Nipple Cream.

Namastè!

I wish you copious amounts thereof on this lovely autumn Sunday. (I'm really jazzed about this crisp, cool weather, y'all.)

As most nursing moms can attest, breastfeeding is about one part breathtaking photos, one part incredible bond, and maybe eight parts mom and baby learning to jig this dance without an empty tummy or hamburger meat nipples.

Baby Namastè and I are no exception. I have been through everything from ill-fitting flanges (my Medela horns) to cracked nipples from improper latch (Baby Namastè's got an adorable but tiny mouth, and it took a week or two for us to master the best position for his latch) to going completely top less because I have great supply but the idea of pumping gave me panic attacks. Add in my D-MER and you get one anxious, struggling mama. Before I threw in the towel, I decided to seek out some learning. Specifically, how could I continue this journey without wrecking my nips. I was serious about sticking it out, but my lactation consultant didn't encourage or endorse pumping, so she was no help. I had to Google it.

By "it" I mean relief. How could I manage nursing and pumping without developing chill bumps and tremors at the thought?! (It hurts when you have cracked nipples or improper equipment [originally my horns were too large] BUT take heart--it absolutely gets better once you find your rhythm.) And your nip cream.

My "it"? NIPPLE CREAM. I read up on the major brands, asked around, and eventually just went to my favorite store sites and just bought whatever looked good. Here are the factual, although at times comical, results of all that testing.

(Credit Medela for image.) My go-to for my breastfeeding journey has been the Medela family of products. My pumps are Medela, I utilized the videos and forums on their website (along with one of their lactation consultants) to correct our latch and learn to pump effectively. It was a no-brainer to snag some of their nipple cream.

The Medela Tender Care lanolin is thick, safe for baby, and does the job. If you keep it at room temperature, it's easy to smooth on. However...I keep my room slightly cool. When my  cracked nips were at their worst, it actually kind of hurt to use this cream. It has a funny scent, but Baby Namastè was not put off by it enough to stop nursing. I felt relief within a few applications and still carry it in my pump bag to this day.

Earth Mama Angel Baby is my company for an organic tea I drink monthly to soothe the troubled me during those dreaded "visits" with nobody's favorite auntie. I like the tea, and I love organic, so when I saw their nipple cream I was immediately interested.  Yay Target for having it in stock and online too!

The cream slides on like butter. It's all natural and certified organic. I didn't really mind the smell. It worked--I saw relief in a day or so. However, Baby Namastè didn't like the taste. I solved that by just dabbing the cream off with a warm washcloth before letting him latch. The cream does get little white specks if it gets cooler than room temp, but that is just the natural plant oils separating. This product is lanolin free, for those who might worry about or have a sensitivity to wool. I like it better for its other use--rashes, dry skin, and it's a killer lip balm!

(Photo credit Honest Company.) The Honest Company is what's hot in the streets for baby products. I received this nipple balm in a gift basket from a friend when Baby Namastè was about a week old. Interestingly, that was probably the hardest period in our nursing journey! I would have chopped my nips off to stop the cracking if I could do so without compromising the ability to feed him. It was rough, y'all. Anyway...

I got quick enough relief from it. It has no scent, and it's organic. It smoothes on easily and didn't aggravate my already-sore nips. However--I didn't like it much. I wasn't really comfortable knowing the baby would be ingesting beeswax. That's not harmful I guess--but I wasn't interested in feeding my baby, wax. It was definitely formidable as a skin balm, though. I love it after a pedicure because it makes my feet so extra soft. After my initial jar ran out and I found a great use for this balm, I got it in-store from Target.

(Photo credit goes to Jet.) Bella B Nipple Nurture butter was a surprise win! I was ambling through Walmart and found this. Had to try it, because while I'd had some success, I still hadn't found the perfect nip cream. 

This stuff is the Dutch, y'all. Almost every ingredient is organic and food-grade. It's 100% safe for mom and baby, and I like the little scent it has. (Not overdone, just a little sweet, clean hint of something that makes this stuff even more pleasant.) Baby Namastè is infamous for rejecting the boob when he doesn't cotton to a product I use, but this one met his approval. The only problem is, because I also use it as a regular moisturizer for my hands, he is always trying to get my fingers. This is a very good option, and it's even vegan!

(Photo credit Walmart.) Unless you're nursing under a rock, you've heard of something Lansinoh. I actually blogged about raved over their breastmilk storage bags in another experiment. The Lansinoh HPA (hypoallergenic) Lanolin is exactly that--pure lanolin. No frills, just good old lanolin to soothe your suffering nips. 

Turns out, I'm not a fan of lanolin. Baby Namastè refuses to nurse unless I wipe it off (no big deal) and by wipe, I mean give my boobs a bath so he doesn't smell the cream. The Lansinoh wasn't terrible to smooth on, but it's thick. When they say pea-sized amount, listen to them. It doesn't take much, and because this stuff is thick, your shirt/bra/nursing pads will be pasted to your nips if you overapply. It does the job, but because it's lanolin, we didn't use it for nips. Hands? Absolutely, I'm typing this blog out as we speak with some soft hands courtesy of good old Lansinoh! The cream is sold in Walmart, Target, Babies R'Us,  and most pharmacies. 

So many creams, so much testing. Which do I, Tayè K, love most of all? THIS ONE! *drumroll*

(Photo credit, Google.) Hubby Namastè is from India. He's vegetarian,health-focused, and always has or knows a good non-pharmaceutical alternative for most ailments. He also has sisters, aunts, and cousins who swear by coconut oil for--well, everything. When I finally told him why there were so many odd little purchases on our account, he laughed. Then he went to our kitchen and came back with this glorious blue bottle. 

Parachute Coconut oil is pure, organic, unrefined, cold-pressed coconut oil. It smells, tastes, and feels amazing. It is food, it is natural, and it is my favorite nipple (and by nipple, I mean head to toe, including hair) butter-balm-cream-lifesaver. Coconut oil is long lauded for its antibacterial, antifungal properties as well as its healthy fats and the fact that it's delicious. I kid you not, within three or four hours, my nips were no longer red. The pain was nonexistent by my third use. I use it to lubricate my horns too. It's vegan approved. For me, of course, the deal-sealer was Baby Namastè's reaction--he was cluster-feeding and not once did he shun the boob. The coconut oil absorbs into your skin, so it doesn't feel sticky. Just keep it at room temp or it'll solidify completely. We purchased ours at Cherian's International (a supermarket in Decatur, GA), but you can order it for yourself here and here. 

I no longer suffer cracked nipples, but I still use my Parachute Oil. Since those initial weeks, I haven't suffered cracks, blisters, or soreness. I like to think it's because I have 50 different kinds of relief available. 

Also, my skin is soft as a baby's butt. Shouts out to my nip cream collection for that. A girl likes to be soft and sweetly scented, amirite?  

Namastè!

-- Tayè K ♡