Nipple soreness is one of the most common problems during breastfeeding. Moreover, as this problem is related to pain, numerous studies indicate that this is one of the main reasons for mothers to stop breastfeeding. When a breastfeeding mother presents nipple lesions, it is important to know the etiology of the lesions and the most appropriate treatment.

Firstly, an assessment of the feeding technique, the latch, and the oral structures of the infant is essential to know the cause of the injuries. Persistent wounds or wounds that have evolved over several days may also be over-infected or have an infectious etiology, and therefore the assessment of local or, if necessary, systemic antibiotic treatment may be necessary.

It should also be kept in mind that there are numerous products on the market that are sold to treat nipple soreness. Most of them lack evidence of effectiveness, are expensive, and some of them have even proven that instead of providing an effective solution, they increase the healing time of the wounds, so they should not be recommended at all.

Knowing the etiology of sores makes it possible to tackle the root cause and therefore improve treatment and reduce recurrences. It is essential to be able to provide mothers with quality information and to offer comfort measures until the lesions disappear. It is also essential to provide a range of options so that the breastfeeding mother herself can choose the option that is most comfortable for her.

Finally, below is an infographic describing the four stages in which nipple damage and injuries can be observed in women who are breastfeeding their babies:

If you are a healthcare professional, you can find more information in the LactApp Medical App, which is free to download for iPhone and Android.