What to do if breast pain and milk is not coming out

The main reason for breast pain is blockage of the mammary glands, which is more common for new mothers after childbirth. There are many causes, and it is related to poor feeding of the baby. When this happens, the milk in the breasts should be discharged in time. Hot compresses and massage can be used. If the condition is serious, you can also ask a lactation consultant to relieve it.

What to do if breast pain and milk is not coming out

During the milk production period, the amount of blood and water in the connective tissue in the breast increases, which inevitably causes physiological swelling and pain. In addition, newborn babies do not drink much milk, so if the milk is not finished, it will be retained in the mammary ducts. Over time, it will easily clump and cause blockage.

Once milk clots are formed, the already relatively small mammary ducts are blocked, making it more difficult for the baby to suck milk, resulting in more milk retention and increased breast pain, forming a vicious cycle.

How to relieve swelling and pain without milk

1. Expel excess milk

After finding the crux of the problem, start from the key point. The cause of bloating and pain is that milk is not easy to be sucked out, so use a breast pump to suck out the excess milk first. Many mothers feel that a breast pump cannot suck out all the excess milk. In this case, they can squeeze the milk by themselves. Another advantage of hand squeezing is that you can focus on the areas with milk lumps.

2. Hot compress

After using a breast pump or manually expressing excess milk, apply a hot towel to your breasts to effectively relieve breast pain.

What should I do if my breasts are swollen and painful after childbirth and I can’t express milk?

3. Massage

If you use the wrong massage technique and just knead randomly, it will be detrimental to the smooth flow of the milk ducts. The correct massage technique is to hold one breast with both hands, and massage alternately from the bottom of the breast to the nipple. If milk leaks out, you can squeeze the milk into a container.

4. Hot Bath

If your breasts are still swollen and painful and very uncomfortable, you can take a hot bath and massage your breasts at the same time, which will make you feel more comfortable.

In short, breastfeeding should be done promptly after delivery, and within 30 minutes after delivery;

Adopting the correct breastfeeding posture can not only make the baby eat more milk, but also solve the problem of breast pain;

When massaging, apply force evenly and massage from around the breast towards the nipple.

When breastfeeding, try to empty your breasts as much as possible. If your baby cannot eat it, make sure to use a breast pump to suck out the excess milk to avoid excessive milk storage in the breasts.