Is a balm containing beeswax safe to use on nipples while breastfeeding?

[pookamoo]

I know honey is a no go area for babies under 1, but I wondered if anyone knew whether products containing beeswax should be avoided?

I have been given this which is lovely, but can't seem to find out whether a beeswax balm is suitable to be used as a nipple cream. The packaging says "ideal for preparing nipples for breastfeeding".

I'm not worried about the nut content at all.

Nothing on kellymom about beeswax, and google only seems to give me companies which sell various different balms...

Any ideas?

Why would you need it on your nipples while bf? If you are sore you shouldn't be using creams to cover up the soreness, you should be addressing the thing that is making you sore - probably your positioning and attachment. Bf professionals are beginning to wonder if there is a link between the use of nipples creams and an increase in thrush which will thrive in a warm moist environment.

Everyone uses lansinoh Its safe for bf babies. I wouldn't use anything else. It's not the risk isn't it?

"preparing" sounds to me like it's meant for heavily pregnant women, not actually bf ones.

Nipples don't need to be prepared - you have them, just use them!!

They may not need to be prepared, but that doesn't mean that people can't sell stuff to prepare them - everybody's got to earn a living. Actually I did preprep my nipples with Lansonil before DS in a desperate attempt to prevent the agony I suffered with DD, no idea whether it helped, probably not but tbh I'd probably have sacrificed chickens if someone had told me it would help.

bert

hmm, thanks.
DD's 5 days old and the feeding is going fine, just my nipples are a bit dry and although putting breastmilk on them helps a bit, I thought the balm might too. "wet healing" ie lansinoh, vaseline etc is usually used but as I have this whopping great jar of the Neals Yard suff I wondered if the beeswax content was ok.

Festi

What in particular are you hmming?

your very usefull advice.

Tis the best advice I can give - nipples need no prep and creams and potions are likely to increase thrush. What's not useful there?

Our local pharmacy makes it own brand nipple cream which some people like better than Lansinoh, and it contains beeswax IIRC.

"likely to" is a bit of a jump from "beginning to wonder if there is a link".
Sounds more like scaremongering.

Nipples are a bit sore at first because they're all hormonal and sensitive and you have a little inexperienced breastfeeder sucking at them - even if your latch and positioning are fine a bit of soreness is normal.

I found lansinoh very soothing at first - and it didn't give me thrush, taking antibiotics gave me thrush!

I have no idea on the beeswax though.

but Bert nipples do almost nearly always get a bit sore and a little cream to sooth them is a very small comfort and without statistical or clinical evidance I couldnt prove nor disprove the thrush claim but something simply to just weigh up for ones self.

The Reason they are sore is becase they are being suckled on by an infant for a considerable amount of time, perfectly natural and normal and no need to examine the casuse unless there is anything out of the norm going on.

My nipples aren't particularly sore, but as festi says, the balm might be bit of a comfort for the flaky skin (bleugh).

bert my question wasn't whether or not I should use any kind of cream / lotion/ balm, it was to do with newborns ingesting beeswax - as honey is not safe for babies! as to your useful advice anyway, sounds like scaremongering to me too (luckily this is not my first baby).

Thank you to everyone for your replies.