How to express breast milk with lactostasis hands. How to drain the breast during stagnation: effective methods, methods and recommendations of professionals. Finding the right position for breastfeeding

Lactostasis (milk stasis) is a common difficulty among nursing mothers that occurs during lactation. One of the ways to eliminate it as soon as possible is to express breast milk. For breast emptying to be effective, a breastfeeding mother must know how to prepare for pumping and how to unmistakably drain congestion.

A few words about lactostasis

Both in the initial period of lactation, and at a time when the process of breastfeeding is already established, a woman may feel pain in the mammary glands, their engorgement. These symptoms may be accompanied by visible redness of the skin of the chest in some places, an increase in body temperature. In this case, they talk about lactostasis - stagnation of milk in the ducts of the mammary glands.

Laktostasis is characterized by blockage of the milk ducts. If milk stasis is not eliminated, it can provoke inflammation of the mammary gland - mastitis

Table: causes of lactostasis and the main measures to combat it

Cause of lactostasis	How to eliminate
Insufficient emptying of the mammary glands	Watch for the correct attachment of the baby to the breast, when the baby captures the areola area (not just the nipple) with his mouth and can suck milk from different areas of the breast. If the baby is passive when feeding, it is necessary to express milk manually or with a breast pump
Holding the breast while feeding with "scissors", that is, with two fingers	Do not pinch the milk ducts while feeding with your fingers, hold the breast without pressure
Irregular and insufficient emptying of the breast	Apply the baby to the sore breast more often, not forgetting about the healthy one. Practice free feeding (feeding on demand)
tight bra	Wear supportive but not tight underwear
Sleep on your stomach	Sleep on your back, on your side, this will prevent constriction of the chest
Incomplete emptying of the breast due to sagging of its lower part	Wear a supportive bra
Stress, fatigue, lack of sleep	Leave time for daytime sleep, create a psychologically benevolent atmosphere in the house, entrust some household duties to close relatives
Injuries, chest bruises, hypothermia	Protect your chest from injury, hypothermia
Narrow ducts of the mammary glands	Breastfeed your baby more often
Excessive production of breast milk by the mammary gland - hyperlactation	Avoid unnecessary pumping

The best way to get rid of lactostasis is to feed the baby on demand and in the correct position.

The World Health Organization focuses the attention of breastfeeding mothers on four signs of proper breastfeeding

Important! When lactostasis begins suddenly, accompanied by acute pain, severe swelling, a general increase in body temperature and a deterioration in your well-being, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Lactostasis is an indication for regular pumping until the ducts are released.

Breast preparation for pumping: warming treatments and massage

The outflow of milk from the breast is facilitated by "thermal" procedures. Warming up the breast, a woman seeks to improve blood circulation in it, to expand the milk ducts.

One of several tips is to take a warm shower.

Taking a shower, a nursing mother makes massage movements with a jet of warm water towards the nipple, stimulating the outflow of milk from the peripheral lobes of the breast to the central ones.

A warming compress made of honey, baked onions or cabbage leaves, previously scalded and beaten with a kitchen hammer for better juice output, will also help.

Cabbage leaf has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory properties. Applied tightly to the chest for several hours, it relieves pain and reduces swelling.

A warming compress can also be a gauze bandage moistened with warm water or camphor oil; it stays on the mammary glands for about 10 minutes. Doctors also recommend compresses with magnesium sulfate (“magnesia”) for lactostasis. It is important to ensure that the drug does not get on the nipple. Compresses are made only in the absence of fever in a nursing mother.

After decanting, a compress will also come in handy, but no longer warming up, but rather cool.

A warm drink in the form of tea will also have a warming effect on the body of a nursing mother.

The effectiveness of breast massage is undeniable. Along with frequent breastfeeding and regular pumping, massage is a woman's main assistant in the fight against the disease.

Massage extends both to the mammary glands themselves, and to the area of ​​​​the back and neck of a nursing mother. Relatives will help mom to perform such a massage. With his hands, the massaging woman kneads the line along the spine, cervical region, and the area of ​​​​the shoulder blades for a nursing woman for several minutes. Then you can proceed to the massage of the mammary glands.

The purpose of breast massage is to relax the glandular tissue of the breast and stimulate the outflow of milk, so the procedure combines the actual massage manipulations with imitation of pumping

The effect of massage on the body of a nursing mother is as follows:

1. Promotes the production of oxytocin, which is responsible for the formation and release of milk.
2. Eliminates pain: massage relieves muscle tension.
3. Softens stagnant seals, which facilitates the process of emptying the mammary glands.
4. Improves blood circulation in the tissues of the breast.

