What to do if your breasts are swollen and have lumps

A woman's breasts are very important to her. When a woman's breasts just begin to develop, there may be a lump in her breasts. After breastfeeding, the lump will naturally disappear. Some people call this lump a milk box, which is the baby's food. However, some pregnant women will also have breast lumps during the process of weaning. So what should I do if my breasts are swollen and have lumps?

How to prevent breast engorgement?

1. Early contact and early sucking can increase the baby's sense of identification with the mother's nipple.

2. Correct sucking posture: To ensure effective sucking, the nipple should only occupy 1/3 of the "pacifier" in the baby's mouth.

3. Keep the mother and baby in the same room, feed on demand, and suck the breasts frequently and effectively. The breasts should be sucked more than 8 times in 24 hours, 10-15 minutes on each breast, and at least 4 minutes. If this is not met, the mother can be guided to use a breast pump to supplement the sucking.

4. Complete nighttime feedings, because the secretion of maternal prolactin is maintained at a higher level at night. Frequent sucking at night is beneficial to increase milk secretion and promote milk discharge.

5. Teach mothers the correct method to check for breast engorgement and instruct them to empty one breast as much as possible to prevent the occurrence of congestion-induced breast engorgement.

6. Mothers who live in separate mother-and-child rooms should express milk frequently, 8-12 times in 24 hours, each time for 15 minutes on each side.

7. Instruct the mother to avoid drinking large amounts of milk-producing soups or water before milk production.

Question 2: How to deal with swollen breasts and lumps?

First, we need to find out the reasons, such as whether the baby sucks frequently; whether the nipple connection posture is correct; whether the sucking is ineffective; whether the breasts are under pressure so that milk cannot be discharged; whether the milk secretion is too much. At the same time, the following treatment measures can be taken.

1. Assess breast engorgement and find out the cause.

If milk production is slow or the sucking is insufficient, guide the mother to suck more; if the latching posture is incorrect, guide the mother to the correct feeding posture; if the breast-holding posture is incorrect or the breasts are under pressure, guide the mother to wear loose pajamas, a bra of the right size, avoid breast pressure when sleeping, and the correct breast-holding posture when feeding.

2. If the baby can suck, feed him frequently. This is the best way to express milk. Help guide the correct breastfeeding position and use different breastfeeding positions to keep the milk ducts in various parts of the breast unobstructed.

3. Teach mothers the correct method of expressing milk or using a breast pump to extract milk.

4. Before milking, you can stimulate the milk ejection reflex to facilitate milk discharge: apply hot compresses to the breasts, massage the neck and back, gently massage, shake and pat the breasts to stimulate the nipple skin, and let the mother drink some hot drinks.

5. Provide encouragement and help mothers build confidence.

6. Take medication as prescribed by your doctor, such as deer antler powder, or breast unblocking treatment at the postpartum rehabilitation center.