How to solve the problem of milk blockage and lumps

For breastfeeding women, if they are not careful, it is easy to cause milk obstruction. This is mainly caused by the obstruction of the mammary ducts. This will cause the breasts to become swollen. Over time, it will cause lumps in the breasts. On the one hand, it will affect the breastfeeding, and on the other hand, it is also harmful to the breast health of women. At this time, you should learn some methods to unclog the mammary glands.

Blocked milk? A little trick to help you solve

When the baby is feeding, you can let the baby's chin point to the lump. Because the baby's chin and lower lip have strong suction, various postures are needed. For example, if the milk duct is blocked on the outside of the mother's breast, the confinement nanny can assist the mother in breastfeeding in the olive position, with the baby's chin against the outside of the mother's breast. At this time, the sucking force on the outside of the breast is the strongest, making it easier to clear the milk duct.

The above method is suitable for use when milk blockage has just occurred. Babies and mothers are the best natural partners. As long as the baby's sucking posture is correct, the mother's milk blockage problem will become particularly easy to solve.

What should I do if my breasts are swollen and painful with lumps?

If your breasts still feel swollen and sore after each feeding, you should squeeze out some of the remaining milk. The idea here is not to squeeze it empty, but to squeeze out a little bit, so that the breasts are swollen but not painful, and then you can stop.

Sometimes during the process of milk blockage, the breasts may become swollen. Because milk accumulates in the milk ducts, the milk ducts become blocked. The milk cannot flow out, and the pressure in the breasts will increase over time. When the mammary alveoli expand excessively, they will compress the nearby tissues and cause edema. The edema will then return to compress the mammary ducts, causing them to become more and more swollen. You can try applying cabbage or potato slices externally, changing them every 20 minutes or so, or let your baby hold most of the areola in his mouth and suck frequently, and the lump will gradually become smaller.

Some practical tips for milk blockage

1. When you have milk blockage, do not continue to drink thick milk-inducing soups. You must eat a light diet and drink plenty of water to allow the body's water to disperse the lumps.

2. When you do breast-clearing by yourself, you don’t have to use the traditional supine or sitting position. Instead, you can sit down and slowly bend your upper body so that your breasts are facing the ground. Due to the effect of gravity, if the breast is unobstructed, we will see milk dripping out after a while. For breasts with blocked milk ducts, massaging in this state can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

3. Unblock the breasts: When there is milk duct blockage, sisters can massage with their hands. If you feel there are lumps inside, you can also try to apply olive oil on it and use your fingers to gently comb the blocked area from the chest to the nipple.

4. The best way to clear milk knots is to let the baby suck. Let your baby's chin point to the position of the lump on the breast to suck, because the chin has the greatest suction force when the baby sucks. For example, if the milk knot is on the outside of the mother's right breast, let the mother sit in front of the table, put pillows, small mattresses and other textiles that are comfortable for the baby and can adjust the height on the table, let the baby face the mother, lie on the right side, with the top of the head facing the mother's left breast, and suck the mother's right breast. At this time, the baby's chin will be facing the place where there is a milk knot on the outside of the mother's right breast.

5. If the mother can breastfeed herself, there is no need to express the milk and then feed it to the baby with a bottle. Breastfeeding mothers do not need to worry about how much ml their babies eat, they can just feed on demand. Babies and mothers are natural best partners, and the more they suck, the more milk they will produce.