Background and Objective: Nipple soreness is one of the major reasons for restraining breastfeeding in mother. Compression on sore nipples with a warm moist pack can effectively reduce the levels of soreness in the nipples and pain. As a result, it is of benefit for taking care of primiparous mothers with limitations regarding sore nipples during routine care. The objectives of this study are to compare the effects of using warm moist gel pack compression on sore nipples in primiparous mothers with routine care against normal routine care alone on levels of soreness in the nipple and pain in primiparous mothers.

Methodology: A quasi-experimental research design was conducted in participants who were primiparous mothers and gave birth with normal labour. The participants were admitted to the postpartum unit of Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University. Within 12-24 hours after giving childbirth, they were divided into two groups including an experimental group (N=14) and control group (N=14). The experimental group received warm moist gel pack compression on sore nipples combined with routine care whereas the control group received only routine care. Both groups were evaluated for nipple soreness and nipple pain.

Results: The results showed that the level of nipple soreness of the experimental group was significantly decreased (p<0.01) after 12 hours of treatment, and lower level of nipple soreness than that of the control group after 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours of the treatment sessions (p<0.01). In addition, we noted that the nipple pain of the experimental group was decreased the most immediately after the compression whereas it was slightly increased after 1 hour of compression. However, the pain level after each compression was always lower than that of before compression (p<0.01). After 24 hours of treatment the experimental group had continuously decreased the level of nipple pain until the 48th hour of treatment, i.e. the level of nipple pain after 48 hours of treatment was much lower than the pain level after 36 hours of treatment (p<0.01). After treatment, the nipple pain of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group in every period, i.e. after 48 hours of treatment, nipple pain of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.01).

Conclusions: It is concluded that a warm moist gel pack compression could effectively reduce nipple soreness and pain in primiparous mother. We suggest thet it could be incorporated with a routine care for this patient population.

Key word: nipple soreness, nipple pain, hot gel, warm water compress