Every mother wants the process of breastfeeding to bring joy and benefit. However, it is not always possible to avoid trouble. Inexperience and lack of an adviser can lead to the fact that when milk stagnation forms, the mother will not be able to take the necessary measures to eliminate it in time. This may be the result of the development of lactostasis. How to treat it? And what needs to be done to avoid complications?
What is this?
Childbirth triggers processes in the female body that will allow the child to exist outside the womb. This is expressed in the influx of breast milk. If stagnation forms, and it accumulates in the mammary gland, or rather in its ducts, then lactostasis occurs. An unusual word for many women, but such a phenomenon can affect even if it is not the first time they become a mother.
As a rule, congestion can form on the second or third day after childbirth. It is at this time that in most women, colostrum is replaced by breast milk. In some cases, it accumulates not in the ducts, but in the lobules of the mammary gland. However, do not immediately panic. There is a way out, the main thing is that the treatment of lactostasis should betimely.
It is worth considering such cases when a woman has to refuse breastfeeding and transfer the child to artificial mixtures. Since the breast cannot stop producing breast milk on its own, and the baby is no longer attached to the breast, congestion can form.
Causes of occurrence
There are certain factors that influence the formation of stagnation, which further leads to the need to treat lactostasis in a nursing woman. These may be anatomical features:
- Breast plug that closes the ducts of the breast lobule. There is stagnation due to the fact that they are at different distances from each other. Those that are closer to the nipple are released earlier, since the baby does not need a large amount of milk in the first days of life. In the remaining ducts, a traffic jam occurs.
- Anatomical feature of the structure of the mammary gland, in which there is a narrowing of the ducts. The situation becomes more complicated if they have a sinuous shape.
- Inverted, flat nipples that make it difficult for a baby to latch on. As a result, he cannot completely empty the breast in one feeding.
- Increased breast milk production or hyperlactation. It can occur not only due to stagnation, but also due to problems in the production of hormones.
- Mastopathy, which is caused by the growth of fibrous tissue, exerting a squeezing effect on the ducts, disrupts the normal outflow of breast milk. It can also develop into the process of getting an infection that penetrates intocracked nipples.
Other reasons
There are injuries to the breasts, for example, caused by excessive pressure on her fingers during feeding or after wearing a tight bra. In this case, edema forms at the site of compression, which leads to compression of the ducts.
It is not recommended to allow a large interval between feeding. If more than three hours have passed, a woman may feel milk stagnation, the treatment of lactostasis in this case is symptomatic. It involves pumping, which will allow you to empty your breasts and reduce the risk of congestion. Surplus milk can be frozen in special thermal bags in case you need to go away.
During pumping, it is important not to provoke an influx of excess milk, which cannot be mastered by the baby in one feeding. Therefore, it is better not to resort to this procedure without the need.
Incorrect attachment
Breastfeeding technique requires a certain approach and study at the stage of pregnancy. It is advisable to study in advance the ways of attaching the child, to organize a place for feeding, food. This will avoid the need to resort to treatment for lactostasis.
Ineffective attachment leads to the fact that the baby cannot completely empty the breast, and the remaining milk begins to stagnate. This happens most often due to the young mother’s lack of attachment skills, understanding of how the baby shouldcapture the areola and nipple. If this is the main cause of stagnation, then the treatment of lactostasis in a nursing mother at home may be limited to learning and practicing the correct breastfeeding technique. If it is difficult for a woman to cope on her own, then there are special courses (both online and face-to-face), as well as consultants who teach young mothers how to apply a newborn to the breast.
How to tell?
Externally, milk stasis is manifested in breast swelling, it becomes heavy, one might even say stone. Touching it may cause discomfort. If a woman has found unpleasant symptoms of lactostasis, then it is often possible to get by with correcting the technique and increasing the frequency of application.
Even if a young mother feels pain, fever, chills, feels seals on palpation, and the breast takes on an asymmetric shape, it is possible to treat the symptoms of lactostasis at home. The main thing is that the body temperature does not stay above 37.5 degrees for a long time. It is also undesirable for red spots to appear on the mammary gland, which indicates a place of stagnation and the possible development of an inflammatory process.
Mastitis or lactostasis?
The initial stage of mastitis can be confused with the symptoms of lactostasis. Treatment at home of the first diagnosis will not be effective with self-administration of therapy. Here you will have to visit a doctor to specify the diagnosis and exclude the onset of complications. Toto determine mastitis, you need to know what it manifests itself in:
- The affected area most often affects one breast.
- Occurs against the background of lactostasis after 3-4 days.
- No improvement after pumping.
- Body temperature can reach over 38-39 degrees.
- Treatment may require antibiotics or surgery.
- There is purulent discharge from the nipple.
- There are changes in blood tests, in particular, an increase in leukocytes and ESR.
The last two points play an important role in determining the exact diagnosis, which indicates the need for treatment of lactostasis in a nursing mother.
