What should I do if my breasts hurt when my baby is feeding?

Breastfeeding is the happiest thing for women, because feeding the baby with one's own milk and letting the baby grow quickly is a natural part of motherhood. Breasts are organs that secrete milk, and women's developed breasts provide the baby with a steady supply of high-quality milk. However, many babies will make women feel breast pain when breastfeeding. So, what should women do if their breasts hurt when their babies are breastfeeding?

Breast pain during lactation is generally due to the following two situations: one is the obstruction of the milk ducts, which is usually called "milking". Lumps may appear in the breasts, but there is no obvious tenderness. The other is acute mastitis, which is often accompanied by fever and orange-red changes in the skin. This type of pain is more severe. You should go to the hospital for a check-up and decide how to deal with it based on different situations.

1. Before breastfeeding, the mother should take a comfortable position and apply a hot and wet towel to the breasts and areola for 3-5 minutes. At the same time, massage the breasts to stimulate the milk ejection reflex and squeeze out some milk. This will soften the areola and make it easier for the baby to suck.

2. First breastfeed with the breast that hurts less, and make sure to put most of the nipple and areola into the baby's mouth. Also pay attention to changing the baby's feeding position to reduce the stimulation of the nipple caused by sucking.

3. If breastfeeding needs to be stopped due to other reasons, the mother should gently press the baby's lower jaw with her index finger, and the baby will automatically spit out the nipple. Never pull out the nipple forcibly, as this will damage the nipple.

4. If nipple cracks have occurred, squeeze out some milk after breastfeeding, apply it on the nipples and areolas, and wait for it to dry naturally. Then apply some chloramphenicol eye ointment to help reduce inflammation. You can also apply cod liver oil for your baby on it, because it contains vitamin A, which can help the epidermis recover.

5. If the baby breaks the nipple, you can boil egg yolk into oil and apply it several times. Pay attention to nipple care and wipe them frequently with warm water. If you take good care of them, they will not be easily broken by sucking.

The most important thing is to make sure your baby latches on to all or most of the areola. When the baby is feeding in the correct position, you can vaguely see his little tongue and the milk bubbles flashing at the corners of his mouth. At the beginning, the mother has to work harder and not lie down, as that would make the baby uncomfortable. After a long time, when the breastfeeding technique is more mature, you can try breastfeeding in a lying position. Although women are born with the ability to give birth, the skills to feed children require careful training.