Video: correct breast massage technique

Before the massage, a small amount of cream or vegetable oil is applied to the chest, which must be washed off the surface of the chest before feeding the baby.

Oils of mint, sage in folk medicine are known as herbs that reduce lactation. Therefore, their short-term use during breast massage is advisable to eliminate milk stagnation.

Massage techniques:

1. Spirals. Knead with light circular movements each part of the breast, including the armpits. Pay special attention to places of stagnation of milk. It is necessary to massage from the side up, then to the center, down and again to the side of the chest, moving in a spiral. Direction from the periphery to the nipple.
2. Stroking. It is required to perform stroking movements from the edges of the gland to the center. Carry out stroking the area between the breast itself and the areola, then the peripapillary zones themselves according to the same principle.
3. Tapping. It is necessary to lightly tap the entire surface of the gland, slightly pressing on it.
4. Shaking. You need to lean forward and slightly shake your chest.
5. If there are felt seals in the chest, they are rubbed with light stroking movements in a clockwise direction.
6. Additionally, massage the nipple zone with the thumb and forefinger.

It is important that all massage actions performed do not cause discomfort to the nursing mother, do not create additional pain. Excessive pressure on the glands can cause additional damage to the milk ducts and trigger inflammation.

Massage is done with spiral or circular movements towards the center of the chest.

However, only massage is not able to defeat lactostasis. After the massage, be sure to attach the baby to the breast or express the accumulated milk. Otherwise, the seals, mashed by massage actions, will again be filled with milk that has arrived and the situation will worsen.

Hand Expression Technique

Expression of milk with lactostasis should be carried out after a series of warming procedures, which we mentioned earlier. In advance, you need to take care of the milk container. It is more convenient to use dishes with a wide neck, pre-sterilized.

A woman should not be distracted or disturbed by anything. Having tuned in to pumping, the nursing mother makes herself comfortable (sitting or standing, without straining her back muscles) and brings prepared dishes for milk to her breast. Next, the pumping itself is carried out - a series of hand movements illustrated in the figure below.

The sequence of actions during pumping is as follows:

1. The chest is supported with the palm of one hand.
2. The thumb of the other hand is placed on the areola above the nipple, the index and middle fingers are placed under the nipple, opposite the thumb. The thumb and forefinger should form the letter "C" and be located on the border of the nipple area - at a distance of 3 - 4 cm from the nipple.
3. Press evenly with your fingers in the direction of the chest.
4. Next, the milk is expressed, as if moving it with your fingers towards the nipple.

Green arrows show the correct place for pressing on the breast, blue arrows indicate an intensive outflow of milk, in the second figure, red arrows indicate incorrect pressure points

Milk is not expressed immediately, after a series of pressures, it begins to drip or flow out in a stream (depending on the individual characteristics of the female body). It is recommended to express one breast for about 5 minutes, while the milk flows in a trickle, and not in drops. And. Then move on to the second breast. Next, perform stroking movements with your palms along the mammary glands, shake them slightly. Then repeat pumping.

The total duration of hand expression will be 30 minutes.

The rules for effective pumping also include the following recommendations:

• The movements are repeated rhythmically and regularly to empty all the milk ducts.
• To free all segments of the breast from milk, when decanting, move the fingers along the areola from all sides.
• Avoid squeezing and squeezing the breast, the nipple itself, as well as rubbing the skin with your fingers. Hand movements resemble rolling, not squeezing or sliding.
• Pumping is carried out more actively in the part where the gland is compacted. If you have felt the expansion of the milk ducts, when decanting, it is recommended to focus on them by pressing.

Video: features of expressing milk with lactostasis

Pumping should not cause pain. Discomfort when pumping is caused by inaccurate pumping technique, namely:

• Incorrect grip of the breast with fingers: a woman presses on the glandular tissue of the breast, and not on the areola.
• Injury to the nipple through compression, which in the future can provoke the appearance of cracks.
• Uncomfortable posture for pumping.

Frequency and duration of pumping

When the process of breastfeeding is established, when the mother feeds the baby not according to the schedule, but on demand, when the child correctly captures the breast, there is no need to pump.