Massage
Massage movements are effective in both prevention and treatment of lactostasis symptoms. Smooth circular movements with warm hands should be directed from the base of the breast to the nipple. You can also carry out not strong patting, stroking with simultaneous light pressure with both hands on the mammary gland. You need to move from top to bottom, to the areola.
The inflamed lobe will be felt with its enlarged size. And in this place it will be necessary to act more persistently than where the chest is soft. During the massage, milk will be released, and to consolidate the effect, you can attach the baby to empty the mammary gland or express.
If a woman experiences pain during manipulation, you can ask your spouse or mother so that they can help her gently express stagnant milk and soften her breasts. As an alternativea treatment option when there is no way to call someone for help, it is recommended to use a breast pump.
How to strain
One of the ways to treat congestion is pumping, it must be done correctly. First you need to do a massage, then put your chest on your hand (right on the right, left on the left). Pumping involves the thumb and forefinger, which are located along the edges of the areola. Pressing movements should be directed from its edge to the nipple. This process actually takes longer than using a breast pump, but in the end it turns out to be more gentle. Moreover, it can be used in the presence of cracks.
Naturally, no one can cope with the role of pumping milk like a baby. Especially if he's hungry.
Treatment
To feel the quick effect of the treatment of lactostasis at home, it is necessary to find out from a nursing woman how she puts a baby to her breast. Since this is one of the most common causes of stagnation. Having adapted and choosing a comfortable position and mode, you can feel relief after a couple of feedings. In this case, it is important first of all to give the baby a he althy breast, and only when there is a rush to the lactostatic breast, it is necessary to attach it to it.
It is noticed that the treatment of lactostasis is faster if, when feeding, the baby's chin is directed towards the part of the chest where there is stagnation. The easiest way to do this is in a pose when the mother is over the child. Then the movement of milkoccurs in all lobes and ducts evenly, without squeezing any side.
Physiotherapy
In the case when the problem of stagnation of breast milk in the mammary gland is associated with narrow ducts, and lactostasis has lasted for more than two days, then a doctor (in particular an obstetrician-gynecologist or surgeon) may recommend physiotherapy. As a rule, this method is resorted to if the problem with stagnation is not solved by the above methods. Or in case of emergency hospitalization.
Then, according to the doctor's testimony, it is possible to use a special device (for example, "Vitafon"), which affects the place of stagnation due to tissue microvibration. In the process of exposure, the damaged tissues are cleansed, the walls of blood vessels are restored, the condition of the muscle tissues of the mammary gland improves.
Medication use
Women are advised not to use antibiotics while breastfeeding. It is advisable to avoid taking medications without a doctor's recommendation. Particular attention should be paid to tips on applying alcohol compresses or camphor-based compresses. They are strictly prohibited for lactostasis.
Any of the available drugs in the pharmacy network, aimed at removing the inflammatory response, have an annotation indicating that no tests have been conducted during lactation. They should only be used when the benefit to the mother outweighs the harm to the baby. Such drugs should only be used after consultation with a specialist.
Ifa woman feels severe pain and nothing helps, then it can be reduced with the help of No-shpa tablets. They have a softening effect on the outflow of milk, as spasm is relieved.
Folk methods
The first thing that comes to mind to eliminate the symptoms and treat lactostasis in a nursing mother is one old grandmother's recipe. It consists in applying the leaves of white cabbage on the chest. However, there are some secrets that you need to know in advance:
- It is necessary to take only fresh soft inner leaves.
- Remove the middle vein so that it does not interfere with the leaf taking the shape of the breast.
- The compress should be warm and cool at the same time, ideally at room temperature.
To enhance the effect of cabbage, you can grease the leaf with honey. It is important to heat it to a temperature of no more than 40 degrees, in a water bath. Or use butter instead and sprinkle s alt on top, apply as a compress.
An infusion of chamomile has an anti-inflammatory effect. It can be used as a base for a compress. To do this, take 2 tbsp. l. chamomile flowers and 1 glass of water, brought to a boil, cooled to room temperature. The compress is applied in the form of a gauze napkin for 15-20 minutes. Application intensity - 3 times a day.
Prevention
In order not to lead to the treatment of lactostasis in a nursing mother, a sufficient amount of water should be drunk during the day. It is she who is responsible for the flow of milk. If you need to call a quick fillchest, then hot tea is consumed. Otherwise, it is desirable to give preference to cool water. During lactostasis, you should not abuse it with a lot of water so that there is no excessive influx of milk and subsequent stagnation.
The baby must grasp the nipple correctly, it is better to feed on his first demand. Attachment to the chest should be carried out alternately. You should avoid hypothermia of the mammary gland, you should not sleep on your stomach. Clothing, both at home and on a walk, should be free, not restricting movement, made from natural fabrics.
If there is no stagnation and the baby fully empties the breast, you should not express or try to express the rest of the milk after feeding. Also, do not resort to this action often.
