The Effect of nipple soreness treatment with Purslane Cream and Lanolin on Frequency and duration of Breastfeeding in nursing mothers: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background & aim: Despite the global efforts to promote breastfeeding, women report some problems leading to stop breastfeeding in the early postpartum. Nipple soreness is considered as one of the main causes of early breastfeeding discontinuation. Treatment of this problem could keep breastfeeding for a prolonged period of time. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of nipple pain treatment with lanolin and purslane cream on frequency and duration of breastfeeding. Methods: This double-blinded, randomized clinical trial was conducted on 86 breastfeeding women with nipple soreness who attended healthcare clinics in Mashhad, Iran, in 2016. The participants were randomly allocated to two equally sized group (43 in each), receiving purslane cream and lanolin for eight days. The correct method of breastfeeding and using the cream were trained to both groups. The nipple pain score was measured before intervention and on the third and eighth days post-intervention using a numeric pain rating scale. The subjects were also trained to record the duration and frequency of breastfeeding during the study period. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 22 using t-test, Fisher's exact test, Chi-square, and Wilcoxon tests. Results: Two study groups were identical in terms of the pain intensity before intervention. There was a significant difference concerning the pain intensity between the two groups on days 3 and 8. The pain intensity in the purslane cream group was significantly lower than the lanolin group (P<0.001). The frequency of breastfeeding in the purslane group after the fourth day was significantly higher than the lanolin group (P=0.017). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the duration of breastfeeding (P=0.423). Conclusion: Improving nipple pain by purslane cream can promote the frequency of breastfeeding. As a result, it can be considered as an effective agent in treatment of nipple soreness in nursing mothers.