After the baby is born, the body of the mother starts to heal. Breastfeeding can help in growing the connection between the mother and the baby. However, this can lead to sore or cracked nipples.
New-born babies have a strong sucking reflex that can cause havoc on the nipples. Improper positioning of the baby can cause the nipples to sore and even crack.
Sore, bleeding, or cracking of nipples is a temporary effect of having your baby suck on your nipples every few hours. After the first couple of weeks, nipples will start to toughen up. Instead of soreness, you will feel comfort and connection with your baby. If you see a yellow, thick fluid leaking from your nipples with a funny smell, you need to consult your doctor immediately as an infection might have set in.
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Sore, bleeding and cracking nipples can be a result of improper latching. Breastfeeding is a learning process. You need to position your baby in such a way on your nipple so that pressure points are switched. Apart from this, you can treat sore nipples by applying a cool, soaked tea bag on nipples and wearing breast shields under clothing for preventing scratching of the nipple surface. There are also some over-the-counter medications like Acetaminophen that you can take even while breastfeeding.
