The best nipple cream is quite essential during the first weeks and months of breastfeeding. As your baby learns to latch, your nipples can feel tender and sore and finally start racking. If left untreated or unmoisturized, your symptoms could also include bleeding, thus making it uncomfortable for you to feed your baby.
What is a Nipple Cream?
Nipple cream is a moisturizer designed to hydrate your nipples even as you breastfeed many times round the clock. It provides soothing relief before and after you breastfeed to heal sore, broken, land even bleeding nipples. The best time to buy a nipple cream is when making a baby registry or soon after your baby is born.
There are different types of nipple creams in the market, but most are packaged as either balms or smooth lotions. The best nipple creams are also made with ingredients that will not harm your baby; you need to pick wisely as your baby will ingest the cream in little amounts during every feed.
If you need the best nipple butter, we have compiled the following list of creams you can buy today, including their pros and cons. Keep reading as you will also learn the most important features to look for before or when buying your nipple cream.
1. Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream
[amazon box="B005MI648C" template="horizontal"]
It is the best nipple cream out there that you could even get from the hospital as a gift. It comes in a purple tube and is made using lanolin that is sou0rced from New Zealand. Lanolin is one of the best moisturizing ingredients you can use for your nipples.
When looking for a product you know your baby will consume somehow, you have to make sure they are safe. Not to worry, this Lansinoh nipple cream is 100% hypoallergenic, free of parabens or additives, and also odorless.
It is also tasteless, so not uncomfortable for your little one; it is also a great product to use on your chapped lips or cracked heels. According to the manufacturer, its thick cream is dermatologist-tested to guarantee safety for your baby.
When you no longer need the Lansinoh Lanolin cream for your nipples, you can use it on the flanges of your breast pump, so the hard suction is not overly uncomfortable.
2. Earth Mama Nipple Butter Cream
[amazon box="B000JVCBBG" template="horizontal"]
This other best nipple cream is ideal for you if you are not fond of lanolin. If vegan or raising a vegan baby, you will know that lanolin is extracted from sheep's wool, and while processed for safety, the thought of the ingredient may be uncomfortable.
Now, its Earth Mama organic nipple cream is made with beeswax, calendula flower extract, and olive oil and packaged in a nice-looking jar. It is a safe cream you won't have to wipe off before feeding your baby and is USDA-certified organic. As such, this nipple butter cream does not contain petroleum, parabens, gluten, or other additives.
This affordable organic nipple cream is dermatologist-tested and clinically tested to make it a versatile product you can use on your broken and irritated skin; it is safe for your chapped lips, heels, elbows, or cuticles.
3. Motherlove Nipple Cream
[amazon box="B0007CQ726" template="horizontal"]
This Motherlove nipple cream is another lanolin-free product you can use for your dry nipples, among other versatile uses. It is made with organic ingredients, including beeswax, shea butter, calendula flower, marshmallow root, and extra virgin olive oil.
One of the safest nipple creams for your baby, it is plant-based, cruelty-free, USDA-organic, and Non-GMO. You will not need to clean it off when your baby wants a feed as it also does not contain petroleum parabens, fragrances, or other additives.
When your cracked nipples are healed, the Motherlove nipple cream is also a great pump lubricant, lip balm, and diaper cream. It is also lighter than other nipple creams in the market, thus easier to apply and less likely to stain your clothing.
It's relatively affordable and comes in a durable glass jar. It is also the latest winner of the Best of the Bump award in 2021.
4. Medela Tender Care Lanolin Nipple Cream
[amazon box="B0011EB814" template="horizontal"]
You probably know Medela for their great breast pumps, but they also make this excellent hypoallergenic nipple cream to soothe sore nipples. It is made with lanolin as its main ingredient and is packaged in a clean tube for easy squeezing.
Unlike other lanolin nipple creams that tend to tug on your tender nipples, this Medela cream is a bit lighter and glides on smoothly for the best healing properties. In addition, you will not need to wash it off before feeding your baby, and you can also use it to moisturize your and the baby's dry skin.
5. Bamboobies Nipple Balm
[amazon box="B007TIM8A6" template="horizontal"]
When your symptoms include cracked and bleeding nipples, you will need a fast-acting nipple balm for relief. With your baby's health in mind, you will need to look for all-organic ingredients so you can keep them on your nipples even when breastfeeding your baby.
