Nursing Balm Nipple Cream for Breastfeeding

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Homemade nursing balm recipe
Wellness Mama » Blog » Motherhood » Nursing Balm Nipple Cream for Breastfeeding

With my first child, I was prepared for pregnancy to be uncomfortable at times. I expected labor and delivery to be intense. I figured I’d be emotional after having a baby. What I didn’t expect or really prepare for is that breastfeeding can be difficult the first few days as well!

Don’t get me wrong. It is worth it. The pain isn’t that bad and a lot can be helped by making sure baby has a good latch from the very beginning (though this certainly didn’t make it completely painless for me as many claim). Instead, I find that for the first week or so of nursing a baby I have to take a deep breath and mentally prepare for the first minute or so of each nursing session because it is quite uncomfortable.

Perhaps you can empathize if you’ve also breastfed a baby (and my apologies to anyone who hasn’t yet but plans to- I wish someone had warned me!).

Nipple Cream

A few days after I had my first baby when I was in the trenches of learning to breastfeed correctly, the lactation consultant suggested using a lanolin cream. I tried it and proceeded to get much, much worse (turns out I was allergic to lanolin!).

Needless to say, I didn’t use it again after that, but it did make me wonder if there was any type of cream or remedy that I could use that might offer some relief.

Why Not Lanolin?

For me, the answer was because I was allergic, but as I started researching to make my own nipple balm nursing cream, I realized that lanolin was not an ingredient I would want to use, even if I could without a reaction.

What is Lanolin?

Lanolin is essentially an oil obtained from Sheep’s wool. The sebum (oil) is extracted from the wool and it undergoes another process to create the finished lanolin. This is obviously problematic for anyone allergic to wool (raises hand), but there are also concerns about pesticide residue found in wool and the potential for this to build up in fatty tissue or in breastmilk.

From the research I’ve conducted thus far, there is no organic source of lanolin, as many sheep are actually sprayed with pesticides to treat against various mites and pests. Additionally, most sheep are fed non-organic and genetically-modified feed and traces of this can be found in the wool as well.

Sources disagree about the safety of lanolin and some claim it is perfectly safe, but it wasn’t a risk I wanted to take with my new born babies just in case. Most popular brands of nipple cream contain concentrated lanolin and while these may help mom heal more quickly, this is also becoming part of baby’s first food and more natural options can be effective as well.

A Natural Nipple Cream

Determined to have a little bit easier of a time with those first days of nursing with my last two babies, I started experimenting with making a natural nipple cream or nursing balm that would help ease the discomfort in those first days.

I also discovered that there are now some pre-made natural options available to purchase, but I still opted to make my own since I had the supplies on hand. If I was going to purchase a pre-made option, I’d choose Motherlove Nipple Cream or Earth Mama Organics Nipple Butter.

Choosing Safe Ingredients

Since this cream is essentially ingested by a nursing baby, I made sure to use ingredients that are safe, natural, and have a low chance of allergic reaction. For this reason, I decided not to use almond oil, beeswax, or coconut oil (as much as I love it) because these all have a small chance of allergic reaction. I also didn’t use any essential oils in this recipe as I have concerns about ingesting them even as an adult and never use them on babies.

Nipple Cream Ingredients

Instead of using any ingredients that could potentially cause an allergic reaction or be harmful to baby, I used the following:

Nipple Cream Instructions

The first step in this recipe is to infuse the herbs into the olive oil. This helps maintain their beneficial properties and impart them into the balm without leaving any kind of residue or grittiness. This can be done in three ways:

  1. Solar infusion– If you have the time, you can let the oils infuse in the sun. Here is the method, but in short, I would put 1/4 cup each of chamomile and calendula flowers, 2 tablespoons marshmallow root and 1 cup olive oil in a pint size or larger mason jar. This would be left in the sun and shaken daily to infuse. Note that this only works well in warm weather.
  2. Time Infusion-Similar to the solar infusion but without the sun. The same ratios of herbs and oil are put in a jar and left for at least 6 weeks, shaking daily.
  3. Heat infusion– The one I did this time because I was out of time! Place the same ratios (1/4 cup each of chamomile and calendula flowers, 2 tablespoons marshmallow root and 1 cup olive oil) in a double boiler and heat over low heat for several house until the oil takes on the scent of the herbs and changes color slightly.

No matter which method you use, at the end of the process, carefully strain out the herbs and keep the finished oil. I do this with a metal strainer lined with cheesecloth. Note that when infusing the oils, it will make more than is needed for this recipe but the remaining infused oils can be used in lotions and other recipes.

How to Make the Nursing Balm Nipple Cream

Pour the following ingredients into a double boiler:

Stir until jut melted and pour into a jar or tin to store. Note that this balm will be somewhat soft and not ever get completely firm. This was the best texture to actually use it from my experimentation. If you prefer a harder balm, add more cocoa butter. Alternately, the liquid oil could be used alone or in a higher ratio for a more smooth balm. Mine had been in my car in the cold before taking the picture above so it was slightly more solid that it would have been normally.

Homemade nursing balm recipe
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5 from 4 votes

Homemade Nursing Balm Recipe

Make a natural nipple cream or nursing balm to help ease the discomfort in those first days of nursing a new baby.
Prep Time6 hours
Active Time5 minutes
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Infused Oil for Nursing Balm

Nursing Balm

Instructions

Making the Infused Oil: Three Methods

  • There are three options detailed below for making the infused oil for the nursing balm: Solar infusion, time infusion, and heat infusion.

