Question

I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Super Lanolin? Is Super Lanolin safe for nursing mother and child? Does Super Lanolin extracts into breast milk? Does Super Lanolin has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Super Lanolin influence milk supply or can Super Lanolin decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?

Super Lanolin lactation summary

Super Lanolin is safe in breastfeeding
  • DrLact safety Score for Super Lanolin is 1 out of 8 which is considered Safe as per our analyses.
  • A safety Score of 1 indicates that usage of Super Lanolin is mostly safe during lactation for breastfed baby.
  • Our study of different scientific research also indicates that Super Lanolin does not cause any serious side effects in breastfeeding mothers.
  • Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Super Lanolin safe in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
  • Score calculated using the DrLact safety Version 1.2 model, this score ranges from 0 to 8 and measures overall safety of drug in lactation. Scores are primarily calculated using publicly available case studies, research papers, other scientific journals and publically available data.

Answer by Dr. Ru: About Super Lanolin usage in lactation

Avoid applying it on nipples; all Super Lanolin is not the same: - Standard Super Lanolin: 12 -15% alcohol and 40 PPM pesticide residues. - Modified Super Lanolin: 6% alcohol and 3 PPM pesticide residues. Use for the nipples Ultrapure Medical Grade USP Modified Super Lanolin, alcohol and pesticides free, safe for use on even the most sensitive skin or where infant ingestion may occur.

Answer by DrLact: About Super Lanolin usage in lactation

Super Lanolin is a yellow fat obtained from sheep's wool. It has traditionally been used topically to treat sore, cracked nipples during breastfeeding. Highly purified modified Super Lanolin (Lansinoh) has the pesticide and detergent residues removed and the natural free alcohols reduced to below 1.5% to improve safety and reduce the allergic potential.[1] However, it should be avoided in patients with a known allergy to wool. Although Super Lanolin appears to be effective for the prevention and treatment of nipple pain from breastfeeding,[2] studies, most of which used Lansinoh, have not found Super Lanolin to be consistently different in efficacy from application of breastmilk, hydrogel dressings, peppermint gel, aloe vera or warm compresses.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9] A metaanalysis concluded that application of nothing or breastmilk may be superior to Super Lanolin, but good studies are lacking.[10] One small nonblinded study found olive oil to be superior to Super Lanolin for prevention of sore nipples,[11] and another small, single-blinded study found that Super Lanolin application to painful nipples did not decrease nipple pain compared to usual care.[12] A study in women with nipple trauma and pain comparing application of Super Lanolin after each feeding to application of breastmilk plus a nipple shell found that the breastmilk and shell were more effective than Super Lanolin.[13] A randomized study comparing highly purified Super Lanolin (Lansinoh) to expressed breastmilk in 180 mothers, found Super Lanolin to be superior to breastmilk over a 7-day period in reducing pain and the nipple trauma score.[14]

Super Lanolin Possible Effects in Breastfeeding

In a randomized, double-bind trial, Super Lanolin was compared to an all-purpose nipple ointment containing mupirocin 1%, betamethasone 0.05%, and miconazole 2% for painful nipples while nursing in the first 2 weeks postpartum. The two treatments were equally effective in reducing nipple pain, nipple healing time, breastfeeding duration, breastfeeding exclusivity rate, mastitis and nipple symptoms, side effects or maternal satisfaction with treatment.[15] A randomized trial in nursing women with damaged, painful nipples compared Super Lanolin application to usual care, which was a variable mix of education or assistance by health professional, application of warm or cool compresses, analgesics, air drying the nipples or the use of breast shields. A blinded observer assessed healing via telephone calls to the mothers several times after randomization. No differences were found in nipple pain between the groups 4 to 7 days after randomization. No difference was found in breastfeeding self-efficacy at 4 days post-randomization or in the breastfeeding rates of the two groups at 4 and 12 weeks postpartum. Patient satisfaction with care was higher in the women who received Super Lanolin.[12]
Disclaimer: Information presented in this database is not meant as a substitute for professional judgment. You should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. We do not warrant or assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information on this Site.