We have gathered Silverette Cups: Frequently Asked Questions by breastfeeding mothers. Check and learn more about the Silverette Nursing Cups.

How does Silverette® work?

Studies on silver have revealed that the precious metal has ions with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial benefits. These potent agents efficiently work to make an environment to encourage healing.

Silverette® have been designed as an anatomical shape of the nipple. The skin in this area in contact with the silver has helped relieve and repair the nipple skin at any stage of the breastfeeding journey.

If you have any problems or pain persists, please seek help from a medical practitioner or lactation consultant.

Why do mums turn to Silverette®?

Sore nipples are typical during breastfeeding and can often result from an incorrect latch position between baby and mother. When this happens, what started as minor skin wear and tear of nipple skin can turn into cracked nipples.

Mothers would turn to cream; however, they are known to mask and ineffective in soothing and healing between the next feeding session. As mothers address the issue through professional support, Silverette nursing cups provide the prevention, relaxation and recovery of the nipple(s).

We designed the cups to harness silver’s benefits by wearing them between the feeds.

How do I use the Silverette® cups?

You can wear the cups under your nursing bra, or even if you plan on using absorbent breast pads, place the breast pad over the Silverette cups, and your bra will keep everything in place.

Express a couple of drops of milk in each cup and place the cup directly over the nipple, securing the cup with the nursing bra. After, remove the cups before breastfeeding and clean the nipples with warm water or a water wipe. Once you complete the feeding, rinse the cups with warm water, pat dry and repeat step 1 of the process in-between feeds.

See the step-by-step image to learn more about it.

How do I choose the right size?

The Silverette cups come in two sizes: regular size and XL. Before the XL size was available, the regular was available in the market, a “one-size-fits-most” cup.

Go XL if you look at the sizing chart and are right on the cups. Remember that your breasts will grow throughout pregnancy and even more so when your milk comes in. For this reason, go for the size you think you will be post-birth/when you start breastfeeding. 

Go XL if you buy the cup as a gift and are unsure what size to get. We recommend that XL will cater for all breast and areola sizes.

What are the common issues experienced while breastfeeding?

Nipple Wear and Tear: For relief from painful, sore, sensitive, dry, and cracked nipples resulting from breastfeeding or expressing, Silverette® works best on its own. The cups should not be used simultaneously with over-the-counter creams, oils or lotions to treat these wounds as it will create a barrier between the skin and the 925 silver, reducing its effectiveness.

Nipple Thrush: Silverette’s® 925 silver is a natural antifungal agent and can be used simultaneously with prescribed treatment that supports the recovery of nipple thrush. If you have any concerns regarding nipple thrush, please consult your medical practitioner.

Mastitis: Silverette’s® 925 silver has natural anti-inflammatory and

antibiotic agents and can be used simultaneously with treatments that support mastitis recovery. If you have any concerns regarding mastitis, please consult your medical practitioner.

Milk Blebs: Silverette’s® 925 silver has natural anti-inflammatory and can be used to create an environment to promote healing of milk blebs. If you have any concerns regarding milk blebs, please consult your medical practitioner.

When should I start using Silverette®?

We recommended that you start using the Silverette cups during the lactation period for preventative measures. Silverette designed the cups to use in between your nursing sessions. We recommend you to wear the cups continuously until you establish breastfeeding without any pain or damage.

You can use it pre and postnatal as a preventative measure for sensitive nipples and nipples that have been damaged from expressing milk.

Where does the silver come from?

Before being handcrafted in Northern Italy, they acquired the silver through metals agents licensed and regulated by the Italian government. Every batch of silver bought for manufacturing comes with certification.

What is 925 Silver?

925 is the purest solid silver you can use to mould into a shape. 925 silver is an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% Copper. Pure silver is malleable, so copper is added to ensure that we can mould the cups into the anatomical shape. Silverette® is safe for mum and baby and is nickel-free.

How do I polish the Silverette® cups?

Natural oxidisation may happen over time when using the Silverette® cups. This is when the silver develops a brass-yellow colour. Rest assured, this is normal, and users need to know the cups are still practical and, importantly, safe to use for mum and baby.

Why does this happen? This is due to the natural oxidisation procedure used in Silverette® (copper) alloy that reacts to the air’s oxygen, sulphur, and moisture. When copper oxidises in the air, a build-up occurs on the outer layer of the sterling silver piece. Though tarnishing can be seen as bad, it signifies that the item is genuine sterling silver.

To remove the tarnish in the cup, make a paste mixing bicarbonate of soda (one teaspoon) and a few drops of clean water. After, rub the mixture over the cups, rinse and pat dry. For more detail on cleaning, please visit Clean & Care.

Page Published on 3rd February 2022