduce pain and encourage healing.

6. Air dry your nipples. Overly moist nipples are more vulnerable to tearing, so it’s best to make sure your nipples are air-dried before putting on your bra or clothing. It also may help to avoid any moisture at least 30 minutes before breastfeeding. 

7. Wear breast shells. Breast shells cover your sensitive nipples to protect them from any friction in between feedings. However, it’s best to avoid those made of plastic, as it can trap moisture. If you do use these, limit wearing them to no more than 30-minute chunks.

8. Massage engorged breasts. You can also pump or massage your breasts before nursing if they’re too full for your baby to properly latch.

If sore nipples are due to an infection, such as thrush or mastitis, or if you develop an infection from cracked nipples while breastfeeding, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any treatment.

When to Contact Your Healthcare Provider

You should contact your healthcare provider regarding sore or cracked nipples when breastfeeding if:

• The pain is severe or long-lasting. Though sore, painful nipples are common during breastfeeding, the pain shouldn’t be intolerable or last for more than a few days. 

• You notice signs of an infection. Breastfeeding can increase the risk of developing breast and nipple infections such as mastitis, so keep an eye out for hard, red spots on your breasts and a fever. Your baby could develop thrush, which can also cause sore nipples and sore, red lesions in your little one’s mouth. Folliculitis is another infection caused by clogged hair follicles, often leading to redness, irritation, and itchiness on your breast. 

• You feel a lump in your breast. Breast engorgement and clogged milk ducts can also cause a lump, but it’s best to contact your healthcare provider if the lump doesn’t go away within a few days. 

• There’s discharge from your nipple. Milky, white discharge is likely just your breast milk. However, contact your healthcare provider if you notice other colours or consistencies, especially if the discharge is bloody or there’s blood in your breast milk.

Can You Still Breastfeed With Cracked Nipples (Nipple Fissures)?

If you’re able to solve the issue of pain or soreness by repositioning your baby and getting a proper latch, then you can still breastfeed, even with cracked nipples and even if they’re bleeding or have fissures. With that being said, if the cracks or soreness are causing too much pain, you might want to give your nipples a break. You can do so by simply expressing or pumping for a few days instead of breastfeeding.

The Bottom Line

Cracked, sore, scabbed, bleeding, and painful nipples are common when breastfeeding, but they’re not necessarily “normal.” That simply means there are ways to help reduce the chance of experiencing these symptoms, mainly ensuring your baby has a good latch when breastfeeding. Still, many breastfeeding parents will experience this soreness with cracked nipples. So, when it does occur, use the strategies in this article to find some relief, and ask your healthcare provider or lactation consultant for some tips.

In the meantime, enjoy those tender, breastfeeding moments with your little one, and be sure to reward yourself for all your hard work through the Pampers Club app, where you can get discounts on what every parent needs: diapers and wipes.

_{How We Wrote This Article The information in this article is based on expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.}