What causes chest pain after childbirth?

The breasts of pregnant women are very important tissues because they are the source of food for the baby and the base for secreting nutritious milk. However, pregnant women's breasts often cause serious symptoms due to some minor factors. For example, many pregnant women experience breast pain about a month after giving birth, which makes them feel very painful. Let's discuss what causes pregnant women's breast pain like needles.

What is the cause of breast pain like needles after giving birth?

Physiological reasons

Breast pain after childbirth may be caused by physiological factors, because pregnancy ends suddenly, and the body's hormones drop sharply, causing the newly developed breasts to suddenly stop growing, resulting in breast lumps and breast pain. Generally speaking, the consequences are not serious, and you can just pay attention to a light diet.

Breast inflammation

If you feel tingling in your breasts after giving birth, like a needle prick, you may consider whether you have mastitis. Generally speaking, the probability of getting mastitis within 6 weeks after giving birth is very high. Mastitis is mainly caused by breast lumps. Patients will feel tingling, redness in the breasts, and sometimes accompanied by a high fever of more than 40 degrees.

Breast hyperplasia

Breast tingling like needles after giving birth may be caused by breast hyperplasia, hyperplasia of breast epithelial cells and fibrous tissue, degenerative changes in the structure of breast tubes and branchlets, and growth of idiopathic connective tissue. The main cause of the disease is due to endocrine hormone imbalance.

Baby sucking error

The tingling sensation in the breasts after giving birth is probably caused by the baby's incorrect sucking. Some babies do not fully latch on to the breast when sucking, but only latch on to the nipple. If you just suck the nipple, the milk will not come out, and the baby will suck very hard, which will cause stinging in the mother's nipple.

How to take care of your breasts after giving birth

Massage

First the mother needs to apply warm compresses to her breasts for about five minutes. Then gently massage the nipple and pull the belt outward, repeat for 2 to 3 minutes. After the nipple muscles are no longer stiff, lift the breast with one hand and use the other hand to gently massage along the breast towards the nipple. During the massage process, breast milk can be used as a lubricant to avoid scratching the delicate skin.

Wearing a bra

Another point that mothers need to pay attention to is that it is best to wear a suitable bra in daily life. During breastfeeding, milk sometimes leaks out. Mothers should choose a bra with a looser style, softer color and strong water absorption, and they can also use breast pads in conjunction with it. Moreover, because the mother's breasts become rounder and the weight increases significantly during breastfeeding, nursing bras can lift the breasts, relieve excessive stretching of the cruciate ligament and prevent relaxation, which are good choices for mothers.

Postpartum breast care

1. Massage: First, the mother needs to apply warm compress to the breast for about five minutes. Then gently massage the nipple and pull the belt outward, repeat for 2 to 3 minutes. After the nipple muscles are no longer stiff, lift the breast with one hand and use the other hand to gently massage along the breast towards the nipple. During the massage process, breast milk can be used as a lubricant to avoid scratching the delicate skin.

2. Wearing a bra: One thing mothers also need to pay attention to is that it is best to wear a suitable bra in daily life. During breastfeeding, milk sometimes leaks out. Mothers should choose a bra with a looser style, softer color and strong water absorption, and they can also use breast pads in conjunction with it. Moreover, because the mother's breasts become rounder and the weight increases significantly during breastfeeding, nursing bras can lift the breasts, relieve excessive stretching of the cruciate ligament and prevent relaxation, which are good choices for mothers.

3. Rotate breastfeeding: In addition to breastfeeding on demand, mothers should also rotate their breasts to feed. If you always use one breast to breastfeed, the shape of the breast will be different. The mother's breastfeeding time should be controlled between 10 and 15 minutes each time. It is also important to note that if the child does not drink all the milk, the mother must drain the remaining milk, otherwise the milk will remain too long and cause breast agglomeration. Doing so will effectively prevent mastitis and help promote milk secretion.

4. Stretching posture: Mothers should do it four times a day, each time for 3 to 5 minutes. A manual breast pump can be used for liposuction, 1 minute each time, 4 times a day. The mother can first extend one hand to hold the breast, and then use the ring finger, middle thumb and thumb of the other hand to pinch the nipple and pull it outwards. Thirty seconds will be enough. Repeat many times and finish after ten minutes.