Blisters appear on the lips of babies. Blisters on a newborn’s lip from breastfeeding can be a common occurrence and are usually harmless. Sometimes, they happen at a single point, or they can be present in more than one place. It may be on the upper lip alone or both upper and lower.
It is a soft raised bump that is full of clear liquid or pus(sometimes). You may not be able to see it until the lips are parted in many cases, which is why sufficient care and attention to detail are necessary. Whenever it breaks and leaks, it can be painful and cause the baby to be grumpy or fussy.
Blisters On Newborn’s Lip From Breastfeeding
Blisters on a newborn’s lip from breastfeeding can be a concerning sight for new parents. Understanding the causes and how to address this issue is essential for both the baby’s comfort and the mother’s peace of mind.
Causes Of Lip Blisters In Newborns
These discomforting swellings can be due to any of the following three causes.
1. From Birth
Sometimes babies are born that way. It should as no surprise because the child is alive in the womb and engages in various activities there. Those of them who sucked their thumbs or fingers in the womb are likely to be born with the blisters.
2. Breastfeeding
Newborns are usually quite tender and fragile. As such, they develop suck blisters on their lips while breastfeeding. This condition is due to the excess pressure they apply on the breasts, creating friction, which causes the blisters in turn.
3. Bottle feeding
Babies can also suffer from blisters without breastfeeding. The same scenario can also take place with the bottle. When they exert too much force on the nipples of the bottle, they could get blisters as a result.
4. Cold Sores
You should be a bit more concerned about this one. It happens when the child has been exposed to and contaminated by the virus. Thus, they fall sick and exhibit other symptoms.
Cold Sores And How To Treat Them
Don’t let the name mislead you. Cold sores are common. Most of us adults ought to have suffered it at one point or the other. We could also have witnessed other people experiencing it. It could manifest as a small pinkish, whitish, or reddish blister on your lips or around your mouth.
It is not unusual for adults and older children to suffer from cold sores. However, it’s not natural with babies. It should be a cause for concern when a newborn has cold sores. The only explanation for that is that the baby has been infected by an older child or adult who has the virus.
It is mostly transmittable by physical contact. So, endeavor to prevent strangers and sick people from having contact with your baby, especially hugging, pecking, and kissing them. This particular point is a preventive rather than a curative measure.
In case the baby is already infected, it will be accompanied by other health issues. You may notice a fever or temperature rise. Your child may also lose appetite. If these occur together with other complications, then see a doctor as soon as possible.
Many times, the situation will abate on its own without any effort from you. Give it about a week or two. Some mothers have been known to handle this situation this way, but it doesn’t mean you must act likewise. Please understand that you only resolve this similarly if your baby is fine and without other disturbing symptoms.
Read Also: When and How to Switch Baby Bottle Nipple Flow
Treating Lip Blisters From Breastfeeding or Bottle feeding
There are several ways to solve this issue, depending on the situation.
1. Do Nothing But Wait
This method is already stated in the last section. Nursing a baby requires much time, care, attention, and effort. You wouldn’t want to focus on irrelevant issues while forgoing the crucial ones. As long as the blister doesn’t hurt the child, affect the appetite, isn’t accompanied by fever or other health conditions, then they they will be fine.
In a few cases, the blisters harden and even prompt more efficient sucking since the newborn can apply more pressure without subsequent pains.
2. Establish A Firmer Latch(For Breastfeeding)
This one serves as a solution against any future occurrence, maybe not actually a healing measure. Firstly, you must understand something. Blisters occur on the lips because the baby uses their lips to grasp the breast or bottle while sucking.
Over time, the constant application of pressure tells on the delicate fleshy surface. The newborn ought to learn to hold the breast or bottle firm with their tongue and inner mouth muscles instead. So, here are a few tricks to actuate.
Firstly, start by using your nipple to poke or tickle your baby’s lips. This action will cause them to open their mouth. They will want to keep the opening narrow and continue with the previous habit but insist. Keep nudging until the mouth is wider to take in more of the breast. This action may not be straightforward, but be patient with your baby to adapt.
After attaining a wider mouth and taking in more of the breast, lower their chin. This posture will naturally lower their tongue and allow your breast to ease in and relax in the mouth. Please note that some babies may protest initially or even choke. Don’t relent, but keep up with the practice until you both reach perfection.
At this point, the lower areola should be well into their mouth. Hence, they would have learned to no longer latch with their lips. Their inner mouth walls do the job, while the tongue also contributes to the latching while still sucking.
Read Also: 20 Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms And their Newborn
3. Establish A Firmer Latch(For Bottle Feeding)
While the concept is basically the same for both the breast and bottle, the containers holding the milk are different. Hence, this one requires a slightly different technique than the former. When bottle-fed baby develop blisters on their lips, the latching is also a problem. Here are the tips to follow;
The feeding posture is the first problem to address. Ensure that the baby doesn’t grasp the bottle with their lips. Follow the same procedure as with the breast above. Use the bottle’s nipple to poke the lip open. Continue until they can sufficiently take the nipples into their mouth. At this point, their tongue and inner mouth muscles do the latching instead of the lips.
In addition, you can try to get your baby get adapted to a conducive sucking speed using the paced feeding. It might take time, so be patient enough. Something else you would want to do is ensure that the feeding bottle is the correct nipple size for the age of your baby. It will reduce a lot of difficulty and enable them to latch properly to it.
Ways To Foster Lips Blisters Healing In Babies
Here are a number of actions to take in this regard.
1. Use The Power Of Breast Milk
As women, we ought to be cognizant of how potent our breastmilk is. Why do you think babies can be exclusively on it for months and still be healthy? The abundance of nutrients packed in the breastmilk is alarming. Protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and other metabolism-boosting substances are all present in it.
One good example is a blood protein known as Immunoglobulin. It performs the role of resisting and conquering infections via its specialized bacteria. Again, the breastmilk contains a super moisturizer called palmitic. To help heal the lip blisters, drop some of your breastmilk on your baby’s lips. It will fight off any infection, moisturize it, and reduce any pain.
2. Use Lanolin Cream
Women already use this to treat their nipples. Frequent sucking plus other reactions on its surface can cause you to be sore and irritable. This oil helps women’s nipples to ease out of pain and ultimately heal. So, use the tip of your finger to rub a little of this cream on your baby’s lips. That should help with the situation.
3. Go For Natural Oils
Natural oils are not only useful for food purposes but are highly effective in healing or health purposes. You want to apply one or two drops of olive or coconut oil to your baby’s lips. Do this repeatedly, and you will see improvement.
Read Also: Baby Scratching Ear – What Causes It and What To Do
Conclusion on: Blisters On Newborn’s Lip From Breastfeeding
We will round this up with this important tip. Even though we have mentioned that blisters on your baby’s lips would always go on their own, you should rush for medical attention when they appear with certain symptoms.
These include fever, seizures, loss of appetite, hot or red swollen skin, difficulty in breathing, sores around the eyes, decolorized eyes or skin, bleeding, erratic breathing patterns, rashes, or any other unusual issue.
Lastly, endeavor to always wash your hands before handling the baby and their feeding items. Do not share the baby’s bedsheets, towels, or bodily items with other people to prevent any infection.
