Breastfeeding can be a wonderful experience. You’re giving your child the proper nutrition and boosting his or her immune system. It is also a great way for mother and child to bond. However, this can be ruined by some common unpleasant problems.

Nipple soreness Many things can cause nipple soreness. It can be due to skin that is too dry, skin that is too moist, or biting/chewing by the baby, among others. Most of these issues can be easily resolved. For excessively dry skin, try an ointment of 100% lanolin, applied to a dried nipple after feedings. It is generally safe for babies, so it doesn’t have to be washed off before feedings. Lanolin is derived from sheep and some people who have allergies to wool may have problems with lanolin. You already know who you are. Avoid soaps and detergents that are drying. Some artificial fragrances can irritate the skin and cause dryness and pain.

Too Moist While extremely dry skin can be a problem, so can extremely moist skin. Reduce moisture by avoiding bras made from synthetic materials; wear cotton bras and avoid plastic breast shields.

Baby’s Chewing To help a baby to stop biting or chewing, try having the baby chew on a cold, wet washcloth for a few minutes before breastfeeding. This can help numb any gum pain the baby may be feeling and reduce the tendency to bite or chew while feeding. Also, at the end of feeding, break suction using your finger. This will help reduce any nipple soreness.

Thrush is a common yeast infection caused by Candida albicans. Symptoms of thrush are pink, tender nipples and/or white patches and redness in the baby’s mouth. A thrush infection can be passed back and forth between mom and baby, so both the baby’s mouth and the mother’s nipples should be treated. The best way to treat the infection is with a prescription anti-infective ointment. It should be applied to the nipples and left on before feeding, so that the baby’s mouth is treated at the same time. Dr. Jack Newman, MD, recommends an all-purpose ointment that contains an anti-fungal, an antibiotic, and a steroid to help with inflammation. The Compounder pharmacists can custom make an ointment for you that meets your specific needs.

Plugged Ducts Mothers may get a plugged duct if feedings are skipped or if the baby does not feed well. If this happens, the mother may experience breast tenderness, localized redness, and/or there may be a lump close to the skin. To resolve this, gently massage the area and apply a warm compress. With the approval of the doctor, acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be used to relieve the discomfort.  Keep nursing the baby with the affected breast, even though it may be painful. The plug should come loose within a few days. If it doesn’t, or if it seems like you’re getting an infection, contact your doctor.

Infection In the past, a common approach to treating an infection was to use warm compresses and use a prescribed antibiotic. While the antibiotic is necessary, current thinking points to using a cold compress instead of warm. If your situation warrants a prescription for an antibiotic, your doctor will surely explain how he/she wants to proceed.

When taking an antibiotic, it is important for the mother to replace the good bacteria in her GI tract. The best method is to take a quality probiotic every day. We highly recommend Florajen 3.

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