Contents
What is an inverted nipple?
It is a malformation of the milk ducts, responsible for carrying the milk secreted by the mammary glands. In some women, one or both of the ducts may be too short or curl up on themselves, causing the nipple to retract. It will therefore not develop outward and will be returned inside the mammary areola. We also talk about invaginated nipple.
Breastfeeding with an invaginated nipple
This congenital malformation will not necessarily have an impact on breastfeeding. Indeed, the sucking of the infant may be enough to make the nipple come out. After weaning the baby, the nipple will most often return to its umbilicated shape.
In video: Interview with Carole Hervé, lactation consultant: “Is my baby getting enough milk?”
The testimony of Agathe, mother of Sasha
Agathe, 33-year-old mother of Sasha, now 8 months old, encountered difficulties when initiating breastfeeding: “My nipples were too flat for my daughter to nurse at birth. They did not reach the arch of the palate, so the sucking reflex was not triggered. “ The young woman, who was eager to breastfeed her baby, turned to a lactation counselor. “She recommended that I use a breast pump at first, to stimulate lactation and help the nipple point more outward with repeated pressure from the device. The technique worked slightly and after a few weeks Sasha, older and accustomed to breastfeeding, latched onto the breast full-mouthed, not just the nipple, which made breastfeeding easier for the following months. “
You can also try to stimulate the inverted nipple manually. Sometimes this is enough to make breastfeeding easier.
- Roll her nipple between your thumb and forefinger;
- Press on the areola with your fingers;
- Apply slight pressure behind the areola to push out the nipple;
- Put cold on the breast.
If the nipple is not very inverted, a niplette, a small suction cup allowing the nipple to be manually sucked outwards, may be sufficient to obtain a prominence after a few weeks of use.
A silicone breast tip that is applied to the nipple can also help the baby to suck. Over the weeks, the nipples, which are simulated daily, may protrude outwards, which facilitates breastfeeding.
How to treat inverted nipples?
Cosmetic surgery can correct a flat nipple. The milk ducts, responsible for the invagination of the nipple, are severed to allow the nipple to point outward.
If you want to breastfeed, you should ideally perform the operation at least two years before pregnancy.