07/08/2026
Did anyone prepare your mind about sore/cracked ni***es? Omor, e dey pain ooo! 😩😂
Almost every first-time mum experiences some degree of ni**le soreness in the first few weeks after delivery, especially when breastfeeding is just beginning.
Why does it happen?
Most times, it is because of poor latching. When the baby does not open the mouth wide enough to take in the ni**le and much of the ar**la, the ni**le gets repeatedly pulled and compressed, leading to soreness and cracks.
How can it be prevented or managed?
🤱🏽 Start breastfeeding early after delivery.
🤱🏽 Get the latch right. Touch the ni**le gently against the baby’s upper lip. This encourages the baby to open the mouth wide and take in the ni**le and much of the ar**la.
🤱🏽 Don’t pull the baby off the breast while sucking. Gently break the suction with a clean finger before removing the breast.
🌬️ If you have sore, allow the ni**le to stay open to air after feeding. Applying a little expressed breast milk to the ni**le can also help keep the skin moisturised and support healing.
🍼 If the ni**le is badly cracked or bleeding, get professional breastfeeding advice. Expressing milk from that breast can help maintain milk production, and depending on the cause and the mother’s health status, temporary avoidance of direct feeding from that ni**le may be advised.
Most uncomplicated cracks improve within a few days once the cause; usually poor attachment is corrected.
