Usually it comes down to your baby’s tongue and lips rubbing during the feeding process. Your skin may be sensitive to begin with, then inflammation can contribute to pain. If consistent rubbing continues, sores and cracks can appear which can lead to bleeding and even infection.

Absolutely not!

It’s too common for mothers to blame themselves for breastfeeding difficulty, but it’s 100% not your fault, and VERY common! Sometimes practice makes perfect (for both you and bub!), sometimes some small tweaks to your baby’s latch can help, and sometimes something is going on that is unavoidable and mechanical. Just as you wouldn’t blame your baby for breastfeeding issues, do not blame yourself. Instead, channel your (probably frayed) emotions and (sleep deprived) brain somewhere more positive, and seek help if needed.

The latch is the way your baby attaches its mouth to your breast. If the latch isn’t so great, then irritating and painful rubbing on your nipple can occur. Try to make sure you can see both your little bub’s lips when they’re attached, especially that bottom one which sometimes tucks in. Aim for ‘fish lips’! And mix things up a bit if one position doesn’t work for either of you. Cradle hold, football hold, lying down. There’re so many different breastfeeding positions, and they’re all as good as each other. As long as baby’s safe and their nose is free to breathe while they’re sucking, then you’re doing great.

Of course, if you’re struggling to figure out the perfect latch, consult someone who might be able to help, like a lactation
consultant.

This is totally up to you. AND ONLY YOU!

Consult a lactation consultant if you wish, talk to friends and family, but just know that your breastfeeding journey is 100% your own, and you get to decide what is best for both you and your baby.

Notice how we said, ‘you and your baby’, that’s because breastfeeding is a two-way process, and you are as big a part of that combo as your baby is. If weaning your child onto formula will make you healthier, and therefore a happier mother, well perhaps that is just as important as the benefits of breastmilk, and we applaud you for your decision. If you think you have enough in the tank to ‘soldier on’ and seek help, either psychologically or medically, then we applaud you too. Either way, you get claps all round for being a wonderful mother, and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.

If you are experiencing severe pain and there is damage to your nipples, then it’s probably time to seek help. You can contact the hospital you dealt with during your pregnancy, they should have facilities and services available for you. You can also search for a local lactation consultant, often they will even come to your house, and of course, your GP is always there for you too.

While you wait for medical help, you may find pumping and feeding your baby with a bottle will be less painful and give you time to heal, otherwise formula is always available as well.

While breastfeeding, it’s best to wear a loose-fitting bra, as anything too tight can clog the flow of milk, which may lead to
mastitis. Apply Boob Balm after breastfeeding to help prevent dryness and cracking, and heal any sores or cracks that may have already occurred. It will also help to stave off bacteria and fungi, and has a slight pain-relieving affect.

Tongue-tie is when the stretch of skin beneath your baby’s tongue is too short. Similarly, lip-tie is when the skin connecting your baby’s lips to its gums is too short. Lip and tongue-ties are very common, occurring in between 4-11 percent of newborns. Because of this condition, it can cause problems with breastfeeding, as your baby’s suck might cause rubbing or not be as strong.

Tongue-tie is often diagnosed in the maternity hospital, but sometimes it can be missed or difficult to identify, particularly if it’s a posterior tongue-tie. The good news is, once identified, it’s very easy to fix, usually with a small slice from a scalpel, or laser treatment. Yes, your baby will cry…for about 2 seconds…then you’ll pop them on your boob, and they’ll be happy as Larry again.

If left untreated, tongue-ties can lead to speech impediments later in life, and also, as we said, cause damage to the mother during breastfeeding. Does your little bub stick out its tongue? Do they lick their lips ever? Inability to do these can be a sign of tongue-tie.

If you believe your baby might have a tongue or a lip-tie, consult your doctor or a qualified IBCLC lactation consultant.

Thrush is a fungal infection caused by the Candida albicans organism. It can often become a problem for breastfeeding mothers, as the fungus likes to colonise on cracked or damaged nipples, or in the breastfeeding tissue itself.

