What to do if your breasts swell and hurt

Breast engorgement is a phenomenon that many women who have just given birth will experience. When this phenomenon occurs, certain methods need to be taken in time to deal with it. Otherwise, it will have a great impact on women's health and may even cause more serious diseases such as mastitis. So, during lactation, the breasts swell and there is severe pain. What methods can be used to relieve it?

1. What can I do to relieve the pain caused by breast engorgement?

Early breastfeeding. A relatively simple preventive measure is for mothers to breastfeed their babies early. The best time to breastfeed is within 30 minutes after giving birth. At this time, the mother's body has more milk, and it can effectively prevent milk engorgement. At the same time, you should pay attention to the number and order of feedings. It is generally recommended to feed every two to three hours. If you have too much milk, you can use a breast pump to express it. This will relieve the milk engorgement after a day or two.

2. Hot compress

Using a hot towel to apply a hot compress to the breasts can also effectively prevent milk engorgement and relieve the milk accumulation in the mammary glands. It should be noted that the areola and nipple should be excluded from the hot compress area to avoid burns. At the same time, the temperature of the towel should be moderate, not too hot or too cold.

3. Massage

Massage should be followed by heat. It is usually recommended that mothers use both hands to support one breast at the same time, massage from the bottom to the nipple area, and then squeeze the secreted milk into a container.

4. Hot Bath

Sometimes if a mother feels breast pain, she can relieve the pain by massaging while taking a hot bath.

5. Warm water soak

Similar to the principle of taking a hot bath, the mother should first stand upright, place a basin of hot water of suitable temperature on her knees, and bend down until her breasts can enter the hot water in the basin. Then shake your body slightly to use gravity and heat to relieve breast engorgement.

6. Cold compress

Cold compress is the opposite of the hot compress mentioned above. If the mother feels that the pain of breast engorgement is unbearable, she can use cold compress. After the milk is cleaned up, apply a cool towel to the breast.

7. Folk remedies

There has always been a folk remedy of applying raw cakes to the breasts to treat milk engorgement and pain. The ingredients are two large raw cakes made of fermented flour. Press them into flat round shapes and apply them on your breasts, changing them once a day.