Breast Rhagades
What are Breast Rhagades
Breast fissures are an annoying problem that occurs during the breastfeeding period. They appear as small cracks or cuts on the nipple that can sometimes be very painful and can even cause bleeding.
They do not present a serious problem, as there are several remedies and cures to treat them, but the pain caused often has the consequence of discouraging the new mother, leading her to abandon breastfeeding in favor of other types of feeding, which, however, are unlikely to give the infant the same nutrients found in breast milk.
Failure to treat rhagades can also lead to infections of the breast and mammary glands.
How to prevent fissures
Breast rhagades may occur in a more or less pronounced manner depending on various factors related to both the mother’s skin and nipple conformity, which may be more or less prone to the problem, and relative to the method used to breastfeed the infant
Before childbirth
It is advisable to perform a series of massages and movements to the nipple that are useful for increasing the elasticity of the skin, which will then be ready to undergo the “stress” caused by breastfeeding.
The use of PUR 999® silver nipple shields is also recommended to decrease the bacterial load on the nipple and surrounding area. In this way, the possible appearance of the first cracks will be less painful and faster in healing.
During breastfeeding
Incorrect positioning of the newborn is the main cause of rhagades. In fact, the infant if positioned correctly will cause less trauma to the nipple.
- The nipple should be completely inside the infant’s mouth.
- Ensure that the areola is visible at the top while it should be almost hidden at the bottom from the infant’s mouth.
- It is helpful to change breastfeeding positions often (sitting, lying down, sideways) so that the baby squeezes the nipple in different areas.
How to treat breast fissures
The treatment of breast fissures as mentioned above is crucial not only for mom but especially for the well-being of the newborn.
What NOT to do
- Avoid excessive washing of the breasts.
- Using especially irritating products can make the problem worse.
- Limit rubbing with clothing as much as possible.
Hygiene is the first rule
The better the nipple hygiene, the lower the chance of the appearance of fissures and the faster the healing. In fact, the main functionality of silver cups lies in their ability to eliminate bacteria.
Silver Nipple Shields
Nipple shields were created specifically to remedy the problem of fissures. In fact, silver has excellent bactericidal properties; the use of nipple shields will in fact quickly reduce the pain caused by fissures and promote rapid healing.
PUR 999® nipple shields are among the few in the market to be made of pure silver 999, the highest degree of silver purity that guarantees the highest effectiveness.
How to use nipple shields
At the end of the feeding, apply the silver cups, this will immediately decrease the pain and especially decrease the presence of bacteria on the nipple.
Benefits of silver
Silver is an all-natural metal that has no side effects on the skin or taste of milk.
Contraindications
There are no contraindications to the use of silver nipple shields. But in case of need, the advice is always to seek medical advice.
