When waiting for your new baby, you understand that once you hold them in your arms, you embark on a journey to nourish them, and that starts with the best feeding. Whether you pump or breastfeed, you will also need to nourish your nipples, and that is where the best nipple cream for breastfeeding comes in.
You might start noticing your nipples cracking in the later months of pregnancy and the first few days or weeks after your baby is born and feeding. It might even be a little painful when your baby is learning to latch, and you could notice bad bleeding, which could halt your breastfeeding journey.
To help you fulfill your desire to breastfeed and bond with your baby, you will need to consider the best nipple creams and add them to your baby registry. A nipple cream moisturizes the breaking skin on your nipples so they won't hurt when feeding your baby.
Since it is a cream you will also need to apply often, preferably every time you feed your baby, you need to consider only the best ingredients that are good for your skin, but more importantly, safe for the baby.
Read on as we share the five nipple creams to add to your baby registry or buy now if you want to treat your cracked nipples.
1. Best Overall: Earth Mama Nipple Butter Breastfeeding Cream
- USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC: Earth Mama’s Organic Nipple Butter is USDA Certified Organic, made with herbs and oils that are traditionally used to soothe and moisturize hard-working nipples.
- NO petroleum, NO preservatives, and NO lanolin: Our calendula cream is safe for mama and baby so no need to wash or wipe it off before nursing your newborn child to make feeding a breeze.
- TRUSTED BY HOSPITALS: Our nipple butter has been chosen by hospital NICUs, medical professionals, and nurses around the country. We're on a mission to free mothers from the fear of breastfeeding during the maternity journey.
- DERMATOLOGIST AND CLINICALLY TESTED FOR IRRITATION. Not only does our nipple butter help soothe nipples before and after breastfeeding or pumping, it can also be used on other parts of the body. Use on lips, cuticles, or dry skin for intense moisture and relief.
- SHOW MOMS SOME LOVE: Give nipple butter as a gift to expecting mothers, add it to your baby registry, and pack it in your bag of essentials for the hospital
An important thing you always need to consider when buying the best nipple cream for breastfeeding is how safe the ingredients are if ingested by your baby. Therefore, it is best to buy a cream made with healthy ingredients such as this Earth Mama organic nipple butter made with beeswax, shea butter, olive oil, cocoa seed butter, calendula, and other organic ingredients.
Using this cream, you won't have to wipe your nipples before every feed or pumping session. The USDA-organic nipple cream is also tested and approved by dermatologists and is the best choice recommended by hospital NICUs for new moms.
It is an oil-based cream that is easy to apply. It will moisturize and heal cracked nipples for the best breastfeeding or pumping transition. However, like other butter nipple creams, you might find the consistency harder if exposed to cold temperatures, often forming grainy balls. Still, it will easily melt in your fingers for easy application.
It is an affordable nipple cream that is free of parabens, petroleum, and lanolin. You can also use it for chapped lips and as a diaper cream. The cream is also quite affordable but comes with a light scent that will likely not affect your little one.
2. Best Lanolin Nipple Cream: Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream
- 100% NATURAL AND SAFE FOR BABY - Our single ingredient lanolin is hypoallergenic, with no petroleum or parabens, so no need to remove this nipple nursing cream before breastfeeding
- SOOTHES SORE NIPPLES - Thick, rich lanolin nipplecream soothes and protects delicate skin
- DERMATALOGICALLY TESTED - Clinically tested and safe for sensitive skin
- ETHICALLY SOURCED - Our Lansinoh nipple cream has no animal testing and 100% sourced from New Zealand which is well known for its clean, green environment
- ULTRA-PURE - Our unique refining process ensures a high-quality lanolin cream with no additives, preservatives, fragrance, or taste
For many years, people and dermatologists have trusted lanolin to remedy many skin problems, from acne to eczema and more. Thus, it makes sense that it is also one of the best ingredients to use for cracked or sore nipples.
The best lanolin cream for breastfeeding comes from Lansinoh and is a greasy cream made only with 100% lanolin. If you are certain you or your baby do not have a wool allergy, this is the top choice for you.
