Updated June 10, 2015.
All purpose nipple ointment
The best treatment of nipple soreness is prevention. The best prevention is an early start to breastfeeding and a good latch. More than minimal nipple pain in the first two or three days after your baby's birth is due to a poor latch, no matter who tells you the latch is fine. Get help.
Sometimes nipple ointments such as Lansinoh, Purlan and others can be very useful for mild to moderate pain, but fixing the latch is still the best treatment.
Sometimes a “good-for-all-things-don’t-know-why-it-works” nipple ointment can also be very useful.
You may be prescribed such an ointment (which works better than a cream). It will contain:
One or more antibiotics. Almost all cracks and erosions have bacteria growing in the base. Whether they are actually causing infection, or whether they merely delay healing is not known. But it has been known for many years that antibiotic ointments help some mothers’ nipple pain get better.
An antifungal agent. Candida albicans can cause nipple soreness and cracking. Sometimes it is not easy to tell what contribution this fungus causes to breastfeeding mothers’ nipple soreness.
An antiinflammatory agent. Often it is the inflammation associated with infection or injury which causes the most pain. The antiinflammatory agent (a steroid) decreases the inflammatory response.
In Canada, Kenacomb (more easily available) or Viaderm KC (less expensive) ointments contain the above ingredients. Ointments can also be made up from individual ingredients, our usual practice now.
In the USA, mixing Mycolog ointment with 2% mupirocin ointment results in a similar concoction.
How to use? Apply the ointment sparingly after each feeding. Do not wash or wipe it off even if the baby goes back to the breast within minutes. Most of the ingredients are not absorbed from the baby’s gut and will do him no harm. Once you are feeling better (usually within 2-5 days), you can gradually decrease the use of the ointment until you are not using it at all. For some conditions, the mother may have to use the ointment daily or twice daily to keep pain free. This is not a problem and you may continue the use of the ointment for weeks or longer, if necessary.
by Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC
All purpose nipple ointment
The best treatment of nipple soreness is prevention. The best prevention is an early start to breastfeeding and a good latch. More than minimal nipple pain in the first two or three days after your baby's birth is due to a poor latch, no matter who tells you the latch is fine. Get help.
Sometimes nipple ointments such as Lansinoh, Purlan and others can be very useful for mild to moderate pain, but fixing the latch is still the best treatment.
Sometimes a “good-for-all-things-don’t-know-why-it-works” nipple ointment can also be very useful.
You may be prescribed such an ointment (which works better than a cream). It will contain:
One or more antibiotics. Almost all cracks and erosions have bacteria growing in the base. Whether they are actually causing infection, or whether they merely delay healing is not known. But it has been known for many years that antibiotic ointments help some mothers’ nipple pain get better.
An antifungal agent. Candida albicans can cause nipple soreness and cracking. Sometimes it is not easy to tell what contribution this fungus causes to breastfeeding mothers’ nipple soreness.
An antiinflammatory agent. Often it is the inflammation associated with infection or injury which causes the most pain. The antiinflammatory agent (a steroid) decreases the inflammatory response.
In Canada, Kenacomb (more easily available) or Viaderm KC (less expensive) ointments contain the above ingredients. Ointments can also be made up from individual ingredients, our usual practice now.
In the USA, mixing Mycolog ointment with 2% mupirocin ointment results in a similar concoction.
How to use? Apply the ointment sparingly after each feeding. Do not wash or wipe it off even if the baby goes back to the breast within minutes. Most of the ingredients are not absorbed from the baby’s gut and will do him no harm. Once you are feeling better (usually within 2-5 days), you can gradually decrease the use of the ointment until you are not using it at all. For some conditions, the mother may have to use the ointment daily or twice daily to keep pain free. This is not a problem and you may continue the use of the ointment for weeks or longer, if necessary.
by Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC