Seashells Help Breastfeeding

Photo by the Author

Most first-time mothers assume that breastfeeding will be easy and natural.  It is arguably the most natural gift you can offer the infant, but it is not always easy- and even when it flows, obstacles arise that deter many new mothers from breastfeeding.  One common ailment is sore, cracked, and/or bleeding nipples.  In Scandinavia women are advised to use seashells on their aching nipples by midwives and nurses. In fact, in Scandinavia mothers may buy natural seashells from maternity shops, online, and at midwifery centres.  

Patella Vulgata shells from Lofoten in Northern Norway have been worn by Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish mothers for thousands of years.  These valuable limpets are distributed from the Arctic Circle in the north to Portugal in the south and can be found on all coasts of Britain and Ireland.  The shells are an ancient remedy for nipple sores that range in severity from splits and cracks, to bleeding and blisters.  The shells create a healing microclimate so that nipples soften and are moisturized by breast milk that contains lactoferrin, known for its anti-viral and anti-bacterial healing properties. It is advised to air-dry the area prior to applying the shells and to boil the shells between uses if treating an infection or open soars. 

Most seashells are made of calcite or calcium carbonate (CaCO3), also the primary mineral component in cave formations. Metaphysical uses for calcite, determined by its color variations, include recuperation, relaxation, increased energy, and uplifting emotions. Calcite is credited with calming fears by soothing the psyche and helping a person to let go.  It is said to expand one’s capacity to freely give and receive love, aid during transition, integrate the new into the physical plane, and insure that power is properly used.

If you are on a beach holiday, try handpicking native shells. Alternate Tellin, Buttercup Lucine, and Atlantic Surf Clam varieties all proved suitable for protecting tender nipples are found in Florida shores. Select shells similar in shape and sizes to your breast anatomy. Made by Mother Nature herself, seashells are a great remedy for injured nipples- they are effective for healing the skin, comfortable as a second skin and provided many additional benefits beyond preventing sores. They also serve as a barrier for the highly tender areolas and nipples and garment chaffing and touch.

Wearing the seashells is like channelling the strength of the Earth Mother, embracing the divinely feminine role as giver and sustainer of life.  Body image can be a struggle during the postnatal months. You no longer have a blooming belly growing with life, you still don’t fit into most pre-pregnancy jeans, and your breasts are two-cup sizes larger than normal. Wearing shells during this adjustment period, may feel like embodying The Birth of Venus- the Roman Goddess of love and beauty incarnate.