Nipple pads

Breastfeeding is a real sacrament, giving a woman many precious minutes. But sometimes serious problems arise with this process, which, however, can be solved quite easily with the help of modern adaptations - pads for nipples. These are special products made of silicone or latex, designed to help the nursing mother, seeking to maintain lactation.

When is it worth buying such pads?

Many women calmly dispense with additional accessories for breastfeeding - breast pumps and silicone pads for nipples. However, in some cases it is worth using them, so as not to transfer the baby to artificial nutrition:

1. Mom has the wrong nipple shape. It can be too large, flat, or retracted. The lining of the nipple helps maintain lactation. You will need to wear it for several weeks. Then, in the process of sucking the baby's milk out of the breast, the patches for flat or drawn nipples will provide them with the correct shape, and soon you will be able to stop using artificial surrogates.
2. You only have lactation. Inexperienced mummies often incorrectly apply the baby to the chest, so due to improper capture, it "dissolves" it. This leads to the appearance of cracks, which give the woman a huge discomfort when feeding. The case worsens and the fact that the newborn almost does not come off the breast for most of the day, which intensifies the painful sensations. With cracks, the nipple pads can bring great relief to the mother.
3. If for some reason you have to feed the baby from the bottle with expressed milk for a certain time. The structure of the nipple on the bottle differs from the structure of the mother's nipple, so the baby begins to be capricious and give up the breast, preferring its substitute. After all, it is much easier to suck milk out of a bottle. In this case, you will have to think about how to choose the nipple pads so that they resemble the mother's breast as much as possible.
4. Kid was born with a serious birth injury, associated with severe CNS damage. In this case, the child's development does not match his age, he can suck slowly or wrongly. Lining will help him to learn a new skill, playing the role of a simulator.
5. Teething started teething. A crumb often trains to use newly appeared teeth, biting his mother's breast. The role of the lining in this case is reduced to a protective function.

How to use overlays?

The most common types of lining are:

1. Latex. They quickly fail, absorb odors and are too soft. Therefore, mothers who still do not understand how to use nipple pads may not wear them correctly.
2. Silicone. This is the best option: they are wear-resistant and absolutely hypoallergenic. In addition, such products are very thin, which helps stimulate the nipple and increase the amount of milk produced.

It is important and right to choose the size of the lining for a specific breast. Manufacturers produce such goods in three sizes:

• S - for nipples with a diameter of less than 1 cm;
• M - for nipples of medium size with a diameter of approximately 1 cm;
• L - for large breasts, where the diameter of the nipple exceeds 1 cm.

Consultants for breastfeeding advise buying products of famous manufacturers, such as Medela, Nyuk, Avent.

It is important to understand how to put on the pads on the nipples. You need to do this as follows:

1. Sterilize the patch before the first use and moisten it for a more comfortable putting on.
2. Try to maximize the nipple, remove the lining and attach to the nipple, wrapping it in such a way that it fits tightly the nipple.
3. To the crumb got used to the overlay, it can be moistened with mother's milk.
4. Place a cutout overlay at the top where the baby's spout will be.
5. The mouth of the child should be widely open and, as in the case without a patch, cover the entire nipple.