I had awful mastitis when E was about a week old but it wasn't from plugged ducts because I never produced any milk! Looking back, I think an infection got in through my mangled nipples.
Do you get up and wash your nipples with soap and water after every feed? What if your baby falls asleep on you?
pomelo / 5678 posts
I showered every day with super hot water and soap, and I think the best thing you can do is always have clean hands, pull your shirt down vs. up, and feed feed feed or pump pump pump constantly. I used really quality lanolin (Australian gold) and always wore a clean nursing bra. These things might seem extreme, but if you're asking, that's what I did that worked. I had TONS of painful clogged ducts but just kept nursing that side first (the baby is more powerful than the pump). BFing was one of the hardest things I've ever done!
cantaloupe / 6634 posts
Nope... I mean, I shower and use APNO if I have crack or anything but (in my opinion) I think it's one of those things that helps a child to build immunity.
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
Nada and I had tons of clogged ducts the 1st 6 months. But it was all internal, nothing external.
grapefruit / 4418 posts
My LC said not to wash nipples directly, just to let soap and water naturally run down them...
papaya / 10570 posts
This is really interesting, thanks everyone. Perhaps I can stop torturing myself that breastfeeding didn't work because I wasn't clean enough. 
I washed every day.... but I was so tired and overwhelmed in the beginning I didn't even think about washing after each failed breastfeeding attempt. I'm quite relieved to hear its not the norm!
nectarine / 2821 posts
They recommend against it! That is definitely not why it didn't work, so one thing to take off your blame yourself list!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
I definitely did not wash after every feed! I did put some kind of nipple ointment on usually in the beginning (lanolin or earth angel mama), for my own comfort. I did not always wear a clean nursing bra or tank, but did try to remember to change the breast pads once a day.
Knowing your story, I really think you just had terrible luck and nothing you could have done would have changed your breastfeeding experience. My guess (as an Internet expert) would be that the complications after birth led to low milk supply, which contributed to E not having a good latch or being able to get much milk, leading to your "mangled nipples". And yeah, I do think mangled nipples are more prone to infection too. But not your fault!
cantaloupe / 6634 posts
@Cherrybee: not your fault at all! My sis had a terrible time BFing her first LO and FF. She was able to bf the next three...there's a great chance things can work from the get go since you have experience
cantaloupe / 6630 posts
God no, my nipples were too sore to put soap on them! I just had daily showers and used APNO for the pain. What happened to you defo was not hygiene related!
papaya / 10570 posts
Thanks everyone. This is really very healing. I didn't realise how raw this all still was until I became pregnant again.
bananas / 9357 posts
@Cherrybee: congrats on your pregnancy! No, I never washed after breastfeeding. Just normal showers and Earth mama cream on my nips. I feel for you on the mastitis tho! It's awful. I've had it 3 times with my DD now!
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
Nothing! I did shower every day, though, but only used warm water and olive oil based cream when i was sore. I hated being sticky and gross. Yuck.
pomegranate / 3658 posts
Not necessary to wash after every feeding. In fact I avoid even wiping my nipples off after feeds, since the nipples absorb baby's saliva in order to produce antibodies when baby is sick. There are a million reasons why breastfeeding might not work for you (or anyone) but I don't think lack of washing is the likely culprit.
cherry / 175 posts
I just shower once a day and put in clean pads in the morning and before bed. I couldn't be bothered to wash after every feed. Half the time I feed just to put him to sleep and enjoy the cuddles 
pomegranate / 3845 posts
I didn't do anything either, except an occasional baby wipe/burp cloth to wipe off excess milk in the early days when LO's latch wasn't so good and we'd both be covered in milk!
pomegranate / 3393 posts
I didn't use any special products or do anything special other than let my nipples air out and dry as often as possible, and avoid constricting or underwire bras.
coconut / 8854 posts
Just my once a day shower! Even then I just let soap and water run over my nipples!
cantaloupe / 6669 posts
I just showered... and not every day! My LC told me special hygiene was not necessary. I doubt it was anything you did!
clementine / 756 posts
Nope! I don't even shower everyday with a newborn. And I only use lanolin when pumping. In the beginning, my nipples were sore so I didn't wear a bra so everything could air dry and not have any pressure. That resulted in changing shirts sometimes from leaking, but I was doing laundry every day, so it wasn't a problem.
nectarine / 2262 posts
I didn't know this was a thing! I'm EBF my 2 month old, I have an oversupply. Haven't has mastitis or any clogs or anything. The first week or 2 I used lanolin for soreness as needed but since then.... I just take normal showers like I did pre BF! No special boobie hygiene!
pomelo / 5093 posts
@Cherrybee: My goodness, no. And I ride my bike around with kids most days, so I am walking around with sweaty boobs much of the day too. I'm sure your personal hygiene had nothing to do with it!
cherry / 118 posts
I did nothing. Nor did I find the time to even shower daily with a newborn. I just showered every other day.
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
I did nothing and didn't shower everyday either! I've had plugged ducts but not mastitis.
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