Q: My nipples are too small and inverted, and I was afraid that my baby would be hungry when breastfeeding started, so I used a breast pad. Now my baby is just one month old, and the nipples have grown a little. But when the baby opens his mouth to hold the nipple, he doesn't suck. How can this be solved?
A: 1. During pregnancy, special attention should be paid to whether the nipples are normal because overly short nipples may affect breastfeeding after childbirth. If you find your nipples are small, you can use your thumb and index finger to pinch and rotate the nipples. For nipples with poor elasticity, starting from the seventh month of pregnancy, you can use your fingers to pull the skin around the areola upward and downward every day, then left and right. Do it twice a day for five minutes each time, which will make the nipples protrude. The correction method for inverted nipples is the same as above. Then place a hollowed-out half walnut shell on the protruding nipple and fix it with adhesive tape once a day until the correction is complete. In terms of nipple care, remember not to wash them with soap, but with clear water and soft towels. Avoid rubbing them forcefully. During pregnancy, choose wide, comfortable, and supportive cotton bras to support and promote good blood circulation in the breasts, ensuring their proper development, thereby providing better conditions for newborns to suckle.
2. This situation is mostly due to "nipple confusion." Since the baby hasn't sucked on the nipple since birth, in this case, first, the mother should massage and pull the nipples more often. Additionally, ensure sufficient milk secretion, then let the baby suckle more. You can choose to feed the baby when they are hungry. The mother must be patient. Use a warm towel to apply heat, and the nipple will come out! My baby is now 11 months old, and I have been insisting on breastfeeding!
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3. Pull by hand or use a nipple corrector. It is important to take this seriously, otherwise, your baby will have difficulty feeding after birth. I didn't take it seriously at first, and as a result, the baby couldn't eat and bit my nipples until they were broken—it was extremely painful (I cannot stress enough how much it hurt). Later, I pulled my nipples out, and after the areola softened while being held by the baby, it got better. Because of this, I also had mastitis four times. Take it seriously. Pulling by hand doesn't require much effort, and nipple correctors aren't very expensive either. Alternatively, you can buy a breast pump (which will be quite useful later). When you have free time, suck occasionally, remember to keep the movements light, and the frequency can be faster. Don’t pinch all the way to the end and suck the entire areola in. Excessive stimulation of the nipples isn't good, as it can easily cause uterine contractions.
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