<<When the baby detached herself from the breast, there is a crack around the
entire circumference of the nipple. As the nipple is air drying, it retracts
to its former position, and you can't see the raw area/scab.  The other
nipple is the same--you can't see the raw area or scab initially, just after
the baby feeds.  What suggestions would give this mom?>>

Linda,

I had a similar problem in the first 2 months of nursing my now 2 year old
son. My nipples would extend while he was nursing to reveal the cracks and
fissures (in my case, a result of poor positioning in the first few days) and
then retract over the sores and keep them from healing. Lansinoh and vitamin
E did nothing to promote healing. I finally saw an LC (thanks, Ellen Kadden!)
and she gave me breast shells. The shells helped by keeping the nipples
elongated and allowed air to circulate and my sores to heal within a week or
two.

Hope this helps,

Susan Pszenitzki
LLL Leader and Labor Support Doula