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Abstract
Nipple pain and damage are commonly experienced by breastfeeding women and are associated
with negative breastfeeding outcomes. Health care providers often recommend the application
of lanolin to treat painful/damaged nipples, yet no randomized controlled trial has
evaluated the effectiveness of lanolin on nipple pain and breastfeeding outcomes.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of lanolin on nipple pain among
breastfeeding women with damaged nipples. A randomized, single‐blind, controlled trial
was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Breastfeeding
women ( N = 186) identified as having nipple pain/damage were randomized to apply
lanolin (intervention group; n = 93) or to receive usual postpartum care (control
group; n = 93). The primary outcome was nipple pain at 4 days post‐randomization
measured by the Numeric Rating Scale. Additional outcomes included nipple pain measured
by the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, breastfeeding duration/exclusivity, breastfeeding
self‐efficacy, and maternal satisfaction with lanolin treatment versus usual care.
The results revealed no significant group differences in mean pain scores at 4 days
post‐randomization. Women in both groups experienced clinically relevant decreases
in nipple pain by 7 days post‐randomization. Significantly, more women in the lanolin
group reported that they were satisfied with treatment compared with those receiving
usual care. No significant group differences were found for other secondary outcomes.
While more women were satisfied using lanolin, its application to sore/damaged nipples
was ineffective for reducing nipple pain or improving breastfeeding outcomes.