How to massage the hard lumps in the milk?

If you find that your breasts are painful and feel lumps during breastfeeding, it is considered that they are lumps caused by blocked milk ducts. The main reasons for the occurrence of blocked milk ducts are: the baby has not sucked for a long time, especially when you are unable to breastfeed when going out. After the milk is swollen, long-term milk retention will cause milk accumulation, and lumps will form in severe cases. Secondly, the mother eats too much greasy food and the milk is too thick to be pumped out. In addition, if the mother sleeps on her side, the breasts that are always under pressure are prone to milk accumulation and cause milk blockage. If you wear a bra that is too tight during breastfeeding, it is also easy to cause milk blockage.

What should I do if the milk blockage cannot be removed by rubbing?

1. If the baby is around, you can let the baby help and let the baby suck using different breastfeeding positions, because the baby's sucking is conducive to the early secretion of milk and the reduction of milk blockages. The baby's jaw should point to the part where the milk is blocked, and then the mother should choose the corresponding feeding posture.

2. If the baby is not around, or the baby is full and no longer sucks, you can use a manual breast pump to suck out the remaining milk. If the manual breast pump is not effective, you can only squeeze the breasts radially to secrete the milk. Don't squeeze any lump forcefully and immediately, because not only will you fail to squeeze out the milk inside, but you may also damage the breast tissue. You should use your ring finger and thumb to make a C shape, place it on the nipple, press gently towards the chest, squeeze out breast milk, release the pressure and then press again. If it really doesn't work, you should seek help from a lactation consultant.

3. Apply local heat to reduce swelling. Use 150-200 grams of fermented dough, evenly apply it on the breast, cover with a hot towel for 30 minutes, then remove the dough around the nipple, squeeze and massage the nipple vigorously to let the milk flow out, which can promote blood circulation, reduce inflammation and swelling, and help to loosen breast lumps.