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If you’re already a nursing mom, you’re probably well acquainted with the realities of breastfeeding and the importance of finding a good organic nipple cream. If you’re an expecting mom, figuring out how to nurse your baby may soon become a big part of your life.
Some women figure nursing out right away, and that’s awesome. But not all of us are so lucky. If you’ve never done it before, breastfeeding can be really, really difficult at first. Your nipples can become sensitive, red, cracked, and they can even bleed from the suction of your baby latching.
Fortunately, nipple creams can come to the rescue. A quality organic nipple cream is usually made of natural plant-derived substances, such as sunflower, coconut, olive and avocado oils. They may also include beeswax, calendula, cocoa and shea butters.
The Breastfeeding Struggle Is Real
Nursing can be a beautiful, harmonious bonding opportunity with your baby — it really can! — but for many moms, it can also be a challenge to get to that point of easy breastfeeding
It can be painful when your baby latches on at the beginning of your breastfeeding journey, before you’ve gotten the proper latch technique down. I remember crying when my newborn son latched during those first few weeks (turns out he had a minor tongue tie. Always ask a doctor to check for tongue tie before going home from the hospital!)
I don’t write this to scare, but to prepare you that nursing might not come as naturally and easily as the “breast is best” advocates would have us believe. Even so, many of us still feel compelled to continue because we’ve heard time and again about all the amazing health benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mom.
The challenges of nursing can be well worth it once you get past the initial learning curve. And there are some things you can do that will help you get to that point where it becomes second nature, such as seeing a lactation consultant to check your baby’s latch and answer your questions (everyone should do this!), and using nipple shields, warm and cold compresses, and finding a good organic nipple cream.
Read on for my top picks for organic nipple creams.
7 Best Organic Nipple Cream Brands for Nursing
These are the best organic nipple creams that use all natural products to help heal and nourish and are safe for babies as they nurse.
1. Earth Mama Vegan Nipple Butter ($24 for 2) — Top Pick
Ingredients: Olive Fruit Oil, Organic Cocoa Seed Butter, Organic Shea Butter, Candelilla Wax, Organic Mango Seed Butter, Organic Calendula Flower Extract
This delicious smelling organic nipple balm (it smells like chocolate, which will make you want to eat it!) is USDA Certified Organic. It is made with soothing herbs and oils that help moisturize nipples and other dry areas of the body.
Because this nipple butter lacks petroleum products, preservatives, and lanolin, there’s no need to wash it off before nursing your baby. It’s moisturizing, soothing, and helpful when those hard working nipples feel sore. This butter really helps make sore nipples feel a lot better, and it smells so good that putting it on is actually enjoyable!
2. Motherlove Nipple Cream ($18)
Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, marshmallow root, calendula flower
The popular Motherlove nipple cream is USDA certified organic (which means its ingredients are also non-GMO) and is made only from beeswax and plant extracts in the USA. It has uses beyond its primary use as a nipple cream, as you can use it to moisturize dry skin, lips, and cuticles.
Best of all, this sweet organic nipple cream does not have to be wiped off before nursing. It’s safe for baby and mom.
3. Tiny Human Nipple Balm ($12)
Ingredients: All organic beeswax, shea butter, aloe, calendula, coconut oil, sunflower oil, and olive oil
This odorless and tasteless organic nipple balm is soothing and protective as soon as you put it on, providing fast relief for sore nipples. It’s soft without being greasy, and won’t stain your clothes. This balm is made in the USA by a company that pays fair wages to its workers.
4. Mommyz Love Organic Nipple Balm ($13)
Ingredients: All organic coconut oil, sunflower oil, beeswax, olive fruit oil, shea butter, calendula flower oil, aloe leaf
This odorless nipple balm is good both for itchy pregnancy nipples (if you are lucky enough to get those), and for diaper rash, dry spots on baby’s skin, for your own dry lips, and anywhere else you may be in need of some organic moisturizing. It is USDA certified organic and pediatrician tested for safety.
Mommyz Love nipple balm can also be used to reduce friction when applied around your nipples as you’re using a breast pump. It is lanolin, petroleum, synthetic fragrance, gluten, GMO, and dye free.
The company offers a 100% refund if you are unhappy with the product, no questions asked, which shows its confidence in its own product.
5. Bamboobies Nipple Cream ($12)
Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, marshmallow root, calendula flower
Bamboobies makes our favorite bamboo nursing pads, and now they make an organic nipple cream as well. This cream is lanolin free, USDA certified organic, and helps sensitive nipples feel better. Lots of moms say this nipple balm really helps with sore, cracked nipples.
6. Milkies Nipple Nurture Balm ($12)
Ingredients: Organic shea butter, EVOO, beeswax, marshmallow root, calendula, and self heal (an herb used to help damaged skin)
Milkies Nipple Nurture Balm (try saying that five times fast!) is a silky smooth balm made in the USA for nursing with no harsh chemicals or synthetic ingredients. It helps to use it after nursing and pumping sessions, and before placing nursing pads or a nipple shield against your breast. Due to its natural ingredients, it is safe for baby and does not need to be washed off before feeding.
7. Lansinoh Organic Nipple Balm ($11)
Ingredients: Sunflower oil, olive oil, beeswax, coconut oil, shea butter, calendula flower extract, and argan oil
Lansinoh usually makes products with lanolin, but this organic nipple balm is lanolin-free. It’s made of USDA certified organic plant and beeswax materials, and is free of petroleum, parabens, and preservatives. For that reason, you don’t need to wash it off before your baby feeds.
This is a soothing nipple saver that goes on super smoothly. If you find its consistency becoming too soft, you can store it in the fridge to firm it up.
Is Lanolin Safe for My Baby?
Most organic nipple creams tend not to use lanolin, and often explicitly advertise that they are “lanolin-free.” So, what is lanolin, and is it safe for babies?
Lanolin is a waxy coating that’s naturally found in sheep’s wool. It is put into a lot of nursing creams and balms to help mothers’ sore nipples feel better by coating them with a moisturizing barrier.
Lanolin is not on its own unsafe for your baby to ingest while nursing, but the concern is that moms and babies may have an adverse reaction to it.
People who are sensitive to wool or sheep products may have a negative reaction to lanolin if they put it on cracked nipples or skin. It has been known to cause itchiness and rashes on some individuals. Babies sometimes have lanolin sensitivities resulting in adverse reactions like sores, itchiness and redness.
Lanolin also tends to be a bit greasy, so it can stain fabric. Furthermore, any vegan mamas won’t want to use lanolin, for obvious reasons (baaa).
That’s why some people choose non-lanolin based balms for soothing sore nipples. Another reason is that lanolin seems to strike some as less edible for baby than plant derived oils and the other ingredients in organic nipple creams.
If you do choose a product with lanolin, you certainly won’t be alone. Just read the label and make sure it doesn’t have any alcohol, anesthetics, petroleum chemicals, parabens, or artificial fragrances that aren’t good for your baby’s health.
Organic Nipple Creams: Nipping Chafing in the Bud
There you have it, mamas — our favorite organic nipple balms made of all natural ingredients for nipping chafing in the bud!
Nipple chafing, cracking, and bleeding are almost indescribably painful, as any newly nursing mama knows. You’ll do whatever you can to help so you can get to the point where you can nurse pain-free and with ease. These organic balms and creams are there to help, while also keeping your baby safe from ingredients we don’t want them eating along with that sweet, sweet liquid gold.
Keep up the good fight, Mamas! You’re doing great. Send us a message if there’s anything we can do to help out in our “contact” page.
If you also need a great nursing pillow, check out our guide to the best organic nursing pillows to help you comfortably feed your little one.
