Cracked nipples, sore nipples, engorgement is common for breastfeeding mothers. But the pain of these breastfeeding niggles is almost unbearable. Many mothers plan to give up breastfeeding when it becomes too much to bear and turn to formula. But we all know that formula milk isn’t as good as breast milk and in many ways not the best choice of nutrition for your child.
But if sore and cracked nipples are stopping you from having a smooth breastfeeding experience, then try some remedies to get rid of the same. There are various home remedies that can help you in this case and one of them is peppermint, the leaves, gel and even peppermint water do a lot to soothe the sore nipples and help a mother carry on with breastfeeding.
There are numerous studies that confirm the fact that peppermint can be a life saviour for breastfeeding mothers. A study conducted in the 2014 and published in the Journal of research of medical sciences showed that women who put four drops of menthol on their sore and cracked nipples and areola after breastfeeding experienced fewer incidences of nipple crack and soreness as compared to women who used their own milk to treat the condition.
Another comprehensive study done to study the effect of peppermint gel on breastfeeding mothers saw that women who used peppermint gels on their nipples as compared to the ones who used lanolin ointment or placebo had fewer nipple cracks and mastered better breastfeeding techniques due to fewer problems faced in the nipple area and areola.
Nipple pain and damage in breastfeeding mothers are common causes of premature breastfeeding cessation. Another study found out that women who used peppermint water on their breasts saw fewer chances of developing nipple cracks than women who didn’t use this water. Also, these women faced less nipple pain during breastfeeding.
These studies conclude that peppermint stands to be an excellent natural remedy for sore and cracked nipples in breastfeeding mothers.
Tip: To prepare peppermint water soak some peppermint leaves in water overnight and next morning use this water after straining as a breast ointment or gel lathering it all over the nipples and areola.
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