Is your baby having a blister on the lip? Are you worried about what is the cause and the treatment of these lip blisters? If you are, just don’t because Blister on baby lip is completely normal. They might look scary but they are not. We have heard that mothers usually have some side effects when they breastfeed, but not only mothers but babies can also have some side effects while being fed, one of them is babies having a blister on the lip.
So as a new mother, you might be wondering what are suck blister? Lip blisters or suck blisters are inflamed or swollen lips which are formed due to overusing the lip muscle while latching on mother’s breast. They are also called suck blisters because they are formed by over sucking while breastfeeding. Babies do not get bothered by these lip blisters but they may be a sign of latch problem and difficulty. These are more common in newborn children. The friction between the mouth and the breast causes blisters on the lip.
Causes of Blisters On Baby Lip
Lip blisters are formed when the babies suck vigorously and continuously which makes the lip muscle to work harder and form these blisters. They are completely normal and they should not be a problem. Blisters may go away in a while after every feed or they can even stay or weeks. They will stop forming once the baby gets used to breastfeeding.
Mothers should not switch to bottle feeding if the baby experiences blisters from breastfeeding. The motion of sucking is the same for both breasts and bottles. So it’s not very convincing if you switch to bottles. Understanding the causes of blisters on baby lip is very important for mothers as these blisters can happen anytime.
The main cause of lip blisters is vigorous sucking, the friction which is caused by continuous sucking on the breast which forces the lip to get swollen. Babies have a sucking ability from their mother’s womb, even some babies are born with blisters because they start to practice sucking by using their fingers in the womb.
You might see a little swollen swelling on your baby’s upper lip. It can even be a little peeling of their upper lip like it’s chapped. It usually appears after babies start sucking for 3 or more hours. Cold sores which are also common in adults can also be a cause of lip blisters. Cold sores are also a type of little blisters which are formed when someone who has a virus comes in contact with the baby. They are reddish blisters that are formed around the mouth. This is why it is important to stop someone from kissing your baby.
Also Read: Breastfeeding Vs Bottlefeeding
Do Lip Blisters go away?
Normally, lip blisters do go away. You must be worried if they hurt your baby, and the good news is, they don’t. They will usually disappear after a while when the baby gets used to the sucking and achieves a grip but if the blisters continue to form or do not go away it might be a latching problem which means that your baby is having a problem latching.
Blisters on Baby LipIf we talk about cold sores, they will also go away within a week or two. You should talk to your baby’s doctor if you see any changes occurring with these blisters. In a nutshell, if you see your baby having a blister, do not panic, it is a common thing and it will go away after some time. If it does not go away after a week or two it might be a problem which means the baby is having difficulty in latching and it’s important to address this problem.
How to Treat A Blister On Lip?
Lip blisters are meant to go away in one or two weeks. If they don’t, you should take advice from your baby’s doctor. Although there are some techniques and tips you can try to stop these blisters from forming on your baby’s lips. Lip blisters can be avoided by practicing some good breastfeeding techniques, so the baby can latch on your nipple easily. The baby can latch properly if you put the breast back inside the baby’s mouth. Be careful so you don’t make the baby choke. Just carefully put the most of your areola inside the baby’s mouth so they can latch properly.
This will prevent blisters from forming on your baby’s lips. If your baby is fed on a bottle, consider the position of the bottle, so that the baby can get the nipple of the bottle fully into their mouth. Don’t expect newborn babies to learn so fast. Take your time, practice more and your baby will get used to this technique too. Putting on some breast milk over your baby’s lips can also help with these blisters as the mother’s milk is full of nutrients and fat which are magic for healing. They can fight infections and moisturize. Put some milk on their lip when you are done feeding. A lanolin cream or natural oils like coconut and olive oil can moisturize and heal the skin. Put some on your baby’s lips. It can help with the healing process.
When Should You Seek Medical Advice?
You should seek medical advice from the doctor if blisters on baby’s lip do not disappear and you see these problems:
- Fever
- Redness or swelling
- Fluid leaking from the blister
- Pain or discomfort to the baby
- The blister is growing big
- Blisters are developing more often
Conclusion
Lip Blisters or suck blisters are pretty common, especially in babies. There is no need to worry if you see your newborn having blisters. It is more common in infants. They are supposed to disappear after a while. If they don’t and your baby starts having fever, redness or swelling with pain you should call your baby’s doctor. Good latching techniques can help your baby to achieve a good grip with their mouth. Do not panic. Your baby is still learning and growing. Enjoy the motherhood.
Also Read: Newborn Baby Must Have Essentials
