Damaged nipples UV lamp?

[willow5]

Does anyone know if it is still ok to use UV ray lamps to help heal damaged nipples? My MIL has a lamp and I have a friend with one quite damaged nipple she's desperately trying to heal. If it is ok does anyone know how long and often you use the lamp for? They made me use one 21 years ago when I had DS1 but I have no idea how long for too long ago.

[HotI]

I would question whether the UV lamps of today, are equivalent to those of 21 years ago. The strength or frequency might be more intense.

I haven't heard of uv lamp therapy before, so interested to hear if it is still done today.

[willow5]

The lamp is actually pretty old and the bulb has the wattage on it I'd have to look to see what it says. I'm curious too because it really helped mine heal way back in the dark ages It would be good if she could try it.

[sunshine 11]

Not sure about UV lamps, but I used gel pads from Coles and they workd a treat.

[willow5]

The gel pads have been soothing, as well as the Lansinoh, rubbing milk on and air drying all the usual tricks but the one side just won't heal and is causing lots of grief So we're searching for anything else that might help speed things up.

[little_O]

I ended up using bepanthen antiseptic cream to help mine heal. Nothing else seemed to help as much.

[Arcadia]

Two suggestions:

Could she have thrush? It makes nipples crack and slow to heal?

Can she twist the breast/nipple so when baby attached it misses the crack? I had a bad crack with dd and it wasn't thrush but every feed it would open again. Even expressing with a pump made it open. The only solution was twisting my breast so she missed it. It was better to feed and healed faster then.

Good old sunlight helps, so I imagine uv lamps would?

[willow5]

Yes Arcadia she has thrush too and is treating for it. How did you do the twist?

[melbel]

They used a UV lamp on Connor's red raw bottom in the SCN so i think it is still an accepted practice for healing.....

[Arcadia]

Ok so you need to put the crack at the side of babies mouth so there aren't any gums touching the crack. So twist the breast with one hand as best as possible or she might need her Dh to twist it for her at first. It sounds weird but my midwife and LC showed me.

She also needs to get on top of the thrush ASAP. Whilever she has thrush the crack won't heal. Stop lansinoh and anything adding moisture to the environment. Seriously! It made mine so much worse.

Get diflucan OTC single dose x 3 and then get a script for nilstat. Look up RWH website topic thrush in lactation. It is written by a dr who did her PhD in thrush and she has excellent advice. Her dosage for antifungals is intense and the chemist won't like it, but it is the best most current research into the area.

Get daktarin oral gel for babies mouth and her nipples.

Thrush is awful. I hope she gets relief soon.