The effects of mother's milk and olive oil on protection of nipple pain and nipple cracks at early postpartum period

This interventional study was carried out on early postpartum period to compare the effects of mother?s milk and olive oil on protection of nipple pain and nipple cracks.The study was carried out at the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinics of Application and Research Hospital of Adnan Menderes University and BSK Anka Hospital. Study sample included 39 mothers; each 13 mothers applied mother?s milk or olive oil while remaining 13 served as controls.Data were collected by using the questionnaires 1, 2 and 3, follow-up form, breastfeeding observation form and Visual Analog Scale and/or via self-reports of mothers at the hospitals or by home visits by face-to-face interviews. Data were evaluated by descriptive statistics, and Exact Chi-squire, Kruskal Wallis Anova, Friedman and McNemar tests.Mothers in the breast milk group experienced nipple pain in the first 4 days (61.5%-92.3%), olive oil group in the 2-5th days (69.2%-76.9%) and controls in the 4-8th days (69.2%-84.6%). Pain was experienced mostly at the beginning of and during the breastfeeding (p<0.05), and was stated least severity at the experimental groups. Compared to the first day, mother?s milk caused a significant difference at the 9 and 10th days, olive oil at the 2-5th days and the applications of control groups at the 4-8th days (p<0.05).Nipple cracks were seen much more on the mother?s milk and control group (92.3%) than those applying olive oil (69.2%). The practiced application made a difference between 2-5 days in breast milk group and 2-7 days in control group (p<0.05), it made no difference in olive oil group (p>0.05).Applications were practiced at most by the mothers in breast milk (6-12 times) and olive oils (3-10 times) groups, and at least by control group (5-8 times) (p<0.05). All mothers in mother?s milk group and 84.6% of mothers in olive oil and control groups were satisfied with the applications.In conclusion, breast milk was found to be more effective in protection of the nipple pain and cracks than olive oil and especially the applications of control group.Key words: Nipple pain and cracks, breastfeeding, breast milk, olive oil.