Contents:
- Medical Video: A Breastfeeding Problem: Many Mom's Give Up
- 1. Breast nipples blisters
- Tips to overcome breast blisters
- 2. Swollen breasts
- 3. Mastitis
- Tips for handling mastitis
- 4. Clogged ASI channels
Medical Video: A Breastfeeding Problem: Many Mom's Give Up
Breastfeeding should be a pleasant experience for mother and child. However, sometimes various problems arise during breastfeeding, such as problems with the mother's breast. What are the common problems with the breast when breastfeeding?
1. Breast nipples blisters
It is natural for breast nipples to blister during the first few days of breastfeeding. However, it becomes unnatural when it gets worse or long-lasting pain. The causes of breast blisters can vary. Babies have difficulty sticking their mouths to their nipples, usually the most common cause. If the baby's mouth does not stick properly, the baby will suck or pull the nipple too deeply so that it can hurt the mother's nipple.
To make sure your baby drinks milk properly, check if he sucks your breasts right into his mouth when he is feeding. The baby must open his mouth wide to allow the mother's nipples to enter entirely into the baby's mouth, sticking to the baby's ceiling. Your nipples will be protected from baby bites and the baby's tongue will lick it during breastfeeding.
When the baby has finished breastfeeding, he will open his mouth. If your baby does not open his mouth, do not forcefully pull your nipples out. If the baby does not open his mouth and does not suck your nipple again, you should gently insert your finger into the corner of the baby's mouth on his tongue and take your nipples out of the baby's mouth.
Improper suckling position can also cause the mother's nipples to crack and bleed. Nipples can be pinched between the tongue and the baby's ceiling or the nipple is bitten. If your nipples are cracked or bleeding, try applying a little lanolin ointment to your nipples. This can help heal your cracked nipples.
Some women feel their nipples hurt and redden after breastfeeding. This might be a sign that your breastfeeding position is not correct so your baby's mouth and breast are not "locked" properly. When the breastfeeding position is done correctly, the baby can reach your nipples properly and can suck the milk easily and smoothly.
Tips to overcome breast blisters
To reduce pain due to abrasions, you should do this:
- Take a small amount of your milk at the end of the feed so that one or two drops can be gently massaged into your nipples.
- Let the nipples dry before dressing again.
- Avoid using soap on the nipples because it can make your skin dry.
- We recommend that you wear a bra from cotton so that air circulation in the breast runs well, even better if you wear a bra specifically designed for breastfeeding.
2. Swollen breasts
A few days before birth or after birth, the breasts will usually swell. This happens because more blood flows into your breasts and some of the tissue around the breast is enlarged. When the breasts swell, the breasts are full of milk, large, hard, heavy, and soft. Some mothers feel pain in their breasts due to swelling. Sometimes the mother's nipples also become flat or not too prominent so it is difficult to breastfeed her child.
The thing you can do to relieve swollen breasts is to help your baby stick well to your breast during feeding, and let him suckle as he wishes. Let the baby finish feeding on one breast until he decides to finish, then offer your other breast.
If your breasts are still enlarged after your baby is breastfeeding properly, you can try removing the milk to relieve your discomfort. You can remove it by massaging by hand or using a pump. Swelling that is left alone can increase the likelihood of mastitis or inflammation that hurts the breast.
If your breasts are sore, it's best to compress with cold water to reduce pain if your milk doesn't leak. However, if your milk is leaking, you should compress it with warm water to reduce leakage. Or another way is to put fresh green or white cabbage leaves cold on your breasts to attract excess fluid to the swollen breast. Cabbage leaves may have a calming and cooling effect but it is not possible to make swelling in the breast disappear faster.
3. Mastitis
Inflammation of breast tissue is called mastitis. Inflammation can quickly become an infection, which means that bacteria grow on inflamed tissue. Mastitis can be characterized by red, hard, sore, hot, swollen breasts. You can also experience symptoms such as chills, headaches, high body temperature, and fatigue.
Mastitis is often caused by breast milk accumulating in the breast. Breast milk is produced faster but is not comparable to what is released. This can happen when your baby isn't much or doesn't suckle so much so that the milk comes out only slightly. Mastitis can also be caused by a blocked duct, although it is not caused by a real blockage. This causes breast milk to accumulate in the breast which causes tissue to become inflamed.
If your baby does not stick properly to one breast, this can cause your nipples to become painful and make you reluctant to breastfeed on the affected side. This can cause breast swelling and then mastitis. Other things that can also cause swelling and cause mastitis are:
- Babies are rarely breastfed so there is a long gap between breastfeeding.
- Pressure on the breast from your clothes, tight bra straps, sleeping position, or from a seat belt.
- Injury to the breast.
You are more likely to experience mastitis if you first become a mother, even though nursing mothers who have experience can also experience it. Mastitis can occur at any time when you are breastfeeding. However, it is most common in the first three months, especially in the second or third week, when you get used to breastfeeding.
Tips for handling mastitis
Mastitis can be overcome by:
- Make sure your baby drinks milk properly and suckles well.
- Try different breastfeeding positions to get the best position of the baby, sticking right to your breast.
- Breastfeeding as often as your baby wants, on average suckling babies around 8-12 times a day.
- Take out breast milk by hand or with a pump after breastfeeding, if you feel your baby hasn't suckled well.
- Rest and drink lots of fluids.
- Avoid wearing tight clothes or bras to improve.
- Compress your breasts with warm water.
- Try massaging your breasts very gently when the baby suckles to help the milk flow smoothly.
- You can take painkillers, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, to help relieve pain.
4. Clogged ASI channels
Breast milk that does not move well in the breast may occur because the ducts of the milk are blocked which usually does not block the flow of milk completely. This causes breast milk to accumulate and then the breast becomes swollen, it can even cause mastitis.
Clogged breast milk can be characterized by painful lumps in the breast, reddish, swollen and sensitive breasts, and the presence of small white spots on the nipple that hurt when you feed your baby. Your baby will still get the milk he needs, even though the flow of milk in your breast that is blocked may be slower than usual. Keep feeding your baby on clogged breasts is the best way to help your milk come out smoothly and faster because the baby will empty your breasts. However, this may be uncomfortable or painful.
Make sure your baby drinks breast milk well. Breastfeeding as often as possible is good and make sure there is no long distance between breastfeeding. If you may not be able to breastfeed your baby because he or she is asleep, you can keep removing your milk by pumping it to keep your milk flowing.
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