No cracks here either and i also did nothing to prepare them, unless you count nipple stimulation to try to bring labour on! Getting a good attachment is key, with that your nipples won't be harmed. For me the best preparation for BFing was in my head, not my body - i read a lot, went to a BFing class and watched friends feeding, it all helped. In addition i fed DD as soon as she was interested and put her to the breast whenever she wanted so she was alert but not desperate, and if it hurt AT ALL past the first few sucks i'd take her off and try again rather than let her learn a bad technique. I have flattish nipples so there was always a little stretching pain at the very start of a feed, but beyond that i knew it shouldn't hurt. Some of the early feeds took a while, with me popping her off, drying my breast and her face and putting her back on again, but she learned fast and a little dry skin (which was gone within 4 days) was all i had there - it didn't hurt. I put lanisoh nipple cream on them after some feeds but i think they'd have been fine even if i hadn't, it just made me feel proactive. LOL.

Bec