Symptoms of Thrush often include bright red nipples which can be dry, flaky or slow to heal. You may also experience a burning sensation during feeding which can linger for up to an hour afterwards. Unfortunately, Thrush can be passed onto your baby, and they are most likely to first show signs with a red tongue and mouth, and small white blisters inside the mouth. They may also get a spotty rash on their cute little bums.

If you believe you may have Thrush, please visit your GP or physician. It can be treated with anti-fungal creams from your local chemist, but depending on where the infection is, you and your baby are likely to need different medication. Unfortunately, as it is transmissible between mum and bub, it is very easy for you both to keep re-infecting each other, so it can be a tricky one to eradicate completely.

Boob Balm can help prevent Thrush, as it has active, anti-fungal ingredients.

Mastitis is inflammation in the breast tissue and can be caused in one of two ways. Most common is through blocked milk ducts, but also through opportunistic bacteria living on your skin, entering the milk duct through cracks or sores.

First signs are usually a flat, red, rash on the breast. It may become swollen and sore, and you could experience fever and
flu-like symptoms. Mastitis can be very painful and serious, even requiring hospitalisation for severe infections, so please, at the first signs of what could be mastitis, go see your GP, where you may be prescribed antibiotics.

Try to reduce the chances of getting mastitis by pushing out any milk lumps from your breast. You’ll need to ease your thumb along the duct lines, towards your nipple. There will be milk spray! Just keep trying to massage any lumps out, and don’t let your breasts become too hard and full by leaving feeds too long. You may find pumping a bit of extra milk, or massaging some milk out in the shower, a good way to keep too much build up from occurring. Warming your breasts before feeds may also help, as it can make the milk flow easier.

While Boob Balm can’t prevent clogged milk ducts, it can help reduce the risk of mastitis by fighting pathogenic bacteria living on your skin.

The first thing to know is that you are not alone! Not only are there people surrounding you who can help, but mothers all throughout the world, all throughout time, have had bad breastfeeding experiences. It is incredibly common, and you might find the more you’re willing to talk about it, the more others will open up with their own, similar experiences. It’s also important to know that your breastfeeding journey does not define you as a mother. You’re doing an incredible job!

If you wish to seek help, you might like to start with contacting the post-partum services made available to you through your hospital or physician. You can also make contact with a local lactation consultant who can assess the problem and try to find a solution.

Aussies and New Zealanders, you can search for a lactation consultant at https://www.lcanz.org/, or Australians, you might also like to chat to the Australian Breastfeeding Association at https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/. They have people on call 24/7, which means even during the 3:30am feed!

Otherwise your GP will be able to direct you to the service that best suits your situation.

It’s the Manuka Oil in our Boob Balm which really supercharges its healing properties. Manuka Oil is queen of the anti! Antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, AND anti-inflammatory. It’s even analgesic, which isn’t an anti, but still in the A’s! Teamed up with Tamanu Oil, which helps make collagen for your skin, healing it and reducing scars, and you have an unbelievable combo. But wait, Boob Balm is jam packed with active ingredients, so it doesn’t stop there. We have Marshmallow Oil for super moisturisation, to help keep those nips supple and prevent cracking, Rosehip Oil for more healing qualities and more moisturising. Then there’s Kanuka Oil, which helps relieve redness, itching and is pain reducing. Throw in some Mango and Kokum Butter, Pomegranate, Avocado and Grapeseed Oil, and you have the superhero of all nipple balms, just begging to save the day.  

All our ingredients are 100% natural and vegan. Boob Balms is not recommended for mother's while pregnant.

The ingredients in Boob Balm are shown to have components that actively reduce inflammation as well as have a pain-relieving effect. It’s highly antibacterial and antifungal, reducing bacterial and fungal growth on the skin, which can lead to infections such as Thrush and Mastitis. Other ingredients, such as Tamanu Oil and Marshmallow, also hydrate the skin to promote suppleness and flexibility, and reduce the occurrence of dry and cracked skin.

Please note: Boob Balms is not recommended for mother's while still pregnant.

No. There is no honey in any of our products. While we do use Manuka oil, which many people associate with Manuka honey, the oil we use has been harvested direct from the Manuka tree. Manuka honey is made from bees that take the pollen from the Manuka tea tree. We go straight to the source, no bees required. And yes, Manuka is AMAZING, and has so many incredible health and healing qualities.

