How Silver Helps Breastfeeding Mothers
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Being a new mom, there are lots of things you need to take care of- from your baby, to making sure you heal properly down there, to getting enough rest and food so that you can take better care of your little munchkin. But one of the major challenges for every mom out there has to be breastfeeding. Oh! The struggles of breastfeeding are real. And we know every mommy will agree to this.
Why Do Women Stop Breastfeeding?
A study was conducted using 2 years of data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System to examine breastfeeding behaviors among women. The figures were staggering. It was found that 32% women did not breastfeed, 4 % women initiated but stopped within a week, 13% women stopped within the first month, and 51% continued for greater than 4 weeks.
There were several reasons as to why women stopped breastfeeding. A few among these were sore nipples, low milk supply, and baby having difficulties (1). Sore nipples is a serious problem and women need to get every support they can to make breastfeeding a painless experience. And that’s where silver comes in! Read on to know more about how silver helps breastfeeding mothers.
Silver, Its Uses
Silver is antimicrobial and has been used to treat wounds. Silver-based dressings are also used to treat cesarean wounds in mothers (2). But how effective is it in treating sore nipples?
What Are Nipple Fissures?
The term nipple fissures may be fairly new for many mommies out there. They are cracks that occur on the skin of the nipple and also around the areola (3). They can be painful. They are common during breastfeeding and pregnancy. Nipples fissures can occur in women who have difficulty breastfeeding. It could be due to reasons like if the baby does not latch on the right way. This can put pressure on the skin near the nipple and areola which are quite sensitive. Nipple fissures are most commonly dry cracks. However, too much moisture can also lead to its symptoms. It can be due to breastfeeding for a long time, or the nipples being wet for continuously long periods. It can happen either due to wet nursing pads, leakage, or excessively applying ointment.
Symptoms Of Nipple Fissures
Symptoms may vary in different women. But the most obvious ones are painful cracked skin around the nipple and areola. The other symptoms that may occur are (4):
- Redness
- Soreness
- Flaky skin
- Open cracks that may bleed or ooze
- Formation of scabs in the affected area
How Silver Helps Nipple Fissures
A study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a device named silver cap (5). A silver cap was used for treating lactating women with nipple fissures for one group of women. And for another group, the standard care was provided for nipple fissures during breastfeeding. It was found that there was a speedy resolution of painful symptoms in women who used silver cap compared to the other group. The treatment results showed that usage of silver caps was more effective than the standard care with regard to treating nipple fissures and resolving the painful symptoms associated with it. It also helped in the healing of lesions. It was well accepted by the participants.
How To Use Silver Caps
If you are somebody dealing with cracked and sore nipples, silver caps are for you. There are a number of silver caps available in the market right now. You can also purchase it online. You can directly place the silver cap over your nipple. Expressing a drop or two of breastmilk on the silver cap may give you better results. The nursing bra or your nursing pad will be able to comfortably hold it in place. You can use it in between the nursing sessions and clean it using warm water every time after use. You can also clean it using bicarbonate soda and water. Make a paste using both, rinse and clean.
Though there are studies that prove its effectiveness in treating sore nipples, its best to talk to your doctor before you start using it. And if you are a mommy who has already started using nipple caps, please share your experience in the comment section below. We are sure our readers would love to know about your experience.
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