Post Date August, 11 2023
Nipple cracking is a common condition during breastfeeding, which also causes special distress for many mothers. We must pay attention to its causes and reasonably prevent it in daily life.
Is nipple cracking a disease
Research has shown that nearly 90% of mothers may experience varying degrees of nipple cracking and pain in the weeks before breastfeeding, and even one-third of mothers give up breastfeeding early within 6 weeks after giving birth due to nipple pain.
The nipple and surrounding area contain abundant blood vessels and nerves. If the nipple ruptures, the baby's attraction will cause a heart wrenching pain to the mother. If this is repeated, mothers will inevitably shake their confidence in breastfeeding. In order to alleviate the pain, there are also mothers who reduce the number of breastfeeding times
Causes of nipple cracks
1. Incorrect feeding method: This situation is mainly seen in new mothers who do not understand breastfeeding knowledge. Some mothers do not deliver the nipple and most of the areola into the baby's mouth when feeding the baby. The baby inhales the upper part of the nipple multiple times over a long period of time, and the nipple will crack when rubbed multiple times. In addition, mothers are accustomed to letting their babies suck on one side of the breast, and the nipple on one side will also crack.
2. Excessive milk secretion: Some mothers have sufficient milk, but babies cannot finish it, milk overflows, nipples and surrounding skin are eroded, erosion and eczema are not treated in a timely manner or with poor treatment effect, and nipples rupture.
3. Infant oral factors: The infant's brain is not fully developed, motor function is dysfunctional, some infants and oral inflammation, and biting the nipple during lactation can also cause nipple dryness and cracking. After some babies have teeth, the mother does not contain areola during breastfeeding. When the baby bites the nipple, it will crack.
4. Nipple recession or too small: Nipple recession is a symptom of nipple abnormalities caused by congenital developmental disorders, which can be divided into three degrees. The primary nipple is invaginated, and there is a secondary Inverted nipple at the neck of the nipple, which is easy to be squeezed out. The Inverted nipple is in the areola, but the third nipple invagination of the nipple can be squeezed out by hand. The nipple is completely buried under the areola, and the invaginated nipple cannot be squeezed out. Like inverted nipples, nipple size is mainly caused by congenital factors. These two situations can easily lead to difficulty for infants to inhale. Excessive force during inhalation can lead to nipple damage, and improper handling of the damage can lead to dry and cracked nipples.
Prevention of dry nipple cracking
1. Breastfeeding correctly. During breastfeeding, the poppy should be allowed to absorb most of the areola as much as possible, which not only saves the baby's breastfeeding ability but also protects the nipples.
2. It is best not to exceed 20 minutes for a single breastfeeding. If the nipple is soaked in the baby's mouth for a long time, the skin of the nipple is prone to sprains, and bacteria in the baby's mouth can cause breast infections through the damaged skin.
3. Avoid situations where the nipple is suddenly pulled out of the baby's mouth. Some mothers may pull out their nipples due to other reasons while breastfeeding. In that case, it is easy to damage the skin of the nipple and cause cracks, so the baby's mouth should be relaxed before exiting the nipple.
4. Milk early. Mom can open the milk early and suck it regularly to keep the milk flowing smoothly, and correct the swelling of the milk and the fruit on the nipples in a timely manner.
5. If the nipple is sunken or too small, nipple shaping can be performed before pregnancy.
5. Soap stimulation: Some mothers value nipple cleaning and are accustomed to using soap and ethanol desiccants to clean their nipples. Excessive cleaning can also stimulate nipple skin damage and nipple rupture.
