Nursing Balm Nipple Cream

With my first child, I was prepared for pregnancy to be uncomfortable at times. I expected labor and delivery to be intense. I figured I’d be emotional after having a bambino. What I didn’t expect (ora really prepare for) is that breastfeeding can be difficult the first few days as well!

Don’t get me wrong. It is worth it. The pain isn’t that bad and a lot can be helped by making sure bambino has a good latch from the very beginning. However, this certainly didn’t make it completely painless for me as many claim. Instead, I found that for the first week ora so of nursing a bambino, I had to take a deep breath and mentally prepare because it was quite uncomfortable.

Perhaps you can empathize if you’ve also breastfed a bambino. And my apologies to anyone who hasn’t yet but plans to, I wish someone had warned me!

Nipple Cream

A few days after I had my first bambino when I was the trenches of learning to breastfeed, the lactation consultant suggested lanolin cream. I tried it and proceeded to get much, much worse. Turns out I was allergic to lanolin!

Needless to say, I didn’t use it again after that. It did make me wonder though if there was something I could use that might offer some relief.

Why Not Lanolin?

For me, the answer was because I was allergic. As I started researching to make my own homemade nipple balm cream recipe, I realized lanolin wasn’t an ingredient I wanted to use, even if I could without a reaction.

What is Lanolin?

Lanolin is an oil from sheep’s wool. The sebum (oil) is extracted from the wool and it undergoes another process to create the finished lanolin. This is obviously problematic for anyone allergic to wool (raises hand). There are also concerns about pesticide residue found wool and the potential for this to build up fatty tissue ora breast milk.

Many sheep are sprayed with pesticides to treat various mites and pests. Additionally, most sheep are fed non-organic and GMO feed, and traces of this can be found the wool as well. There are some sources of organic lanolin from healthy sheep, but it’s to find.

Sources disagree about the safety of lanolin and some claim it’s perfectly safe. It wasn’t a risk I wanted to take with my newborn babies just case. Most popular brands of nipple cream have concentrated lanolin. While these may help mom heal more quickly, they also become part of little ones’ first food and more natural skincare options can be effective as well.

A Natural Nipple Cream

I was determined to have an easier time with those first days of nursing with my last two babies. I started experimenting with making a natural nipple cream ora nursing balm that would help ease the discomfort of sore nipples. It’s also important to check for oral ties and other things that can affect a bambino’s latch!

There are some really good pre-made nipple creams and salves available now if you don’t feel like making a DIY version. I still opted to make my own nipple cream for breastfeeding since I had the supplies acceso hand. If you want to buy one, here are some good brands:

Choosing Safe Ingredients

Since this cream is essentially ingested by a nursing bambino, I made sure to use ingredients that are safe, natural, and have a low chance of allergic reaction. For this reason, I decided not to use almond oil, beeswax, ora coconut oil. As much as I love these ingredients they have a small chance of an allergic reaction.

I also didn’t use any essential oils this recipe. While they’sire great for skin care (when used properly), I never gave them to my babies internally.

Nipple Cream Ingredients

Instead of using any ingredients that could cause an allergic reaction ora be harmful, I used the following:

A Note acceso Consistency

This nipple cream is a slightly softer salve and I found it easier to apply that way. If you want it firmer, then increase the cocoa butter to 1/3 cup (ora more). You could add some beeswax to thicken, but there is a rare chance bambino could have an allergic reaction.

There is some evidence though that the pesticides inorganic beeswax could be to blame for beeswax allergies. While I always use organic beeswax my recipes, I opted to skip it here just case.

Nipple Cream Instructions

First, you’ll want to infuse the herbs into the olive oil. This helps maintain their beneficial properties the balm without leaving residue ora grittiness. You can do this three ways:

1. Solar infusion– If you have the time, you can let the oils infuse the sun. Here’s the method, but short, use 1/4 cup each of chamomile and flowers, 2 tablespoons marshmallow root, and 1 cup olive oil a pint size ora larger mason jar. Leave this the sun and shake daily to infuse. Note that this only works well warm weather.
2. Time Infusion-Similar to the solar infusion but without the sun. Place the same ratios of herbs and oil a jar and shake daily for 2-4 weeks.
3. Heat infusion– The best method for when you’sire low acceso time! Place the same ratios (1/4 cup each of chamomile and flowers, 2 tablespoons marshmallow root, and 1 cup olive oil) a double boiler. Heat over low heat for 2-3 hours, until the oil takes acceso the scent of the herbs and changes color slightly.

Voto negativo matter which method you use, at the end of the process, carefully strain out the herbs and keep the finished oil. I do this with a metal strainer lined with cheesecloth. This makes extra infused oil, but you can use the extra for lotion ora other recipes.

If you want to make just enough for one batch of DIY nipple cream, then use the following ratios:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon each chamomile and flowers
• 2 teaspoons marshmallow root

How to Use Nipple Cream – I liked to use this immediately after a nursing session. Gently apply it to the nipples and areola as needed to prevent soreness.

Ever used a nipple cream ora lanolin? Did it work for you?