In the 1986 issue of the Home Care Nursing Handbook, the recipe for normal
saline 0.9% is 4 cups cooled boiled water and 2 teaspoons salt.  This is the
same as 1 cup water and 1/2 tsp. salt.  This doesn't "taste" very salty.  I
stress to moms to use level measurements of salt.  If it stings they
probably haven't made it correctly.

I love saline soaks for sore nipples.  Actually putting the nipples into
cupfuls of saline solution for 10 minutes after a feeding, then airing or
blowing dry, applying a cream like lansinoh or eucerin or olive oil, seems
to work well.  I tell moms to sit in sitz bath for bottom and soak nipples
at same time in 2 tea cups.

Has anyone else noticed that moms with particularily sore bottoms are more
inclined to have sore nipples?  I think it has something to do with not
being able to sit or lay comfortably in the early hours and days, so the
baby latches on in a less than optimal way.  By the time the bottom is
tolerable the nipples are damaged and mom is getting engorged.  Sincerely, Pat