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You can’t feed your baby – no milk comes out of your breasts, which are swollen, sore and red? Are you worried and don’t know what’s going on? Are you wondering how you can deal with such an uncomfortable situation? Don’t worry, food stagnation affects many nursing mothers. It is one of the lactation problems and is caused by clogging of the milk duct. Proper and quick care of the breasts will allow you to get rid of stagnation and help avoid more serious complications, such as, for example, inflammation of the breast or abscess. What should you know about food stagnation and how can you deal with it?
What is stagnation of food, how does it manifest itself, and what are its causes?
Food stagnation characterized by a difficult outflow of milk from the breast. It is manifested by the concavity of the nipples, redness, palpable hardness and swelling of the breasts, from which no milk flows. It is accompanied by pain and discomfort. Occasionally a fever may appear. Down food stagnation many factors contribute: stress, improper suckling by a child, feeding mainly one breast while partially ignoring the other, using one feeding position, wearing a bra that is too tight, breast trauma, fatigue, not getting enough sleep, using an inappropriate feeding technique, using formula milk the purpose of feeding the baby, attempts to wean the baby from the breast in early puerperium. Food stagnation after weaning, it occurs after abruptly ceasing to feed the baby. In case of local food stagnation the symptoms occur in one area of the breast, and there may also be small and painful lumps. Problem food stagnation it usually appears during an attack that occurs 2 to 10 days after the delivery.
Can any complications arise with food stagnation?
If we do not react quickly and efficiently, it may lead to unpleasant and painful complications. It is very important that after food stagnation occurs take care of your breasts as soon as possible. Ignore it lactation problem may lead to other complications, such as inflammation of the breast or the formation of an abscess. Such complications require the use of appropriate painkillers and antipyretics. Your doctor may also advise you to take antibiotics that will not harm your breastfed baby. Are there any medications for food stagnation? Usually, this condition can be dealt with without medication, but if you experience severe pain and high fever, you will need to take appropriate painkillers containing paracetamol or ibuprofen.
How to deal with food stagnation and what to avoid?
There are several options to deal with stasis of food:
- It is recommended to take a warm shower or make a warm compress on the breast. This will facilitate the flow of milk. You can use a damp, warm towel as a compress before feeding, but avoid applying it to the nipples. After feeding your baby, you need to cool the breast, which should take about 20 minutes.
- Wraps of chilled cabbage leaves will bring relief, reduce swelling and inflammation. Break a cabbage leaf gently and put it in a bra bowl. We replace it with a new one when the leaf is soft. The use of a gel compress that can be cooled in the refrigerator will also work.
- One of the factors that negatively affect lactation is stress. It accompanies many nursing mothers. When food stagnates, it is recommended to drink lemon balm infusion, which will help soothe the nerves.
- Adopting a suitable feeding position. It is recommended to feed the baby from under the armpit. Feeding should start from the breast that has become stagnant. Try to feed this breast for two or three feedings, start the next feeding from a healthy breast and then again from the sick one (another two or three times). You need to make sure that the baby is grasping the breast correctly, i.e. the nipple with the entire areola.
- A very gentle breast massage helps to unblock the milk ducts, which stimulates the suckling process. Massage and stroking movements should be made from the root of the breast towards the nipple. You have to remember that you cannot do intensive and forcing massage – avoid kneading and pressing the breasts. Don’t try to force your breasts out.
- Regular and frequent feeding of your baby will help to deal with the problem of food stagnation. Long breaks between feedings are not recommended. Place your baby on your breast as often as possible. The breast should be emptied of food, otherwise it will not be possible to unblock the stagnation. Additionally, you can use a breast pump to express a small amount of milk between feeds. You can, for example, reach for the Neno Primo wireless two-phase electronic breast pump, which you can buy at a favorable price at Medonet Market.
- You can also make an appointment with a lactation consultant who will give advice and show you how to properly feed your baby.
Thanks to these tips, you will be able to deal with discomfort and eliminate bothersome lactation problems. If the bothersome symptoms do not improve within a short period of time and you start to feel worse and worse, consult your doctor.