What should I do if my breasts swell and hurt after childbirth? Learn these 9 methods!

Under normal circumstances, a woman's breasts will secrete a lot of milk after giving birth. If the milk cannot be discharged smoothly, milk engorgement will naturally occur. Severe breast engorgement will make women feel unbearable pain. Don't be too anxious at this time. You can help the milk be discharged through massage and other methods. Here are some effective ways to relieve breast engorgement.

1. Let your baby suckle as early as possible.

If the baby can have close contact with the mother as soon as possible after delivery and starts sucking breast milk within half an hour after birth, this will not only help the baby eat colostrum which is rich in 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.

2. Use hot and cold compresses simultaneously

Hot compress can make the milk lumps blocking the mammary glands unblocked and improve breast circulation. When applying hot compress, be careful to avoid the areola and nipple areas because the skin in these two areas is more tender. The temperature of the hot compress should not be too hot to avoid scalding the skin. If the pain from breast engorgement is very severe, you can also use cold compresses to relieve the pain. Always remember to express the milk before applying cold compress.

3. The right way to massage

Proper massage can effectively relieve breast engorgement. You can massage after applying hot compress to the breasts. 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.

4. Soak breasts in warm water

If a mother's milk is swollen, 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.

5. Use a breast pump

When your breasts are swollen and painful, you can use a manual or electric breast pump to help express milk. 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.

6. Wide bra support method

For swollen and sagging breasts, you can use a wide bra made of soft cotton cloth to support them. This will not only improve blood circulation in the breasts and promote lymphatic return, but also help keep the mammary ducts unobstructed, thereby reducing milk accumulation and alleviating breast pain. Note that new mothers should not wear bras that are too tight, as such bras may inhibit milk secretion.

7. Cabbage external application method

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. In addition, you can use two raw flatbreads (i.e. fermented flour), press them into flat round shapes, and apply them to both sides of the breasts, changing them every 24 hours. The effect is also very good.

8. Dietary considerations for postpartum milk swelling

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.

9. Medication

If the above active treatment still cannot eliminate the abnormal pain of milk accumulattion in the breast for the mother, she can cautiously take 200 mg of vitamin B6 twice a day. Usually breast swelling can be relieved about 2 hours after taking the medicine. Because long-term and large amounts of vitamin B6 can completely stop lactation and cause "milk regurgitation", vitamin B6 should be stopped immediately after the symptoms are relieved. It is recommended that you take medication only after consulting your doctor and obtaining permission.