What to do if you have breast engorgement pain

Women will produce breast milk after giving birth to a baby. Breast milk is essential food for newborns and can provide them with the nutrients needed by the body. Many mothers who have just given birth will eat some food to supplement their breast milk during the confinement period so that their babies have enough food. Some mothers may have too much milk, and their breasts may become swollen and painful when the milk is full. What should they do in this situation?

When a woman has breast engorgement, her breasts will become harder, more swollen and tender than usual, and may even feel hot. The surface will appear smooth and full, and the areola will also become firm and painful. It is extremely difficult for the baby to suckle the mother's nipple at this time. In order to relieve the pain of the mother's breast engorgement, the following treatment methods are specially provided to relieve the pain of breast engorgement for postpartum mothers!

1. Hot compress When the mother has breast swelling and pain, she can apply hot compress to her breasts to make the milk lumps blocking the mammary glands unobstructed and improve breast circulation. Be careful to avoid the areola and nipple areas because the skin there is more tender. The temperature of the hot compress should not be too hot to avoid scalding the skin.

2. Massage: After applying heat to the breasts to promote blood circulation, you can massage the breasts. There are many ways to massage breasts. Generally, the main method is to 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. Once the breast becomes softer, it will be easier for the baby to latch on to the nipple.

3. Use a breast pump

If the mother feels her breasts are swollen and painful, she can use a manual or electric breast pump to assist in expressing milk, which is quite effective.

4. Take a hot shower. When your breasts are swollen and painful, you might as well take a hot shower first to warm your whole body, which will make you feel more comfortable. If you pull the baby away from your breast with force, it can easily cause nipple injury, so be careful to avoid this.

5. Cold compress: If the pain from breast engorgement is very severe, you may want to use cold compress to relieve the pain. Always remember to express the milk before applying cold compress.