What to do if your breasts are blocked during lactation

When women are breastfeeding, they not only need to pay attention to many things in terms of diet, but also need to pay special attention to breast care. During the breastfeeding period, the mother's breasts are particularly delicate, and the breasts are more likely to experience some discomfort during the breastfeeding period. Breast blockage is a common phenomenon among women during lactation. When breast blockage is discovered, it must be dealt with in a timely manner. If the symptoms become serious, it will cause greater harm to the breasts.

What to do if your breasts are blocked during lactation

First: hot water compress.

When milk clogs occur, mothers can use a towel dipped in warm water and apply it to the breasts. Applying it several times will clear the clogged milk.

Second: squeeze with your hands.

Mothers can also press their breasts with both hands and squeeze them hard. They will see milk spurting out like lines. Just squeeze the breasts empty.

Third: Let the baby suck.

Sucking is the baby's instinct, so mothers should let the baby suck more often. If the blockage is severe, let the baby drink milk every one or two hours to empty the milk as soon as possible.

Fourth: Massage yourself.

You can also massage your breasts with your hands, gently rubbing your breasts in a clockwise direction to loosen up the lumps.

Fifth: Wear loose clothes.

When milk duct is blocked, mothers should wear loose clothes and try not to wear tight clothes and underwear. If they have to wear clothes, they should wear underwear that will not squeeze the breasts.

Sixth: Find a lactation therapist for massage.

If the mother's milk blockage is very severe and she also has a fever, she should go to the hospital as soon as possible to find a professional lactation therapist for massage.

Seventh: Pay attention to rest and diet.

Sweets can easily cause milk blockage, so mothers should try to eat light food and pay attention to rest, and not be too tired from taking care of the baby.

Eighth: Keep a peaceful mind.

Remember not to be too happy or too sad. Extreme joy or sadness will disrupt the hormones in the mother's body and easily cause milk blockage. Therefore, the mother must maintain a calm mentality.

The difference between blocked milk ducts and mastitis

1. The difference between blocked milk ducts and mastitis is often the severity. A blocked milk duct is a painful spot or lump in the breast without the mother having a fever. This happens because a milk sinus is not completely cleared and becomes inflamed and swollen. The pressure behind the blocked part increases, causing inflammation of the surrounding soft tissue. This "lumping" phenomenon often occurs in only one breast at a time.

2. If the pain and lump are accompanied by a fever and flu-like symptoms (fatigue, aches, etc.), this is mastitis. Other symptoms such as nausea and vomiting may also occur. Breastfeeding mothers sometimes develop mastitis when other family members have a cold or the flu. Mastitis also tends to occur in only one breast at a time.