The cream is filler-free, petroleum-free, paraben-free, and only made from one hypoallergenic ingredient, lanolin. In addition, it is tested and approved by doctors for use by new mothers to soothe and heal sore nipples.
If you find the cream too soft, the manufacturer recommends storing it in the refrigerator to harden it a bit. However, one thing to note is that this cream is likely to leave greasy stains on your clothing, so it would be best to apply little amounts.
It is an affordable nipple cream that is tasteless and odorless, thus won't affect your baby when feeding. In addition, if you worry your baby could develop or already have a wool allergy, you can easily wipe it off your nipples before feeding.
3. Best for Breastfeeding Moms: Motherlove Nipple Cream
- ORGANIC & LANOLIN-FREE: Motherlove's organic Nipple Cream for breastfeeding provides relief to damaged nursing nipples. Nipple Cream is unscented, free of lanolin, and does not need to be removed prior to nursing.
- MULTI-USE FORMULA: Use as a pump lubricant; apply a thin layer of this nipple butter to the inside of the pump flange. Also helps to soothe sore nipples during pregnancy and moisturize dry skin, lips, and cuticles.
- AWARD-WINNING & CLINICALLY TESTED: Clinically tested Nipple Cream has been recognized and awarded by parenting organizations such as The Bump, BabyCenter, and is loved by lactating moms.
- CLEAN INGREDIENTS: Extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, marshmallow root, and calendula flower. All organic. Nothing else.
- PREMIUM QUALITY: Nipple Cream is USDA Certified Organic (which means non-GMO, too!), Certified Cruelty Free by Leaping Bunny, and made in the USA with imported ingredients. Manufactured in a solar-powered, zero-waste facility. Motherlove is a certified Women-Owned B-Corp that focuses on environmental and social sustainability. Motherlove can only provide customer service and guarantee quality for products that are sold by Motherlove.
This is your best buy if you breastfeed and vegan. Breastfeeding your baby takes a bigger toll on your nipples since the feeds are generally more than when you need to use the pump. Also, it is an ideal nipple cream to use right before you pump.
It is a 100% plant-based and lanolin-free nipple cream and also 100% USDA-certified organic cream. The rich cream comes in a silky texture for easy application and absorption. However, most moms warn it leaves greasy stains on clothes, so it is best to apply sparingly.
It is made with ingredients that are safe for the baby and your sensitive skin and also cruelty-free. These are marshmallow root and calendula flower in addition to low quantities of extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, and shea butter.
As your best herbal nipple cream, you will also not need to remove it before breastfeeding as it is unscented, and you can apply it as often as you need to heal your tender nipples. The cream also doubles well for chapped lips and diaper changes.
It is an affordable, organic nipple balm that is also GMO-free and free of parabens, phthalates, petroleum, and synthetic fillers. In addition, it is made by a women-owned Certified B Corp company that has won numerous awards for the best products for new moms.
4. Best for Pumping: BamboobiesBreast Pump Lubricant and Nipple Cream
- REDUCES FRICTION: Makes pumping easier and more comfortable
- Lactation Consultants RECOMMEND a lubricant for easier pumping
- USDA-CERTIFIED ORGANIC with a coconut oil base
- LANOLIN FREE
- 0.5 Oz NO-MESS APPLICATOR TUBE
While breastfeeding can leave your nipples sore and painful, using a pump can also induce more pain. Usually, the pump will use a little more force when latching than a baby's mouth, making it vital to use the best nipple cream for breastfeeding.
This lanolin-free nipple cream is made with coconut oil, shea butter, sunflower oil, olive oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax to form a silky formula that is soft on your sensitive nipples. In addition, it also comes with a no-mess applicator design.
The nipple cream will moisturize your nipples and reduce friction when pumping. It is best applied right before pumping, and you can be sure it poses no risk to the baby as all the ingredients are natural and organic.
The only downside with the cream is that it is quite flowy, and as such, you will need to use it with a nipple pad to prevent spilling and staining.
