What to do if you have lumps on your breasts during lactation

We all know that the breastfeeding period is particularly important, because some of our physical conditions will have a certain impact on the fetus, and breast milk is a more natural and nutritious food for the baby. However, many women will experience symptoms such as pimples on the breasts during breastfeeding, and sometimes it also causes certain pain to women. Let's learn about what to do if you have pimples on the breasts during breastfeeding.

What to do if you have lumps on your breasts during lactation

1. Normal breast fullness: The breasts only feel swollen, sometimes with dull pain, and feel lumpy when touched. After breastfeeding or breast pumping, the milk is drained and the symptoms disappear. This is normal breast fullness and is not pathological.

2. Breast milk accumulation: If milk continues to accumulate, the breasts will continue to swell, causing the breast skin to become thicker and harder, and the pain to increase. As a result, the nipples may not stand upright, making it difficult for the baby to suck and making it difficult to suck out milk.

3. Milk duct blockage and breast inflammation: When the breast swelling further increases, the breast tissue becomes edematous, the milk ducts become narrow, the milk cannot be discharged, the blood circulation and lymphatic return in the breast are blocked, the breast swells further, the breast skin becomes edematous, shiny and hardened, and then becomes hot and painful. If not treated in time, it will lead to acute mastitis.

Prevention methods include:

1. In the late stages of pregnancy, pregnant women should frequently scrub their nipples and areolas with warm water, especially in the hot summer when they sweat a lot, to keep their nipples clean. This can also increase the nipples' ability to adapt to external stimuli. Those with inverted nipples should also pay attention to pulling the nipples to facilitate the baby's sucking after delivery.

2. Mastering the appropriate breastfeeding time is a necessary condition to completely empty the breasts and maintain lactation. Normal breastfeeding can be resumed 12 hours after delivery, for 4 to 5 minutes each time on the first 2 days, and 10 to 15 minutes each time thereafter. Because a healthy and hungry baby will absorb 2/3 of the milk it needs in the first 5 minutes of breastfeeding, it is necessary to alternate between the two breasts each time you feed, first sucking one side and then the other. If one breast cannot be emptied in one feeding, feed the side that was not emptied last time first the next time. If you still cannot express all the milk, you need to use a breast pump or manual milk expression, and manual milk expression is the best method: pinch the nipple with your index finger and middle finger, and use the second knuckles of the two fingers to push and pull the base of the nipple. The milk can be quickly and painlessly expressed. It should be noted that each breastfeeding must be completed in order to achieve the maximum milk secretion while emptying the milk.

3. Maintaining the correct breastfeeding posture is conducive to adequate breastfeeding for the baby and emptying of the breasts. The mother can adopt the side-lying, semi-sitting and sitting positions, with the principle of full relaxation and comfort of the whole body. She can also change the position of holding the baby at any time during breastfeeding to allow the baby to fully suck the milk.

4. If milk has accumulated in the breasts and it is difficult or impossible to express it out by manual operation or with a breast pump, and if severe breast pain has occurred and the milk cannot be emptied after hot compresses, you should go to the hospital for microwave treatment of the breasts or treatment for mastitis.

Acute mastitis and breast abscess

Acute mastitis is what Chinese medicine calls "breast abscess". It is the most common disease among lactating women, especially primiparas. It often occurs within 3 to 4 weeks after delivery and is caused by bacterial infection. Nipple cracks can occur when breastfeeding technique and the baby's latch are incorrect. Once cracking occurs, bacteria can invade the lymphatic vessels in the breast and the tissues between the lobes and cause infection. Moreover, the milk accumulated in the breasts is also a good culture medium for bacterial reproduction. Coupled with the decreased systemic resistance to infection of the mother after delivery, mastitis can easily occur.

In the early stages of acute mastitis, due to the accumulation of milk, the breast will have throbbing pain, the local skin will be slightly red and slightly hot, and the patient will have high fever and chills. If not treated in time, the redness and swelling will worsen, the pain will be more severe, the high fever will not subside, and it will soon enter the abscess formation stage - the breast will become lumpy and fluctuating, and because the depth of the lumps varies and the pus formation period is inconsistent, clinically there will be a phenomenon of persistent high fever. In severe cases, systemic suppurative infection and sepsis may occur. Therefore, acute mastitis must be treated correctly in the early stages.

After the occurrence of acute mastitis, treatment should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor, usually including physical therapy, drug therapy (including traditional Chinese medicine therapy), surgical incision and drainage of abscesses, etc. If mastitis occurs in both breasts at the same time and abscesses form, and the treatment is not effective, you may consider stopping milk secretion and breastfeeding.

The above is an introduction to what causes lumps on the breasts during lactation. After understanding it, we know that this phenomenon is mostly caused by milk congestion. Therefore, in order to avoid developing diseases such as mastitis, we must promptly expel the milk in the body when such symptoms occur. We must also pay attention to breast care at ordinary times, wear some comfortable underwear for pregnant women or breastfeeding women, and consult a doctor in time if any problems occur.