What to do if breast swelling and pain occur during confinement

Pregnant mothers have finally gone through the difficult pregnancy period, and they have to endure various problems after delivery. The most important thing after delivery is breastfeeding, but many mothers will experience breast swelling during breastfeeding, which is often unbearable, especially three or four days after delivery. Some inexperienced mothers are afraid of pain and do not let their babies breastfeed, which aggravates the breast swelling. So what should they do?

Let your baby suckle milk as soon as possible: start breastfeeding within half an hour after birth, so that the amount of milk secretion will be greater. Since babies have strong sucking ability, breastfeeding can help unclog the mother's milk ducts and make milk discharge smoother. Pay attention to the number of feedings, about once every 2-3 hours, to remove milk, ensure the patency of the mammary ducts, and prevent milk engorgement.

Massage: After washing your hands, hold the entire breast, apply even force and gently massage and squeeze from all sides of the breast towards the nipple. This can help unclog the milk ducts and reduce and eliminate skin edema. If you find that a certain part of the breast is particularly swollen and painful during the massage, you can squeeze that area with a little force to expel the accumulated milk to prevent the milk duct in this area from being blocked and causing mastitis.

Using a breast pump: Choose a breast pump that has the function of adjusting the milk suction intensity. You can adjust the pressure and speed of the breast pump in time according to the actual situation. However, you must pay attention to hygiene when using a breast pump, especially for new mothers with damaged skin in the areola area, to avoid bacterial invasion and infection.

Cold compress vs. hot compress: Hot compress can make the milk lumps blocking the breast glands become unblocked and improve breast circulation. Before breastfeeding, you can apply a hot, wet towel to your breasts for a few minutes. If the pain from breast engorgement is very severe, you can use cold compress to relieve the pain. Apply a soft towel dipped in cold water to the breast, or use a cold water bag for cold compress. Both can help reduce breast congestion and relieve swelling and pain. Always remember to express the milk before applying cold compress.

Diet adjustment: New mothers should ensure a light diet and avoid greasy food. It is best not to drink too much milk-inducing soup. High-protein, high-fat, and high-sugar foods must also be eaten in moderation to prevent excessive and thick milk secretion, which may cause lumps in the mammary glands and be difficult to discharge.

Soak in warm water: New mothers with milk engorgement can also effectively relieve the discomfort by soaking their breasts in warm water. First, prepare a basin of warm water and place it on your knees, then bend your upper body to your knees, so that the breasts can be soaked in the basin. At this time, you can also gently shake your breasts, using gravity to make the milk flow out more easily.

How to deal with breast engorgement after weaning/Tips to relieve breast engorgement in postpartum women

The first few weeks of breastfeeding, especially for first-time mothers, can be a frustrating time. Breast engorgement is the most common problem. If mothers are given proper support and guidance in the first few days, breast engorgement can be avoided. If mothers are not helped, breastfeeding may fail.

Causes of breast engorgement

When milk begins to come in, your breasts may become warm, heavy, painful, or even rock hard. This swelling is caused by the increased blood and water in the breast milk and connective tissue. When the mother does not start breastfeeding soon after the baby is born, or the interval between feedings is too long, the milk cannot be completely removed, which will cause the breasts to become swollen and painful. The breasts become hard as a result, making it more difficult for the baby to latch on to the nipple. The mother also reduces the number of feedings for fear of pain, making it impossible for the milk to be effectively removed, and the milk flow may stop as a result.

Ways to prevent and treat swelling

The best way to prevent breast engorgement is to start sucking your baby as early as possible and start breastfeeding within two hours of birth. This will allow the baby to suck colostrum earlier and also allow the milk ejection reflex to occur earlier, resulting in more milk secretion. And breastfeed frequently (about once every two to three hours) to remove milk, which can keep the milk ducts unobstructed and make breast engorgement less likely.

When the breasts swell, they will squeeze the milk ducts, making it more difficult for milk to flow out. At this time, you can apply warm compresses to the breasts before breastfeeding. When feeding, hold the breasts in a C shape, press them against the chest wall first, then press the areola with the thumb and index finger to squeeze out some milk. After the nipple becomes soft, let the baby suck. At this time, the baby will find it easier to hold the breast and suck effectively. When the baby cannot suck effectively or refuses to suck at all, the mother needs to be helped to squeeze out the milk, and the squeezed milk can be fed to the baby with a cup.

Tips to relieve breast engorgement in postpartum women

If your breasts are painful from engorgement, you can use a breast pump to express the milk, or use the hot bottle technique and continue to express milk as needed to make your breasts comfortable until the swelling goes away. Alternatively, you can place a basin of warm water on your knees, bend your upper body to your knees, soak your breasts in the basin, and gently shake your breasts. Gravity will allow the milk to flow out more easily. Alternatively, you can massage your breasts while taking a shower. If the pain is unbearable, ask your doctor for painkillers, which will not affect the baby.

Breastfeeding is the first gift of life that a mother gives to her children and is a concrete expression of maternal love. Please do not give up this precious asset that only mothers have easily. Let the parent-child relationship and the baby's health have a good start in the process of breastfeeding and will also bear rich fruits. Once again, we remind you that starting breastfeeding early and increasing the frequency of feedings will make your breastfeeding process smooth and successful.

What to do if your baby's breasts swell after weaning/8 good ways to solve the problem of breast swell

Eight good ways to solve breast engorgement

Generally speaking, the milk ducts will be unobstructed after timely and frequent sucking for 1-2 days. However, when the breasts are over-swollen, the mother often feels pain. At this time, the following methods can be used to relieve the discomfort:

(1) Hot compress Hot compress can make the milk lumps blocking the breast glands become unobstructed and improve breast circulation. When applying hot compress, be careful to avoid the areola and nipple areas because the skin in these two areas is more tender. The temperature of the hot compress should not be too hot to avoid scalding the skin. (2) After applying the hot compress to the breasts, you can start massaging. There are many ways to massage the breasts. Generally, you hold one breast with both hands and massage alternately from the bottom of the breast to the nipple, and then squeeze the milk into a container. (3) When your breasts are swollen and painful, you can use a manual or electric breast pump to assist in expressing milk, which is very effective. (4) Hot Bath: When your breasts are swollen and painful, you may want to take a hot bath and massage your breasts, which will make you feel more comfortable. (5) Soak the breasts in warm water. Place a basin of warm water on your knees, bend your upper body to your knees, and let your breasts soak in the basin. Gently shake your breasts so that gravity can help the milk flow out more easily. (6) Cold compress: If the pain from breast engorgement is very severe, you can use cold compress to relieve the pain. Always remember to express the milk before applying cold compress. (7) A folk remedy is to use two raw flatbreads (fermented flour), press them into flat round shapes, and apply them to both sides of the breasts, changing them every 24 hours. It is also very effective.

8. (8) Seeking medical treatment

If the swelling does not go away and the pain continues, ask your doctor to prescribe pain medication.