5. Best for Sensitive Skin: The Honest Nipple Balm
- Organic
- Unscented
- Dermatologist-Tested
- Hypoallergenic
- Created for nursing nipples. Helps make breastfeeding more comfortable.Made without petrolatum, lanolin, silicones, PEGs, phthalates and synthetic fragrances..Not Tested on Animals....
If you naturally have sensitive skin, it only makes sense that the nipple cream you get has the least irritation. As such, look for the most organic ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, mango butter, and more.
This nipple balm from Honest is made with 100% organic shea butter and coconut oil to moisturize your cracked nipples. In addition, the nipple cream will double well as your favorite lip balm.
It is a hypoallergenic organic nipple cream that is safe for babies, so you won't need to wipe it off before feeding. It is also unscented and quite affordable and comes in a lovely bottle.
Factors to Guide you When Buying the Best Nipple Cream for Breastfeeding
Whether you nurse your baby or use a pump, you will need the nipple creams to moisturize your tender skin. When buying nipple creams, you will notice many differences such as texture, packaging, and ingredients.
One important factor to consider is safety for you and your baby, thus a bigger need to consider the ingredients in each bottle. Let us look at the most vital factors you need to consider while buying the best nipple creams for breastfeeding.
a) Ingredients
You wouldn't want to put the life of your baby at risk every time you nurse them. As such, it is best to understand the best ingredients that make the nipple cream safe for your little one.
A good nipple cream for you and the baby will be hypoallergenic, so it is best only to consider USDA-certified organic nipple creams or plant-based nipple creams. They are safe to use, and you will not need to wipe them off every time you nurse your baby.
The best organic nipple cream, such as the Earth Mama Nipple butter, is made with organic plant or animal products. In most cases, most nipple creams made with animal products only include lanolin derived from sheep's wool.
On the other hand, a plant-based nipple cream like the MotherLove Nipple Cream on this list is made from plant products like organic marshmallow root, pure cocoa butter, and other oils and butter. It is your best product if you are vegan or are wildly allergic to wool.
b) Texture
The texture of the best nipple creams for breastfeeding also matters, not only for ease of application but also for faster absorption and, thus, healing properties.
Understand how long you will need to wait for your nipple cream to soothe sore nipples or how long you will need to wipe it off before feeding your baby.
In addition, your nipple cream's texture will also determine if it will stain your clothes. The lighter the cream, the more it is likely to leave your clothes with greasy stains. If you go for light creams, it would also help to use nipple pads to prevent staining.
c) Flavors
While you will be looking for the best natural nipple cream, look for synthetic fragrances that could alter the taste of your expressed breast milk or affect your baby's comfort when nursing.
If you need a cream with only natural ingredients, do not forget to read the label to see if it has accents or other unhealthy ingredients such as parabens, alcohol, and fillers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Best Nipple Creams for Breastfeeding Moms
a) Do I need a nipple cream?
Yes. The cream is an important item to add to your baby registry even before your little one is born. While nipples adjust to the baby latching, you may be left with irritated, dry skin without adequate moisturizing.
Dry skin can lead to bleeding nipples, thus making it impossible to continue nursing. A special cream designed for your nipples is the best skin moisturizer that will not affect your baby.
b) Are nipple creams safe for babies?
When you buy a cream with all-natural ingredients such as shea butter, mango seed butter, organic oils, lanolin, and more, you can nurse your baby, knowing they won't harm his health.
However, other creams may come with unhealthy ingredients and fragrances that would be bad for you and the baby.
c) How do I choose the best nipple cream for breastfeeding?
If you have cracked skin and are nursing your baby, you will need to get the safest cream for your irritated skin and your baby's fragile health. In most cases, the nipple creams that use food-grade ingredients mitigate the risk of allergic reaction from you or the baby.
Look out for harmful cream ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, alcohol, synthetic fillers, and more to make the cream more harmful. In addition, you can avoid natural ingredients you are allergic to, such as lanolin, if wool affects you.
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