When a baby suckles properly, almost the entire areola is in his mouth. By pressing on it with his gums, he pushes the milk from the milk ducts through the nipple into his mouth. The function of the tongue of a suckling baby is to hold the areola in the mouth and send milk from the mouth to the throat. If the child takes only the nipple into his mouth, he almost does not suck out milk, and if he chews the nipple, he can damage it.

E.O. Komarovsky, pediatrician

http://lib.komarovskiy.net/grudnoe-vskarmlivanie.html

You can not express the rest of the milk after each feeding if the milk comes in sufficient quantity for the child and satisfies his nutritional needs. If, after feeding, excess milk in the form of seals remains in the breast, it is recommended to lightly massage the breast and express the excess to a state of relief.

Pumping will benefit and will not cause problems with lactation if the nursing mother follows a number of rules:

1. You can not express more than three times a day if pumping is combined with the attachment of the baby to the breast, because this will lead to excess milk production. If the mother is sick and the child is not applied to the breast, it is necessary to express with a frequency approximately equal to the number of feedings (on average, once every 3 hours - 8 times a day).
2. You can not express immediately after feeding, this can lead to hyperlactation, i.e. increased milk production.
3. You can not express "to the last drop." The main indicator by the end of pumping should be a feeling of relief in the chest. The female body regards the emptying of the breast without a trace as an increased need for milk by the child - and begins to produce more milk, which the baby cannot eat, therefore, there will be a threat of milk stagnation.
4. Do not express during the night, as this can also lead to the formation of excess milk. The main hormone responsible for milk production - prolactin - has a daily rhythm of formation, most of all it is produced at night, in response to the baby sucking or pumping.
5. You can not express in the first day after the arrival of milk. Usually, when lactation begins, more milk is produced than the newborn needs, and it is necessary to get rid of its excess. Therefore, just at the time of the arrival of milk, you can not express everything without a trace. If the breast is very dense, then it is recommended to express only a small amount of milk so that it becomes softer and the baby can fully capture and eat it.

Substances that give a signal that milk is produced in excess appear in the filled breast after about 1 day. If you express all the milk accumulated in the chest earlier than in a day, then it will be produced in the same amount.

Stagnation of milk in the upper, lower lobes of the breast: how to feed and express properly

The accumulation of milk in the ducts of the mammary glands can be located in different areas of the chest: upper, lower, in the armpit area, in the chest area. In order for the outflow of milk from these areas to be intense, breastfeeding experts recommend choosing certain positions for feeding the baby and actively expressing milk from these areas.

In the case when painful seals are determined in the armpits, position the child during feeding in the “Underhand” position. The baby lies on its side, its legs are located behind the mother's back. The mother holds the child's head with her hand.

Feeding in the arm position

If there are lactose seals in the middle of the chest, choose the “Side-lying” position for feeding. The mother lies on her side, and the child's body is located along the mother's torso. At the same time, the baby is also laid out on its side and tightly pressed against the mother. Feeding is carried out from the upper breast, and not from the lower.

Feeding in the side lying position

Helps to remove the stagnation of milk from the central region of the chest and feeding in the "Cradle" position. The baby lies on its side, turned towards the mother and tightly pressed against her tummy. The baby's head is supported by the mother or a special feeding pillow.

Position for feeding "Cradle"

If milk has accumulated in the lower breast area, then select the “Sitting” position for feeding. The child is placed on the mother's lap in a sitting position.

Feeding position "Sitting"

If the baby is still too small and cannot sit on his mother's lap, breastfeed in the "Standing" position.

Posture for feeding "Standing"

With lactostasis in the upper chest, it is effective to feed in the "Jack" position. Mother and child lie on their side and turned towards each other.

Feeding in the "Jack" position

Important! With lactostasis, you need to position the child so that his chin (lower jaw, actively working during feeding) looks towards the seal in the chest, then the outflow of milk from problem areas will be intense.

Is it possible to decompress congestion with a breast pump

A breast pump is convenient if a nursing mother has to express regularly, for example, at the birth of a premature baby, as well as when going to school or work. For pumping, mechanical pumps are used (a woman squeezes a “pear” and the milk is sucked out) and electric breast pumps (work on mains or batteries, do not require additional effort).

Breast pumps are designed with the anatomy of the breast in mind, and some also mimic the natural sucking mechanism

It is advisable to use a breast pump in order to maximize the removal of excess milk, which does not always allow manual pumping. The breast pump works better with full breasts (including lactostasis) and is not as effective with a small rush of milk.

