Specific symptoms of milk retention

Milk retention refers to the situation in which the mammary ducts of pregnant women are blocked to a certain extent after childbirth, causing milk accumulation and even suppuration, resulting in mastitis. Another name is Ju Ru. The main symptoms are breast pain, fever, lack of milk supply, lumps in the breasts, and severe pain when pressed. Pregnant women may feel unwell, have fever or chills. When milk retention occurs, the fingers are moved to force the milk to flow out through the nipple and drain out of the breast. You can also apply ice compresses, use iced yogurt or purified water, and ice cubes to apply to the lumps in the breasts, which will help relieve milk congestion and pain.

Milk retention refers to the situation where the milk ducts of pregnant women are blocked to a certain degree, resulting in the accumulation of old milk, which turns into heat over time. Excessive heat causes the flesh to rot, which turns into pus, leading to a series of symptoms such as breast pain and failure of milk to flow. It is also known as milk retention.

The peak period of milk retention is 3-45 days after giving birth. More than 75% of pregnant women will experience milk retention or repeated milk retention during this period. This disease can affect the physical and mental health of pregnant women and is not conducive to the development of the baby.

What are the symptoms of milk retention?

The common symptoms of milk retention are the feeling of a lump in the breast accompanied by pain and other symptoms.

So what causes milk retention?

1. The mother’s qi and blood are weak and the source of energy is insufficient.

Milk is produced by the mother's blood and qi. If the pregnant woman's qi and blood are weak, and the mother loses blood and qi during childbirth, or if the spleen and stomach are cold, the blood and qi are insufficient, and the qi and blood are weak, how can they be transformed into milk? Then, after giving birth, the milk will be less, or the milk will be unstable, and the milk cannot be discharged immediately;

2. Pregnant women’s liver is out of balance and milk stagnation occurs.

If a pregnant woman is depressed, or has endocrine imbalance after giving birth, emotional instability, liver qi stagnation, blood qi stagnation, meridian stagnation, milk collateral blockage, milk flow obstruction, milk can not be discharged, milk is less and deposited;

3. Too much milk.

Mothers with more breast milk will have more breast milk after feeding their babies, which will accumulate in the breasts. This often causes swelling and pain. The skin temperature of some parts is higher and it hurts when pressed lightly. Gradually, hard lumps with unclear boundaries will appear.

4. Breast hypoplasia or breast disease.

5. Improper diet, eating milk-producing foods too early, or eating cold foods.

What should I do if I have milk retention after giving birth?

Currently, the most common method used by lactation consultants on the market is to use finger stimulation to force milk to flow to the middle and lower reaches. The overall goal of this operation is not wrong. But sometimes, due to the operator's lack of experience and excessive force, some side effects usually occur. It causes breast trauma and even leads to the formation of breast cysts. This is a case of losing the big picture for the small.

Our solution suggestions are:

First tier: drain, ice, light food.

1. Drain the breasts.

Let mothers breastfeed or hand express milk to the best of their ability, it is recommended to do it once every 2-3 hours.

2. Apply ice.

The first response is to apply ice at 4°C. We strongly recommend that breastfeeding mothers keep iced water or yogurt in the refrigerator at all times. If necessary, remove it immediately and place it in the breast lump area after sealing. This will not only help treat milk stasis but also relieve some pain.

3. Light food.

It is necessary to reduce or temporarily stop the intake of foods high in fat and protein, such as chicken, fish, eggs, etc., until the symptoms are completely relieved.