preparing nipples..

[Anifersgirl]

My mum was telling me at the weekend that for a few weeks before she had my older brother she would rub lanolin into her nipples to harden them up in preparation for breast-feeding (and that she never had any pain or anything when she was breast-feeding.) She reckons she read it in Dr Spock or something (this would have been back in the mid 70s)

Has anyone else heard of this? Is it an old wives tale, or worth looking into further?

Cheers

A lady I used to work with recommended rubbing any kind of moisturiser into nipples through whole of pregnancy to make them more supply so they stretch easier (she in now 62) so there may be something in it. Her daughter was premature so she expressed before she actually had her on the breast which I think gives them a bit of an easier start to feeding. I never tried it but considering the difficult time I had I wish I had given it a go in case. If you have time it can't hurt really!

You don't need to do anything to your nipples. They are already designed for the job. In most cases, correct positioning and attachment are the way to avoid sore nipples.

How can lanolin harden up your nips BTW...it's used in beauty products and hand creams to soften

I didn't do anything to mine both times and bf wasn't a problem at all - no pain or anything

I just continued to moisturise all over as normal

I never bothered and didn't have any problems. They felt a bit battered for a few days but not sore or anything nasty.

I've never done anything to mine. BF three babies and no real problems to speak of.

Your nipples produce a sebaceous substance that moisturises them naturally (or rather, the little ducts in your areola do). Leave them be and don't worry about it!

You don't need to do anything

Well, as someone who had an agonising time bfing for ages with ds1, I've also heard this advice (after this experience). Yes, it's true that some lucky women have a blissful bfing experience without any discomfort at all. But for others it can be REALLY hard and anything that reduces the potential negative side shouldn't be sniffed at.

I asked my MW for advice about dealing with intensely painful nipples when trying to b'feed dd1 and 2, and during pregnancy and she recommended I start massaging them with Lanisoh, leading up to the birth of dc3,to encourage my poor circulation, but I have specific problems that cause the pain, so don't know if this advice would help everyone.

jkkplu I agree that BF isn't easy or painless for everyone, but doing unnecessary things to prepare nipples doesn't help either. Though obviously there may be some cases like yours hazeyjane, where there is a specific reason to do it.

jkklpu Starting out BFing DC3 was very difficult and extremely painful, I was bleeding on both sides. Not at all pleasant but also not at all due to a lack of preparation. It was very difficult to get her to latch on properly but after a lot of time and effort we sorted it and my nipples quickly returned to normal (without using anything).

I think the best preparation is to do a class on BFing and to make sure you have a list of people to call on for help and advice if it doesn't seem to be working well for you.

you dont need to do anything... some people get no pain when breastfeeding, i bf ds with no problems but got loads of pain with dd... i'm still bf her and pregnant (28 weeks)so i'm hoping that will mean that the new baby will latch nice and easy and painfree

You shouldn't need to do anything. If it hurts, you need to check position, they really are perfectly designed.

Old wives' tale.

No need to do anything to prepare. Your boobs are designed to feed your baby.

However, Lanolin can be useful if you have dry or cracked nipples once feeding starts (although I have fed for 4 years and only used Lanolin once when DD2 bit me. Hard.)

Best thing to prepare for bfing is to read as much decent material as you can ("Womanly Art of Bfing" or Dr Jack Newman's book for example or peruse www.kellymom.com). Avoid the trendy books, like Gina Ford, who is not helfpul re bfing.

HTH

my advice is to avoid gina ford completeky for any parentling matter i was given one when i was pg with dd (my second child) by a family member who didnt agree with ,y way of doing things (i caused my sons aspergers dont'ya know) ...... i threw it out of the window, when i get a book about parenting (blw, no cry sleep solution) dp asks if its in the garden yet

Gina Ford is not helpful in anyway, I agree. How could she be? She has dogs not children.

my typing is really really terrible today (nursing dd whos having a booby sleeping day today)

I didn't do anything to my nipples and managed to breastfeed just fine, didn't have pain either. You shouldn't feel pain, if you do then it usually means baby isn't latched on properly.

Lanolin is actually really comodogenic (blocks pores) so I wouldn't have thought long term use would be at all beneficial.

I was going to ask my MW this as I'm already getting dry skin on my nipples and wondered if Lasinoh would help!

That's not to be confused with blocking the nipple ducts though, notjustapuppymum, in case what you're saying is misleading as that has been proven incorrect. Lansinoh/lanolin does not block anything up.

I had real trouble breastfeeding my son; my midwife gave me a bit of Lansinoh just as I was contemplating giving up, and it sorted me out brilliantly. It's pretty expensive, but my GP wrote me a prescription, so I got it for free. Definitely worth a try, but not before the birth, I wouldn't have thought - probably only if you're getting painful/cracked nipples when breastfeeding.