Breastfeeding: Benefits of Nipple Cream

There are many things sold out there that you do not need for breastfeeding.  One example are hot compresses.  They can be expensive upwards of $20 for an item you use temporarily.  My suggestion for this is a disposable baby diaper.  It is imperative to soften breasts that are engorged before feeding or pumping with warm compresses, but a baby diaper run under hot water can be very effective and costs about .50 cents each.

And while some moms only need expressed breast milk to soothe their breast, having a good nipple cream around can be a lifesaver.  I recommend purchasing a quality nipple cream prior to delivery. That way, you aren't sending your hubby to the grocery store in the middle of the night and he comes home with something with pesticides or other substances that can be harmful to the baby and not
helpful to you.

While HPA Lanolin has been the go-to nipple cream in the past, many companies such as Ameda have discontinued carrying this product.  Today moms prefer an all-natural approach.  While there are several all natural nipple creams out there, moms prefer the soothing of coconut oil.  Coconut oil not only soothes and hydrates nipples, it offers anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties that most nipple creams do not.

So what are the benefits of breast milk and nipple cream besides a soothing feel and hydration? According to research sited below, there is evidence that the presence of ‘epidermal growth factor’ in breast milk has potential therapeutic benefit in promoting the growth and repair of skin cells. Moist wound healing results in wounds healing 50% faster when the internal moisture of the skin is maintained.  So, save your money and don't buy a commercial breast compress; but instead put a moist wound healing all natural breast cream like cocout oil on your shopping list for baby!

Happy Breastfeeding!
Tanya

References:
Mohrbacher and Stock (1997)

Renfrew, Woolridge and Ross McGill (2000)