My name is Carina Ludvigsen and I am a second semester junior nursing 
student at University of North Dakota. I am from Norway and it is 
common practice to use a certain seashells on sore nipples for 
breastfeeding at all the hospitals and birthing clinics. I have been 
doing some research online to see if I could find any research about 
this practice, but there is not much to find. The seashell is 
moistened with breast milk before put on as a protector of the nipple. 
The seashell is reusable after being boiled to be sterilized. Some 
people think that the seashell gives of Zink and Magnesium or vitamin 
E, and when it mixes with the breast milk it gives a healing effect to 
the sore nipple. 

Breastfeeding is important for both you and the baby so that is why I 
am interested in how to avoid sore nipples. The most common reason for 
discontinuing breastfeeding is sore nipples according to Hill & 
Morland-Schultz. (2005). We have been taught in our OB class that sore 
nipples are related to the baby’s incorrect latch and that most 
mothers would not have sore nipples if the learn how to get their baby 
to latch on correctly. According to Albright (2003) sore nipples from 
breastfeeding come from an ineffective suckling of the baby. It is 
important to have the child latch on correctly for better suckling and 
decrease the incidence of soreness of nipples.
In a study by Mass (2004) cold compression might help to relieve the 
pain and swelling for the nipples and the breast. 

Have anyone heard or used seashells for sore nipples? What would you 
as specialists recommend for sore nipples? 

References
Albright, L. M (2003) Sore nipples in breastfeeding mothers: Causes 
and treatments [Electronic version]. International Journal of 
Pharmaceutical Compounding, 6, 426 -435
Hill, P. D., & Morland-Schultz, K. (2005) Prevention of and therapies 
for nipple pain: A systematic review [Electronic version]. Journal of 
Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing. 34, 428-437
Mass, S. (2004) Breast pain: Engorgement, nipple pain, and mastitis 
[Electronic version]. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 47, 676-682 
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