What should I do if my milk is not flowing after childbirth?

After giving birth, women will secrete milk to feed their babies as soon as possible. This is a natural instinct and also a conditioned reflex after giving birth. The amount and quality of milk after delivery is related to the baby's growth. Therefore, most women will eat a lot of milk-producing foods after delivery in order to increase milk supply and help the baby grow as quickly as possible. However, producing milk too quickly can easily cause side effects for women, and breast engorgement is a common side effect. Many women will frequently experience symptoms of breast engorgement and milk blockage in the first month after delivery. Severe cases may induce mastitis, etc. Let's take a look at what to do if breast milk blockage occurs after delivery.

If the mother fails to breastfeed soon after the baby is born, or the interval between breastfeeding is too long, or the milk secretion is too much and the baby cannot finish it, the milk cannot be completely removed, and the milk accumulates in the mammary ducts, making the breasts swollen and painful. At this time, the breasts become hard and the nipples are difficult to latch on. If the mother reduces the number of breastfeeding times due to fear of pain, the milk flow will stop and the milk engorgement will increase.

1. Let your baby suck the nipple more

The key to solving milk engorgement is to unblock the mammary glands, and the best way is to let the baby suck the nipples more. It can not only feed the little one, but also unclog the mother's milk ducts, making the milk discharge smoother.

2. Breast pump is a good helper

Let new mothers express milk manually? Too tired, no experience, buy a breast pump! When choosing a breast pump, you should make sure that the suction is moderate and your nipples do 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 you can adjust it according to the actual situation.

3. Breast massage has many benefits

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 feel pain anywhere during the massage, it means that the milk duct there is blocked. You need to squeeze it with a little force to drain the milk.

4. When your milk is swelling, eat a light diet

Mothers with breast engorgement should eat a light diet. Because the mammary ducts are blocked, they should stop drinking milk-inducing soups and eat less high-protein, high-fat, and high-sugar foods. This can prevent excessive and thick milk secretion, which may cause lumps in the mammary glands.