Learn more about your body! Yes, we are all different and it is these differences that bring us together. And with summer fast approaching, you may come across people on the beach or at the pool who don’t have the same nipples as you! But don’t panic! Before you ask yourself if this is normal, we’ll spoil the answer: yes! However, it is important for women who wish to breastfeed to take into account the shape of their nipples in order to learn how to handle and care for them.
The normal one
This is the shape most women have. The tip of the nipple sticks out a few millimetres from the areola and increases in size when stimulated.
The flat
As the name suggests, the tip of the nipple is at the same level as the areola. However, it also increases in size when stimulated.
The swollen one
This could be confused with the flat nipple except that it is slightly more swollen and tends to retract quickly when stimulated. Women with a swollen nipple may have problems breastfeeding.
The umbilicus
This is also called the inverted nipple. It is retracted into itself, inside the areola. This is caused by the milk ducts that carry the milk from the breast lobules to the nipple when they are too short, for example. They can be surgically removed. In this case too, breastfeeding may not be possible.