Breast fissures: pay attention to how the baby sucks.

Breast fissures almost always result from an incorrect latch of the baby to the breast.

Breastfeeding is one of the most natural acts there is, but it does not mean that it is always simple and immediate, on the contrary. For many women the path is difficult and painful. One of the major obstacles is represented by the leakage of breast fissures, which consist of very painful cuts that cause discomfort to the mother and very often lead to a forced interruption of breastfeeding.

They manifest themselves as splitting of the skin of the areola of the nipples themselves. These are very painful cracks and cuts, which in some cases can even bleed. They do not depend on poor hygiene but in most cases they are caused by the wrong attachment of the little one.

Correct breast attachment

To speed up the process, it may be helpful to smear some squeezed milk on the nipples and expose them to air. There are also other remedies such as creams and nipple covers. Once the attachment and position of the baby are corrected, the breast fissures heal on their own within a few days.

What is the correct position

So how do you know if the breast attachment is correct? The newborn should be placed so that he can rest his chin on the breast and can grasp the nipple and a large part of the mammary areola without having to stretch or twist: his neck must be slightly bent back and his body facing the mother and in line with the head and shoulders. It is useful to support her bottom, to prevent it from sliding downwards causing harmful traction to the nipple.

How to gently detach the baby.

The position of the mother is also important because it affects the latch of the baby and therefore the risk of fissures in the breast. We must not stay bent, bringing the breast towards the baby: it is the newborn that must be carried to the breast. The most common positions are lying and sitting, but the mother can put herself as she sees fit, as long as both she and the baby are comfortable and relaxed. It is helpful to ensure solid support for the back. To avoid fissures, when you have to detach the baby from the breast while breastfeeding, it is good to insert the little finger in the mouth, thus interrupting the air gap.