Infused Oil, Solar Method

  • In a clean pint size mason jar combine the ingredients listed above for the infused oil.
  • Place in the sun and shake daily for 2-4 weeks.
  • After infusion is complete, use a metal strainer lined with a cheesecloth to carefully strain out the herbs.

Infused Oil, Time Method

  • In a clean pint size mason jar combine the ingredients listed above for the infused oil.
  • Place in a convenient location and shake daily for 6 weeks.
  • After infusion is complete, use a metal strainer lined with a cheesecloth to carefully strain out the herbs.

Infused Oil, Heat Method

  • Place water in the bottom portion of a double boiler so that the water does not touch the bottom of the top portion.
  • In the top portion, combine the ingredients listed above for the infused oil.
  • Heat over low heat for several hours until the oil takes on the scent of the herbs and changes color slightly.
  • After infusion is complete, use a metal strainer lined with a cheesecloth to carefully strain out the herbs.

Making the Nursing Balm

  • After the oil is infused and strained, add ¼ cup of the infused oil and the ¼ cup of cocoa butter to the top portion of a double boiler.
  • Place water in the bottom portion of a double boiler so that the water does not touch the bottom of the top portion.
  • Heat over low heat, stirring, just until the cocoa butter is melted.
  • Pour into a jar or tin to store.

Notes

This balm will be somewhat soft and not ever get completely firm.  If you prefer a harder balm, add more cocoa butter. Alternately, the liquid oil could be used alone or in a higher ratio for a more smooth balm.
Use the leftover infused oil for lotions or other recipes.

Ever used a nipple cream or lanolin? Did it work for you?

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

64 responses to “Nursing Balm Nipple Cream for Breastfeeding”

  1. Antoinette Avatar
    Antoinette

    Hi, I would like to know if this needs to be wiped off at all before baby feeds? I’m assuming not since it’s natural but FTM so want to make sure. Thanks!

    1. Jamie Larrison Avatar

      All of the ingredients are baby safe in the amounts used but you can always check with your qualified health practitioner if you have any concerns. I probably wouldn’t apply it right before baby nurses but use it after a nursing session. This gives it more time to sink in.

  2. Brittany Avatar
    Brittany

    Can I use coconut oil instead of like olive oil or cocoa butter?

  3. Elif Avatar

    Hi Katie,
    Thanks for this recipe, it looks great! How long does it take for the solar infusion? I have about 3 weeks 🙂
    thank you
    Elif

  4. Rebekah Avatar

    Do you think oil I heat-infused 6 months ago (for this recipe) that was left over is still potent/usable for another batch? Thanks!

  5. Sarah Avatar

    Hi, are the flowers and the root essential or can you make just with organic virgin olive oil and cocoa butter? I dont own any of the flowers etc and would cost a fortune to buy them all in and no other uses for them.

  6. Shadow Avatar

    Hi,

    This might seem like a silly question, but could you tell me how many grams would a 1/4 cup of calendula/chamomile flowers amount to? I’m British, and I really struggle with the US cup system 🙂 I can figure out the cup = grams measurement for cooking/baking ingredients, but flowers is a whole new ballgame! Thanks for your time.

  7. Salphy Avatar

    How long can I keep the nursing balm for? When will I know if it has passed it’s use by date?

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      It will last longer if stored in a cool dark place. I’ve kept mine for a couple months before running out and never had a problem.

  8. Emily Avatar

    Are there other uses for the infused oil? I am making one batch with the cocoa butter to give as gifts for pregnant friends. I wondered about possibly adding some aloe vera gel and using on sunburns if the marshmallow root is cooling? Any other ideas?

    1. Allison Butterfield Avatar
      Allison Butterfield

      I’ve made this before and used it as a baby butt cream when NOTHING else worked-even prescription strength creams. The sores didn’t look as angry and weren’t seeping/weeping after 1-2 applications and it was all cleared up after approximately a week. So, in addition to baby butt cream, I would say this is pretty much a salve for any irritations/cuts/wounds. However, I am not a medical professional and proceed with caution if you or anyone else is possibly allergic to any ingredients. ?

  9. Ruby Rose Avatar

    Hi,

    I just made the recipe and after cooling it’s still completely liquid, not a cream at all. Advice? Could I double boil it again with beeswax?

    Thanks,
    Ruby

  10. Linda Avatar

    Hi Katie,
    I’m not sure if anyone asked this question, but what about candallilla wax to replace beesewax? If so, how much would you add?

    -Linda

  11. Tiare Avatar

    Please help. I followed your instructions and my balm will not harden up at all it remains in an oil form. What am I doing wrong?

  12. Anna Avatar

    I’ve just made this and it’s wonderful but on reading my cocoa butter tub it says ‘Naissance refined cocoa butter for external use only’. This has made me nervous about using this batch for nursing so I’m going to get some food grade cocoa butter to remake. I’ve made 3 jars of it (1 cup in total) and was wondering what I could do with it? Add beeswax as a diaper cream? (Cloth diapers though?). I’d appreciate any ideas. Thanks.

    1. Anna Avatar

      I’ve remelted it and added beeswax and coconut oil to make a ‘calendula and chamomile’ baby butter. Just tried it on my hands and it’s lovely!! 🙂

      Would it be ok to double as a as a diaper cream do you think? (Ingredients: 1/3 cup infused calendula, chamomile and marshmallow root olive oil, 1/3 cup cocoa butter, 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup beeswax).

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