What to do if breast milk swelling hurts during confinement

Pregnancy is a happy but painful experience for every family. After finally getting through the difficult period of pregnancy, one has to face many postpartum problems. Since you need to feed your baby right after giving birth, this is also the period when your milk swells frequently. Sometimes pregnant women will reduce breastfeeding due to pain, which will also aggravate the pain of breast swell. So what should you do?

Methods/Steps

Let your baby suckle milk as soon as possible: start breastfeeding within half an hour after birth, so that the amount of milk secretion will be greater. Since babies have strong sucking ability, breastfeeding can help unclog the mother's milk ducts and make milk discharge smoother. Pay attention to the number of feedings, about once every 2-3 hours, to remove milk, ensure the patency of the mammary ducts, and prevent milk engorgement.

Massage: After washing your hands, hold the entire breast, apply even force and gently massage and squeeze from all sides of the breast towards 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.

Using a breast pump: Choose a breast pump that has the function of adjusting the milk suction intensity. You can adjust the pressure and speed of the breast pump in time according to the actual situation. However, you must pay attention to hygiene when using a breast pump, especially for new mothers with damaged skin in the areola area, to avoid bacterial invasion and infection.

Cold compress vs. hot compress: Hot compress can make the milk lumps blocking the breast glands become unblocked and improve breast circulation. Before breastfeeding, you can apply a hot, wet towel to your breasts for a few minutes. If the pain from breast engorgement is very severe, you can use cold compress to relieve the pain. Apply a soft towel dipped in cold water to the breast, or use a cold water bag for cold compress. Both can help reduce breast congestion and relieve swelling and pain. Always remember to express the milk before applying cold compress.

Diet adjustment: New mothers should ensure a light diet and avoid greasy food. It is best not to drink too much milk-inducing soup. High-protein, high-fat, and high-sugar foods must also be eaten in moderation to prevent excessive and thick milk secretion, which may cause lumps in the mammary glands and be difficult to discharge.

Soak in warm water: New mothers with milk engorgement can also effectively relieve the discomfort by soaking their breasts in warm water. First, prepare a basin of warm water and place it on your knees, then bend your upper body to your knees, so that the breasts can be soaked in the basin. At this time, you can also gently shake your breasts, using gravity to make the milk flow out more easily.