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Mamas Healing Tips - Seashells for Sore Nipples I knew that I wanted to breastfeed my baby. But I wondered if the lactation consultants, educational sites, instructional videos, La Leche League were necessary. After all, breastfeeding is ancient and totally natural. Wouldn’t my body and my baby tell me what to do? After my son’s birth, I found I actually needed some of those resources and advice from my friends. Eventually, I cobbled together knowledge and techniques to successfully feed my newborn the time-honored, natural way. I liked the notion of having this potent feminine energy from the ocean and the tides at my breasts. My modern, logical, Swedish friend, Annika Granholm, swore that seashells saved her from aching, cracked and bleeding nipples. She admitted her own initial resistance to such a non-western remedy. So she failed to heed her friend’s advice until she was on the verge of quitting breastfeeding and attachment parenting. Her
mounting physical pain and the Swedish midwife eventually convinced
her. In Scandinavia you can buy natural seashells from maternity
shops, online, and at midwifery centers. Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish mothers have worn patella vulgata shells for thousands of years. These limpets can be found from the Arctic Circle to Portugal, and on all coasts of Great Britain and Ireland. The shells are an ancient remedy for sore nipples. They create a soothing microclimate so that nipples soften and are moisturized by breastmilk. The milk contains lactoferrin— known for its antiviral and antibacterial healing properties. It is advised to air-dry the area prior to applying the shells. (If treating infection or open sores, boil them between use.) Most seashells are made of calcite or calcium carbonate. Calcite calms fears by soothing the psyche and helps a person let go of emotional stress.
The shells seemed to be custom-made by Mother Nature herself. They were as comfortable as a second skin. They also served as a barrier for my highly tender areolas and nipples--while I adapted to my baby’s near constant sucking. They were an oceanic armor against chafing from clothing. I felt as though I was embodying the spirit of The Birth of Venus. I felt like the Roman goddess of love and beauty incarnate. I’ve been breastfeeding successfully now for six months. I stopped wearing limpets months ago. But they are still an integral part of life. Seashells are now a treasured item in the pre-birth care packages I give to friends. I have adopted the hobby of collecting and cataloguing seashells during our travels and on sunset strolls with my son, Raven Gabriel. We walk meditatively along Key Biscayne’s undeveloped coastline, appreciating Mother Nature and her incredible gifts. Amenda
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Fall
2008
The most
surprising, breast-saving tip for the first few months was to place
seashells on my nipples between feedings. Seashells? The idea
captivated my imagination. After all, if we are gifted with a more
voluptuous postpartum figure, isn’t it fitting to wear Botticelli’s
Venus’ undergarments? 
Walking
along the beach in Jupiter, Florida, my partner and I handpicked a
variety of native shells. We found Alternate Tellin, Buttercup
Lucine, and Atlantic Surf Clam varieties. They all proved suitable
for protecting tender nipples. We selected only those with similar
shapes and sizes to my breast anatomy.