What to do if your nipples are swollen during breastfeeding

The lactation period is a period after childbirth. During this period, mothers will breastfeed their babies, which will cause many problems, especially their nipples. Various reasons may cause a series of problems with the nipples, such as swollen nipples. This can be solved through some treatment methods, but most people don’t know. So what should I do if my nipples are swollen during lactation?

It should be a manifestation of nipple inflammation, which is caused by the child's incorrect sucking posture when feeding. In your current situation, you should stop feeding your baby with the affected breast. You can use hot compresses to treat it and use a breast pump to extract milk and feed it to your baby. It is necessary to take appropriate anti-inflammatory drugs for treatment and apply erythromycin ointment to the nipples for treatment.

It should be mastitis during lactation. I can't breastfeed for the time being. You need to go to the hospital's B-ultrasound department to do a breast B-ultrasound to check whether your breast is simply inflamed or has pus accumulation. If it is simple inflammation, you can just take anti-inflammatory drugs. If it is accompanied by suppuration, you will need surgical drainage, otherwise the treatment will not be thorough.

Breast engorgement occurs when the breasts become full of milk, feel heavy, and are tender. When your breasts swell, they can increase to three times their normal size, which can be extremely uncomfortable, but it also means that you'll soon be able to lactate smoothly. The swelling usually goes away within a few days. If the milk is not drained in time, the swelling will last longer.

Here's how to relieve breast engorgement: Your breasts will be sore when you feed your baby, but the more milk your baby sucks, the more engorgement will subside. Therefore, you can increase the frequency of feeding your baby;

Place cabbage or a bowl of grated carrots in the refrigerator, then place the leaves or carrots between your breasts and your bra for 10 to 20 minutes, every 4 hours. This will help drain excess milk from your breasts and reduce swelling. (But don't leave the leaves or carrots on your skin for too long.)

Gently massage your breasts to help the milk flow to the nipples and drain easily;

Carefully check your breasts after each feeding to check for lumps or tender areas. This will help prevent further discomfort and mastitis.