Breastfeeding is a best way to infant feeding that support worldwide.. The breastfeeding process can promote emotional communication between mother and child,
promote uterine contraction, accelerate postpartum recovery , and the nutritional components of breast milk are balanced. Most importantly,
breast milk contains immunoglobulins, which improve the baby’s immunity . However, what should mothers do if they encounter milk congestion and poor excretion? This article is best for new mothers who are worried about milk stasis.
Causes of milk stasis and poor excretion
First of all, we need to understand why milk stasis and poor excretion occur? According to the breast tissue structure diagram above, you can see that milk is secreted by alveolar cells, transported to the mammary sinuses through the mammary ducts and lactiferous ducts for storage, and discharged from the nipple when the baby sucks on the nipple. Problems in any of the above parts will lead to postpartum milk congestion and poor milk discharge .
Specific issues in the actual feeding process
1. Overnutrition of the mother
Excessive nourishment and greasy food during the confinement period will cause milk stasis in the mother.
2. Improper use of breast pump
The breast pump over-pulls breast tissue, causing areola edema and compresses the milk ducts at the nipple, leading to poor milk discharge.
3. Nipple cracks or white film on the nipple leads to blockage of the nipple hole
This is mainly caused by the baby only sucking the nipple and not the areola.
4. Improper feeding
Long-term unilateral breastfeeding leads to milk stasis.
5. Inverted nipples
Due to congenital breast hypoplasia in the mother, the milk ducts are short or the fibrous ring of the breast tissue is contracted.
How to deal with milk stasis?
1. In terms of diet, breastfeeding mothers need to eat high-protein, high-vitamin, easily digestible food, not too greasy. Eat more soup, drink more water, eat more vegetables and fruits, limit spicy and irritating foods, eat small meals frequently, 4 to 5 meals a day is appropriate. Do not take medicine privately, and take medicine under the guidance of a doctor if you feel unwell.
2. Pay attention to nipple hygiene. Wash the breasts with warm water before and after breastfeeding to keep the nipples clean. Breast milk is rich in nutrients and is a natural culture medium for bacteria. Be sure to pay attention to nipple hygiene.
3. Learn the correct breastfeeding knowledge and feed alternately between the two breasts to prevent milk stasis.
4. Master the correct breastfeeding posture. There are four main breastfeeding postures: cradle, reclining, rugby, and side-lying. The specific guidance methods are shown in the figure. Mothers can freely choose the breastfeeding posture according to their own situation.
The key points of the four breastfeeding postures are: A. The baby’s head and body are in a straight line; B. The baby faces the mother and the whole body is close to the mother; C. The baby’s face is close to the mother’s breast; D. The baby’s chin should touch the breast.
5. In addition, attention should also be paid to the baby’s nipple attachment method, which mainly includes stimulation, sucking, sucking, and weaning. The specific guidance method is shown in the figure. After the baby starts sucking hard, the little mouth should be gently pulled out about 5mm to straighten the mammary duct to facilitate milk secretion. The mother will not feel discomfort or pain during breastfeeding.
6. Inverted nipple problem: This is caused by congenital breast dysplasia of the parturient. The incidence rate itself is low. You must seek medical diagnosis. The parturient must not diagnose by yourself. For parturients with inverted nipples, you can practice nipple pulling under the guidance of a doctor. The specific method is: place the two thumbs flat on the areola on both sides of the nipple, slowly pull from the outside of the nipple, pull the areola skin and subcutaneous tissue, and then place them above and below the nipple, pull vertically up and down, so that the nipple protrudes outward, repeat several times, 5 minutes each time, 2 to 3 times a day.
7. Avoid overusing the breast pump. Be careful not to use too much negative pressure when using the breast pump. The negative pressure should be enough to allow the milk to be sucked out smoothly without any pain. Clearing the breasts before using the breast pump is more conducive to milk secretion.
If the above methods do not relieve the milk stasis, you must seek medical attention in time to avoid acute inflammation and delay in breastfeeding.
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