Nursing mothers have a lot on their plates – many of us know this as mothers who nursed our own babies! We also know that mothers always want what's best for their kids from the moment they're born, and breastfeeding is a big part of that.
But while breastfeeding is good for the health of your kid and can be a rewarding experience for you, it's also quite frustrating and uncomfortable from time to time. Nipples can become chapped, dry, or even injured just from regular feeding. Suffice it to say that nursing mothers are real troopers.
That's why we created Green Goo's Nursing Comfort Salve. Its a non-toxic, topical, plant-based cream made with natural ingredients that can help nursing mothers to heal more quickly, protect them from dryness or soreness, and helps make breastfeeding a little more tolerable.
Let’s dive a little deeper into this salve made for women, by women, who understand exactly what it is you’re going through.
Breastfeeding – Both Rewarding and Frustrating!
There may be nothing quite like breastfeeding your little one. It’s a rare opportunity to bond with your infant as you hold them close.
While breastfeeding is a unique and wonderful experience between mother and child, and it's recommended by virtually all pediatricians and doctors as a superior choice compared to formula, it also comes with occasional, unexpected side effects.
Mothers who’ve already had one or more kids know what we’re talking about. Those who are pregnant with their first child are in for a surprise.
Infants normally begin to grow teeth a few months after birth. You wouldn’t think that this would be a problem, but the teething process creates some discomfort and frustration for the baby. They have an instinct to grind and chew. This can, unfortunately, sometimes happen while your infant is being breastfed.
Ouch!
It's not uncommon for infants to occasionally bite down on their mothers' nipples as they breast-feed. This can sometimes create small injuries or cracks. Not only is this painful initially, but it also makes future breastfeeding difficult on the part of the mother due to the soreness.
Even without teething, breast-feeding can put significant wear and tear on the mother's nipples. They can eventually become dry or cracked, or even sore from being suckled frequently. All of this is natural and a normal part of the breastfeeding process, but it's also something you can alleviate to some extent.
We’re not talking about using some synthetic product or lotion. We’re talking about solutions made with only natural ingredients, like Green Goo’s Belly Balm. What if there was a similar topical salve that could help with nursing?
How to Heal and Protect Yourself While Breastfeeding
Many mothers eventually turn to healing salves or creams that can restore moisture to their skin and nipples or that can accelerate the healing process as their infants continue to breast-feed. Others focus on creams that can protect their nipples over time, making future breastfeeding sessions a little less tense or frustrating.
Luckily, Green Goo’s salve can help with all of the above.
Green Goo’s Nursing Comfort Salve
Our dedicated Nursing Comfort Salve is formulated from start to finish to be a delicate and all-natural solution. It’s perfect for all breastfeeding mothers looking for long-lasting relief and soothing comfort. It's also a totally vegetarian and naturally non-toxic product, and it's even free of lanolins for added peace of mind. With this salve, you'll be able to continue nursing your little one without having to feel as much pain or discomfort as you did before from sore or cracked nipples.
All in all, the Nursing Comfort Salve provides two main benefits:
- Skin Protection. Ingredients including calendula and marshmallow root work to protect and soothe skin
- Moisturization. It's easy for mothers' nipples to become dry or cracked over time, particularly if the mother in question is only breastfeeding instead of combination feeding
- Soothing comfort. This is particularly nice for mothers who have cracked or chapped nipples, or nipples that are injured from their infants’ teething
While we do suggest wiping the salve off before feeding, the salve is generally safe if your infant accidentally ingests it. This formula is non-toxic, giving you peace of mind that, in this case, what’s safe for you is also safe for your baby.
How Do Natural Ingredients Help?
One of the reasons we prioritize natural ingredients is precisely because we want to help without causing harm. We knew a plant-based solution would be better than using the harsh and toxic chemicals found in other synthetic lotions or creams.
Any nursing cream or lotion has a chance of accidentally being ingested by a breast-fed infant, at least if the mother uses the cream in question as frequently as is recommended. While ours is made with all-natural ingredients and won’t cause harm, it’s still not intended to be ingested if you can help it. After applying, be sure to remove any excess salve before the next feeding.
Furthermore, most natural oils can be easily absorbed by the body, and botanical ingredients often carry pleasing fragrances that can improve the soothing effects of the salve overall.
Here are the natural ingredients contained within this Nursing Salve:
- Marshmallow root: a flowering plant used in herbalism for thousands of years, this root moisturizes, hydrates, soothes, and protects skin
- Calendula flower oil: our favorite skin protectant, this easy to grow herb is also rich in antioxidants and helps to keep skin hydrated
Beeswax is added as a texturizer and to make sure that the cream is easy to spread everywhere you need the salve to touch. It’s an incredibly complex ingredient filled with vitamins and minerals that also help with your body’s absorption of the salve, though it’s a bit different from other, thicker salves that you may be used to. This salve can be absorbed over a couple of seconds to a minute, so it’s perfect for applying to your nipples or breasts directly after feeding your infant.
We’d recommend using a gentle and warm cloth as well. This accelerates the absorption process even further. Since there aren’t any issues with toxicity, you can apply the salve as much as you’d like in order to get the soothing comfort you need to relax.
Can All Mothers Use This Salve?
Absolutely! We made sure to develop this Nursing Comfort Salve with vegetarian ingredients so that mothers of almost all lifestyles can comfortably use our formula.
It’s also hypoallergenic and non-toxic – there shouldn’t be any ingredients that could cause an adverse allergic reaction when applied to your skin. It’s always a good idea to only dab a little bit of a salve on to your skin when first trying something out, but we’re confident it’ll work for just about everyone.
Is Green Goo’s Nursing Salve Better Than Other Alternatives?
We firmly believe so.
Artificial or chemical alternatives and preservatives are often made up of harsh ingredients that can actually end up drying out your skin and exacerbating soreness, not to mention that these chemicals are absorbed to some degree into the body, and it’s a lot more preferable to have a flower based oil absorb compared to a carcinogenic synthetic ingredient like parabens. Furthermore, said chemical lotions and creams can often cause issues if even a small amount of them is accidentally ingested by your breast-feeding infant.
While ours isn’t designed to be ingested either, the Nursing Comfort Salve is delicate and non-toxic and won’t cause any problems if a small amount is swallowed by accident. This is in stark contrast to the potential issues or side effects such as severe digestive issues and respiratory distress that you might see if you use a chemical-based cream.
When To Use the Salve
Anytime you like!
The Nursing Comfort Salve is designed to have no application limitations, so feel free to apply and reapply it as necessary. We do recommend that you apply it immediately after feeding so that it has as much a chance as possible to be absorbed by your skin and provide you with all of its passive benefits before the next feeding.
If you need to apply some extra, go ahead! The longer it’s on your skin, the better it can be absorbed. Using it frequently will make the most of times between feedings.
The current offering comes in two sizes, a 4 oz. jar and a 1.28 oz. tin. Each package, regardless of the one you choose, should last for up to a few weeks.
Summary
Green Goo’s Nursing Comfort Salve is a product made by women, for women. We know what it's like to breast-feed your infant and go through the trials and tribulations that accompany those moments of bonding. We know you want to do right by your little one, but we also know that it can be tiring and frustrating to try to keep breastfeeding when your nipples feel sore all the time.
Give our salve a try. We think it'll do great things for your comfort and is a great addition to your breastfeeding routine.
Sources:
https://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/making-decision-breastfeed
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-8944/lanolin-topical/details