This nipple cream from Bamboosies is made with organic ingredients like shea butter, extra virgin olive oil, calendula flower, marshmallow root, and beeswax. As a result, it is a USDA-certified organic nipple balm that offers relief for your cracked nipples.
It is also an affordable nipple cream that you can apply as often as you need.
Advantages of Using the Best Nipple Creams
When breastfeeding, several things may cause cracked nipples, such as;
- Poor latching
- Not finding an ideal feeding position
- Using a breast pump whose flange is too small
- Not using an ideal technique to feed
While these causes are sometimes unavoidable, especially for new breastfeeding moms, having a good nipple cream allows you the luxury of learning how to feed your baby without further symptoms or suffering. The following are the best advantages of using nipple creams when breastfeeding.
- You will soothe your cracked nipples for easier feeding
- You will prevent cracking in the future
Apart from sooting and preventing sore nipples or cracked and bleeding nipples in the future, you can also use the best nipple creams for;
- Hydrating chapped lips, elbows, heels, and cuticles
- You can use a nipple cream as a baby's diaper cream
- Shooting minor cuts or skin abrasions
- Sooting your stretchmarks as you lose baby weight
- Soothing the symptoms of eczema
- You use a nipple balm that can unstick a stuck zipper
Factors to Consider When Buying The Best Nipple Cream
One challenge with finding your best nipple creams is the many choices available in the market. But, you can consider the following factors to make sure you end up with only the best for you and your baby,
a) Ingredients
An important thing to remember when looking for a nipple cream is the high chances for your baby to ingest it in small amounts. Thus, it is best to choose the ingredients wisely. Alos, look at the label to see if the manufacturer says the cream is safe for your baby and if you will need to wash it off before breastfeeding.
When buying a nipple cream, you can choose between plant-based ingredients or others like lanolin. Plant-based nipple cream ingredients include olive oil, shea butter, coconut oil, mango butter, marshmallow root, calendula flower, and more.
Alternatively, you can opt for other safe ingredients such as lanolin. It is extracted from sheep's wool and is one of the best ingredients for healing chapped, cracked, or irritated skin.
Here are some ingredients you need to avoid in your best nipple balm;
- Petroleum
- Parabens
- Vitamin E
- Mineral oils
- Alcohol
Also, while your sore nipples might be in pain, it is best to avoid using numbing creams as they will also numb your baby's mouth, making it hard to feed.
b) Consistency
It is best to understand the consistency of your natural nipple cream for breastfeeding. Considering you will probably have sore nipples, your best bet is to get a product that does not require a lot of rubbing, as this will irritate you more.
In addition, products with ingredients like shea butter will probably harden the consistency in colder temperatures; it'd be best to look for creams containing easy to rub-on oils such as coconut oil.
c) Smell and taste
While a smell or taste will not affect you, it will affect your baby. For example, if you have a picky baby, you will struggle to get them to feed if they can taste anything more than your breast milk. Therefore, you will need to test your best nipple creams to rule out any uncomfortable taste or smell before exposing your baby to them.
d) Allergens
If you want to avoid bad skin reactions from you or your baby, look out for any ingredients you might be allergic to. If you find any you are allergic to, even your baby will likely be, so find an alternative product to use.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Nipple Cream
a) How often should I apply a nipple cream?
The number of times you can use a nipple cream may depend on how severe your symptoms are, but it is ideal for applying after every feed to prevent cracking. If you apply the nipple balm immediately after feeding your baby, there will be enough time for it to soak in and offer healing properties before you feed your baby again.
b) Can I use nipple butter when pregnant?
Yes. If you experience nipple pain or nipple soreness when pregnant, it is best to use organic nipple butter to soothe the symptoms.
c) Can nipple creams irritate sensitive skin?
There are some instances when your nipple cream may irritate your skin. For instance, if you are allergic to lanolin, even the best lanolin nipple cream may cause some irritation. In its case, it is best to get the best organic nipple cream.
d) What other alternative nipple ointments can I use to relieve nipple soreness?
As you may have noticed, the best nipple creams for breastfeeding contain only the best organic ingredients, which means you can make your best creams at home. In addition, you can apply any of the following products if your symptoms are not so severe.
- Pure cocoa butter
- Coconut oil
- Shea butter
- Avocado oil
- Sunflower oil
- A dab of your breast milk
- A tiny dab of honey to prevent an infection on your chapped nipples
0 comments