Only wash your breasts with water when you bath or shower. The little bumps (Montgomery glands) on your areolae produce an oil that moisturises and protects your nipples. Soaps and shower gels can strip this natural oil, causing dryness and irritation.
Air-dry your nipples or dab them gently with a towel. Women used to be told to rub their nipples to toughen them up, but this isn’t advised any more – thank goodness!
There’s no need to clean the breast or nipples before breastfeeding. In fact, bacteria from the surface of your breast can help develop your baby’s gut microbiome.
Fresh breast milk can help heal damaged nipples,8 so try massaging a few drops into them before and after feeds.
Change nursing pads frequently if they become damp to reduce the risk of bacterial or fungal infections, including thrush.
Avoid increasing the gap between breastfeeds to ‘rest’ your nipples. Your baby needs to feed on demand to stay healthy and grow well. Remember, frequent feeding builds and maintains your supply, so keep feeding through any soreness.
Source: Medela
Link: https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding/mums-journey/nipple-care
