What to do if you have breast engorgement and fever

Many mothers will have a fever due to breast engorgement. At this time, there may be some inflammation in the breast milk. Children should try to avoid such breast milk, and mothers should do some actions or eat some nutritious food to avoid breast engorgement. If necessary, you can find a lactation consultant to help you. So what should you do if you have a fever due to breast engorgement?

Milk is mainly caused by the increased blood and water in the breast milk and connective tissue. Pregnant women begin to produce colostrum from the late stages of pregnancy. When the placenta is delivered, prolactin increases, stimulating the production of milk, and the mammary ducts and surrounding tissues swell, reaching their peak on the 3rd or 4th day after delivery. If the mother fails to breastfeed the baby soon after birth, or the interval between feedings is too long, or the milk is secreted too much and the baby cannot finish it, the milk cannot be completely removed, and milk accumulates in the mammary ducts, making the breasts swollen and painful. At this time, the breasts become hard and the nipples are difficult to latch on. The mother will reduce the number of breastfeeding times for fear of pain, which will cause milk flow to stop and aggravate breast engorgement. When the milk is swollen and the breasts are hot, it is easy to develop mastitis and cause fever because the milk cannot be discharged.

The best way to prevent breast engorgement

Let the baby start sucking as early as possible and start breastfeeding within half an hour after birth, so that more milk will be secreted. 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.

If the milk secretion is too much and the baby cannot finish it, use a breast pump to suck out the excess milk. This can not only solve the breast pain of postpartum women, but also promote milk secretion.

8 ways to solve breast engorgement

Generally speaking, the milk ducts will be unobstructed after timely and frequent sucking for 1-2 days. However, when the breasts are over-swollen, the mother often feels pain. At this time, the following methods can be used to relieve the discomfort:

1. Heat

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.

2. Massage

After applying hot compress to the breasts, you can massage them. There are many ways to massage the breasts. Generally, you hold one breast with both hands and massage alternately from the bottom of the breast to the nipple, and then squeeze the milk into a container.

3. Use a breast pump

When your breasts are swollen and painful, you can use a manual or electric breast pump to assist in expressing milk, which is very effective.

4. Hot Bath

When your breasts are swollen and painful, you might as well take a hot shower and massage your breasts, which will feel more comfortable.

5. Soak breasts in warm water

You can place a basin of warm water on your knees, then bend your upper body to your knees, let your breasts soak in the basin, and gently shake your breasts. Gravity will allow the milk to flow out more easily.

6. Cold compress

If the pain from breast engorgement is very severe, you can use cold compresses to relieve the pain. Always remember to express the milk before applying cold compress.

7. Folk remedies

You can use two raw pancakes (fermented flour), press them into flat round shapes, and apply them to both sides of the breasts. Change them every 24 hours, and the effect is very good.

8. See a doctor

If the swelling does not go away and the pain continues, ask your doctor to prescribe pain medication.