breastfeeding ?

[Guest guest]

> I think, in some of the correspondence on this topic, someone suggested that

> Weleda makes a cream or gel, which might be worth looking into (I know they

> make diaper rash ointment so why not nipple cream?). I also think someone had

> suggested calendula but, while that is wonderful for wound-healing, it heals

> by drying so I don't know if that would be the best idea for cracked nipples

> since the goal is to keep them supple while toughening them up.

 

The cream by Weleda is actually their calendula baby cream. It's not a

nipple cream per se, but my German midwife suggested it for my nipples.

however, i never used it, I just nursed through the time period when my

nipples were cracked, blistered and sore without anything other than

breastmilk. I guess it's hard to believe it when you are in pain, but I

healed very quickly.

 

Nipples don't need to " toughen up " - on the contrary, we have mechanisms

(Montgomery glands) designed to keep the nipples supple and *prevent*

toughening up. Putting something on the *outside* and letting it dry, such

as a calendula gel or mother's milk, won't compromise that suppleness, which

is supplied from the inside and massaged into the areola and nipple whenever

the baby feeds. When breastmilk is dry, it doesn't " harden. "

 

But if the very idea of something drying on your nipples puts you off, then

I second the vitamin E oil.

~Doh

[Guest guest]

Ok, so maybe " toughening up " was the wrong choice of words in this context. All

I meant to suggest is that they heal, become more supple, and overcome the

initial pain and soreness of breastfeeding.

 

-

Doh!

Friday, June 07, 2002 1:27 PM

 

Re: breastfeeding ?

 

 

> I think, in some of the correspondence on this topic, someone suggested that

> Weleda makes a cream or gel, which might be worth looking into (I know they

> make diaper rash ointment so why not nipple cream?). I also think someone had

> suggested calendula but, while that is wonderful for wound-healing, it heals

> by drying so I don't know if that would be the best idea for cracked nipples

> since the goal is to keep them supple while toughening them up.

 

The cream by Weleda is actually their calendula baby cream. It's not a

nipple cream per se, but my German midwife suggested it for my nipples.

however, i never used it, I just nursed through the time period when my

nipples were cracked, blistered and sore without anything other than

breastmilk. I guess it's hard to believe it when you are in pain, but I

healed very quickly.

 

Nipples don't need to " toughen up " - on the contrary, we have mechanisms

(Montgomery glands) designed to keep the nipples supple and *prevent*

toughening up. Putting something on the *outside* and letting it dry, such

as a calendula gel or mother's milk, won't compromise that suppleness, which

is supplied from the inside and massaged into the areola and nipple whenever

the baby feeds. When breastmilk is dry, it doesn't " harden. "

 

But if the very idea of something drying on your nipples puts you off, then

I second the vitamin E oil.

~Doh

 

 

 

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