Dry, cracked nipples in pregnancy

[Patpop]

Hi all,

I am currently 26 weeks pregnant and have been experiencing dry, cracked nipples for over a month now. I feel like I have tried everything ( Lansinoh cream, burts bees, a very low pharmacy approved steriod cream) amongst other remedies. I have asked a couple of my midwives for advice now as I plan on breastfeeding and nothing is healing it. They just get a bit softer at best.

Has anyone else experienced this symptom so early on? I didn't think it would happen so early and it's driving me mad. They are sticking to my bra which is making them really sore.

Thanks! X

I have incredibly painful nipples at 16 weeks but that is perhaps because I’m also breastfeeding a toddler and his latch isn’t great since I’ve become pregnant. However, I remember having really sore nipples in my previous pregnancy too. I liked the weleda nipple balm more than lansinoh, in fact, lanolin can be an irritant for some people. The weleda one does have lanolin but just mentioning that incase trying something else works better for you.

Could you speak to a pharmacist about a hydrocolloid dressing? That could help with nipples sticking to your bra and promote moist healing rather than dry healing which will cause scabbing. And then going forward, maybe breast pads would be good to reduce friction on your bra? The lansinoh ones were the softest I found.

With regard to breastfeeding, I used about a tube of the weleda balm during pregnancy and have never needed to use any nipple cream/balm in 2 years of breastfeeding, including through teething, occasional poor latch, and 2 bouts of mastitis. So don’t let your current symptoms worry you about how it will be when breastfeeding. Hope things improve for you.

Ahh thanks so much @Pastaf0rbreakfast I've never heard of the advice you have given so will defo give it all a good try!! Thanks again x

Mine were the same apparently it's to do with hormones. Im 28 weeks now and they are much better, i just lathered with cocoa butter twice a day and just put up with it

Maybe you have a fungal infection. Try asking at the Pharmacy for some Thrush ointment. If it persists see your doctor so that it recovers before giving birth.