Recipe: DIY Nipple Balm

If you are planning to nurse your baby, one of the must-have items that you will see on every list is nipple balm. Read on for why it matters, how to make your own, and what brands to consider if you are not so much a do-it-yourselfer in this season of life.

Think of nipple balm, sometimes called nipple butter, as chapstick for your nips. Unless you regularly have someone suck on your nipples for hours each day, it is likely that you will experience some discomfort in the initial weeks of chestfeeding. So then it stands to reason that you will want to have some items on hand that you can use to give your nipples some TLC.

A Note on Amounts

When I make this, I make a big batch to share with all of my current clients. That means that my amounts make enough nipple balm for 25+ people. You do not need that much. Just like chapstick, you will likely need just 1-2 tubes worth. As your nipples toughen, you will not need to use as much or as often. As little as 1-2 ounces is plenty for one person. I regularly have clients ask for a second jar, but not usually a third ;)

What if My Baby Eats Some?

I make a version with just 5 ingredients on purpose so that you don't need to rub it off before your baby nurses. That said, if you are nervous or unsure, test a little bit of the nipple balm on your baby's skin. If their skin doesn't have a reaction, then it is more than likely that they won't have a reaction if they get little in their mouth or tummy. If that still makes you feel nervous, talk to your baby's pediatrician. Ultimately, you as a parent have to make the decision that fits your style of parenting and risk assessment.

A Note on Tools

Since you are making something that goes onto your body, you will want to ensure that your tools have been sterilized. No need to worry or stress. Just run all the items you're going to use through the dishwater on a hot or sterilize setting. Or, wash everything with hot soapy water and then do a second rinse with boiling water.

Recipe

Ratios:

• Equal Parts

  • Shea butter

  • Cocoa butter

  • Neutral oil (sunflower, olive)

  • Coconut oil

  • Aloe vera

    • shelf stable; if you use fresh, it will shorten the life of the nipple butter and I would recommend that you store it in the fridge

    • this is the ingredient that would be most likely to upset a baby's belly so you can also choose to omit it; unfortunately, all the things that are best for your healing are worst for a newborn to eat... but I digress

• Beeswax, about 1/4 of whatever measure you used for the rest of the ingredients

Example Recipe:

1 tbs Shea butter

1 tbs cocoa butter

1 tbs sunflower oil

1 tbs coconut oil

1 tbs aloe vera

1/8 tbs beeswax

1. Melt together all ingredients on low except for the aloe on low heat stirring regularly and watching carefully to avoid the oil hitting its smoke point

   
   

   

2. Allow to cool on the countertop for upwards of an hour, possibly more.

   
   

   

3. Add the aloe and whip together; I usually use my immersion blender

   1. If the ingredients don't whip, wait for them to cool more and try again, you can also try putting them into the refrigerator for a bit to speed the cooling process

4. Put in an airtight glass container for storage

   
   

My very clever partner came up with the name "Areola Care-e-ola" so that is what we call it in this house! If this feels exciting but also daunting there are a couple of great ready-made brands out there. I don't make money from these folks - I just like their stuff.

I love Fat and The Moon products. This one is made with calendula, sunflower oil, lanolin, and beeswax. I also like that it is stored in a tin rather than plastic.

Motherlove is another small brand with fresh, herbal ingredients. This one includes calendula, marshmallow, olive oil, shea butter, and beeswax. This one comes in glass.

Just straight up food grade coconut oil works, too! Some don't love the consistency, others feel like it is perfect in its simplicity.