Inverted nipples

The nipple is usually about a centimeter in diameter and a centimeter in length. In some women they do not protrude from the areola (reddish circular area surrounding the nipple), even when stimulated, these are called flat nipples. On the other hand, in 10% of women, the nipples not only do not protrude from the areola but also retract backwards in the shape of a navel.

• The woman who has always had inverted nipples need not worry.
• Inverted nipples do not prevent breastfeeding, they only make it difficult for the baby to suck the milk.
• The most important thing to achieve breastfeeding is to be sufficiently motivated and seek help from professionals to be able to have a proper posture to breastfeed.

Should we worry?

We should be concerned if we have never had the nipples inverted and that these (one or both) are inverted in a short space of time. It is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible to have one done and, on some occasions, carry out additional tests to refute that it is a. On other occasions, inverted nipples can be a consequence of a breast disease, such as one, or they can appear after surgery. On the other hand, the woman who has always had inverted nipples, and especially if it is bilateral (in both breasts) does not have to worry.

Consequences

Inverted nipples do not usually prevent breastfeeding since the nipples do not have a role in milk production, but in the ease for the baby to suck and orient himself. For this reason, it is very important that the baby opens his mouth wide and the entire areola is inserted so that with his movement of the mouth he can extract the milk.

Treatments

Traditionally, it was recommended to perform Hofman exercises, which consist of gently holding the nipple between the fingers and performing stretching and rotating movements to achieve stimulation of the nipples. They should be done 5 minutes every day during the. These exercises can produce contractions prematurely since the stimulation of the nipple produces oxytocin, which is the hormone in charge of producing the contractions and, at the same time, producing the exit of milk through the nipple. There are also nipple formers, which are plastic devices with a central hole the size of the nipple that help its formation. However, several studies show that there are no differences in the percentage of women with an inverted nipple who achieve breastfeeding and do some prior preparation and among those who do not. The most important thing to achieve breastfeeding is to be sufficiently motivated and seek help from professionals to be able to have a proper posture to breastfeed.