What to eat for breastfeeding mothers

For mothers, I believe many mothers have experienced breast swelling after childbirth. Breast swelling is a very troublesome thing. If not handled properly, it may also lead to mastitis, milk stasis, etc. So what are the reasons for breast swelling after childbirth? So what should we do about breast swelling after childbirth? Is there any good way to relieve it? Let me explain it to you in detail, and I hope it will be helpful to all mothers.

Start breastfeeding early and breastfeed frequently:

The person who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. If a mother fails to breastfeed her baby soon after birth or if the interval between feedings is too long, it can cause breast engorgement. Therefore, if a mother starts breastfeeding early and breastfeeds frequently, the problem of breast engorgement can be effectively solved.

Express excess milk for future use:

Some mothers have plenty of milk, and the baby does not have enough time to feed, resulting in breast engorgement. At this time, the mother can squeeze out the excess milk and store it in the refrigerator for emergency use. However, it is important to ensure that the cleaning, disinfection and refrigeration conditions of the breast pump and milk storage bottles meet the standards, otherwise they should be dumped. Sometimes due to various reasons, the mother is unable to breastfeed in time, resulting in breast engorgement. At this time, the mother can quietly squeeze out some milk.

Express the swollen milk in time to prevent the milk ducts from being blocked and forming lumps, or causing difficult problems such as mastitis.

Timely dredge blocked breast ducts:

When breastfeeding, mothers often encounter blocked milk ducts. What mothers need to do at this time is to clear the milk ducts in time.

Specific method: You can let the baby suck more, or you can apply a hot towel to the breast and comb from the sides of the breast towards the nipple. Hot compress plus massage can effectively unclog the blocked milk ducts.

Soak breasts in warm water:

If a mother's milk is engorged, she can put a basin of warm water on her knees, bend her upper body to her knees, let her breasts soak in the basin, and gently shake her breasts. Gravity will allow the milk to flow out more easily.

Go to the hospital promptly:

If the mother's breast engorgement is severe and cannot be resolved through the above methods, or if there are signs of mastitis, the mother should go to the hospital in time to avoid delaying breastfeeding.

2How to relieve breast swelling after childbirth

Postpartum breast engorgement can be relieved by using a breast pump

If the baby is unable to suck the mother's nipple in time after birth for some reason, the mother can use a breast pump to extract milk. There are two types of breast pumps: electric and manual. The editor recommends that mothers choose a manual breast pump because the manual one can better control the strength and prevent excessive strength from causing injury to the mother's breasts.

Postpartum breast swelling can be relieved by massage

Massage can also relieve breast engorgement after childbirth. First, apply a hot towel to the breasts, taking care to avoid the areola and nipple. This will help unblock the blocked milk lumps. Then hold one breast with both hands, starting from the bottom of the breast all the way to the nipple, massaging repeatedly and alternately, and then squeeze the milk into a container.

Postpartum breast swelling can be relieved by ice compress

If mothers experience breast engorgement, they can relieve the symptoms by applying ice. First, prepare a soft towel, soak it in cold water, and apply it to the breasts after wringing it dry. You can massage while applying it. Repeat this several times to reduce milk engorgement and relieve chest pain.

Cabbage therapy can be used to treat postpartum breast swelling

Cabbage therapy can effectively relieve breast pain. The specific method is: after washing the cabbage, peel off the leaves as completely as possible, cover the entire breast with the leaves along the armpits and pectoralis major muscles, and then use a bra to apply a small amount of pressure to allow the cabbage to fully contact the skin. Remove it after 24 hours.

Diet therapy can be used for postpartum breast enlargement

Mothers with breast engorgement after childbirth should eat light meals, avoid greasy food, and do not eat too much milk-stimulating food for fear of insufficient milk. Eat less high-protein, high-fat, and high-sugar foods to avoid excessive and thick milk secretion, which will cause milk to accumulate in the mammary glands and be difficult to discharge.

For postpartum breast enlargement, you can choose a wide bra to support it

Mothers can also use loose cotton bras to support swollen, sagging breasts. This can improve blood circulation in the breasts, help to keep the milk ducts unobstructed, and reduce milk accumulation in the breasts, thereby alleviating breast pain. At the same time, mothers should be reminded not to wear bras that are too tight, otherwise it will hinder the secretion of milk.

3 tips for breast milk swelling after childbirth

Tips to relieve postpartum breast swelling

Let your baby suckle as early as possible

If the baby can have close contact with the new mother as soon as possible after birth and starts sucking breast milk within half an hour after birth, this will not only help the baby get colostrum containing rich nutrients and immunoglobulins, but also stimulate the increase of breast milk secretion. Since babies have strong sucking abilities and their little mouths are particularly powerful, breastfeeding can help unclog the mother's milk ducts and allow milk to flow more smoothly.

Breast pump is a good helper

If the baby is unable to help the mother by sucking for some reason, you should choose a breast pump to help. When choosing a breast pump, you should pay attention to the fact that the suction must be moderate and the nipples should not feel any pain when using it. It is recommended to choose an automatic breast pump with the function of adjusting the milk suction intensity, so that the pressure and speed of the breast pump can be adjusted in time according to the actual situation.

Massage therapy

After washing your hands, hold the entire breast, apply even force and gently massage and squeeze from all sides of the breast toward 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.