All our products are very mild and considered safe throughout pregnancy, but if you are at all concerned, we do recommend consulting your GP/health care professional when pregnant, as everyone and every pregnancy journey is different.

Yes. All ingredients in Boob Balm are 100% natural, non-toxic, and already widely used amongst the skincare industry. To be cautious, we suggest wiping your breast with a moist towel or baby wipe before feeding your baby, and, like all skin products, it is always best to test patch first.

Yes. All the ingredients in Boob Balm are 100% natural and not from animals or animal derived products.

While we don’t add any fragrances to our products, that doesn’t mean our balms don’t have any scent at all. We can’t remove the smells that naturally occur from our ingredients, but luckily enough, all our ingredients smell great together! You can tell, just from a whiff of our products, that they’re jam-packed full of essential oils.

If you’re worried about your baby fussing at the breast due to the scent of our balms, we recommend just wiping your nipple with a moist towel or a wet wipe before feeding.  

Manuka Oil is the champion ingredient in our Bub Balm. It’s antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, AND pain relieving. Phew, that’s a lot on our superhero’s muscly shoulders. But wait, Manuka Oil is a team player and likes to save the day alongside Tamanu Oil, which helps your baby’s skin make collagen, healing it and reducing redness. There’s also Rosehip Oil for more healing qualities and intense moisturising, and Kanuka Oil, which helps relieve redness and itching. We’ve also added some lovely, calming Chamomile and Vitamin E.

All our ingredients are 100% natural and vegan.

Is it just us, or is there always something going on with this bub? A rash, a spot, something scaly. Smooth as a baby’s bottom? Now that you’ve got your own kid, you understand how ridiculous that phrase is.

Bub Balm can help with eczema, nappy rash, cradle cap, dermatitis, and other minor irritations and abrasions. It may even help to stave off fungal infections such as Thrush. Of course, if rashes don’t improve, seek medical advice.

Bub Balm’s ingredients actively reduce inflammation as well as have a pain-relieving effect. It’s also highly antibacterial and antifungal, reducing bacterial and fungal growth on the skin, which can lead to infections. Other ingredients, such as Tamanu Oil, Rosehip Oil and Marshmallow, are extremely hydrating, helping soothe, treat, and prevent the occurrence of common skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema and cradle cap.

Yes. All ingredients in Bub Balm are 100% natural, non-toxic, and already widely used amongst the skincare industry. To be cautious, we suggest, like all skincare products, to test patch first.

Yes. All the ingredients in Bub Balm are 100% natural and not from animals or animal derived products.

While we don’t add any fragrances to our products, that doesn’t mean our balms don’t have any scent at all. We can’t remove the smells that naturally occur from our ingredients, but luckily enough, all our ingredients smell great together! You can tell, just from a whiff of our products, that they’re jam-packed full of essential oils.

Absolutely. No matter which payment process you select at checkout, your details are secured with the highest level of encryption and data security. Not even we can access your sensitive payment information.

If you contact us quick enough! If you change your mind or wish to cancel your order, please contact us immediately, as once your order has been dispatched, there’s no way for us to stop its progress.

We use Australia Post for most of our deliveries, and you can select from a few of their services at checkout. Once your order is placed, you will receive a confirmation email letting you know that our fulfillment team has received your order. A second email will be sent once your order has been dispatched, with tracking information. We try to dispatch your order within two working days.

Shipping fees are non-refundable in the case of returns, and Bubs and Boobs Co is not responsible for any further fees or taxes that might occur if shipped outside of Australia.

We sure do. We post worldwide from Melbourne, Australia. Shipping costs will apply, and will be added at checkout.

See below for an estimate on postage time.

AUSTRALIA & NZ: 2-7 Business Days

USA, CANADA, UK & EUROPE: 5-15 Business Days

ASIA: 10-20 Business Days

REST OF WORLD: 10-30 Business Days

Please note, Bubs and Boobs Co is not responsible for any further fees or taxes that might occur if shipped outside of Australia.

Due to the nature of our products, we can not accept returns on any products that have been used or even opened.