When purchasing a breast pump, check the availability of options for adjusting the traction force and the speed of sucking milk, as well as the possibility of processing parts of the device by boiling or sterilizing.

Some nursing mothers combine two types of pumping: manual and mechanical: with full breasts, they first use a breast pump, and the remaining milk is expressed manually.

When using a breast pump, observe the following guidelines:

• Read the instructions for the device, check the correct assembly.
• Sterilize the funnel and the milk collector (boil or use a sterilizer).
• Position the funnel so that the nipple is exactly in its center, otherwise pain may occur.
• The draft should be chosen the lowest, especially at first, until the breast is used to decanting with a breast pump. Each breast should be pumped to a feeling of relief. On average, the process will take no more than 15 minutes.
• Pumping with a breast pump, as well as manual pumping, should be carried out some time after feeding.

Pumping is one of the effective ways to combat lactostasis. Before starting pumping, a nursing mother should familiarize herself with the technique of its implementation, the features of preparing for it, and also decide: get rid of milk stagnation with her hands or with the help of a breast pump. Only then pumping will be beneficial and will not create additional problems with lactation.

Stagnation of breast milk is quite common in nursing mothers. And it is very important to understand the main reason for its occurrence and get rid of it yourself at first. With lactostasis in the mammary gland, milk is clogged in the ducts, which must be drained in a timely manner so that there are no serious consequences (the development of mastitis). Lactostasis is accompanied by painful sensations in the zone of compaction, fever, heaviness of the breast. The good news is that trouble can be dealt with at home.

Causes of lactostasis

A woman who is determined to feed her baby for a long period of time should be prepared for the possible appearance of congestion in the chest. Stagnation of breast milk can occur for a number of reasons:

• If the mother rarely puts the child to the breast. In this case, milk accumulates in the ducts, forming a plug;
• The most problematic part of the chest is observed in the axillary zone. To avoid congestion in this area, a woman needs to choose a more optimal position when feeding, leaning forward a little, as if hanging over the baby. At the same time, the ducts will be aligned, and the child will receive milk from this share without any problems;

The upper outer square is the axillary region of the chest, in which seals are most often formed

• If a nursing mother has too much milk and the child cannot cope with this amount. A woman should express her leftovers to avoid congestion;
• Abrupt refusal of breastfeeding can provoke milk stasis. To avoid it, it is necessary to reduce the number of feedings about a month before the expected days of completion of lactation;
• Wearing a small bra;
• If mom sleeps on her stomach. In this position, due to the load on the mammary glands, blockage of milk in the ducts may occur;
• It is very important for a woman to get enough sleep and be rested. Stressful situations, fatigue, lack of sleep can adversely affect the condition of the mammary glands.

If lactostasis is detected, it is imperative to consult a doctor for the timely elimination and prevention of the development of mastitis (inflammation of the mammary glands).

First aid for milk stagnation

If solid formations are found in the chest, it is important to give yourself first aid in time to avoid the development of mastitis. The best method is to breastfeed your baby every hour.. But if this is not possible, the breast should be emptied independently and best of all manually, since you can feel all parts of the mammary gland with your hand, unlike a breast pump.

Breast preparation before pumping

Breast compress

Before the emptying procedure, it is necessary to warm up the chest a little. To begin with, you should take a warm shower and direct jets of water at the mammary gland in a clockwise direction. Or you can apply a warm compress for a while. It is important to remember that it is forbidden to warm the chest with mastitis and high temperature, otherwise such actions can only aggravate the situation.

Breast massage stimulates milk flow

After the chest is warmed up, it is necessary to start the massage. If a nursing mother massages her breasts regularly, in this way she can avoid problems with stagnation.

Massage Tips:

• Before starting the procedure, you should take a comfortable position. The best position is the one in which the woman feeds the baby;
• Express a few drops of milk and lubricate the nipple to moisturize;
• It is not recommended to use oil, as its residues can get into the child's mouth or milk during pumping and thereby provoke an allergic reaction. If you have too dry skin, you can use hypoallergenic natural oil;
• When massaging, do not try to stretch the seals. Thus, you can provoke new stagnation and injure the milk passage, which can lead to inflammation of the mammary gland. Your task is to soften the chest before pumping and increase blood circulation in places of seals;
• Feel the entire chest with your hand. In areas of hardening with fingertips, massage clockwise towards the nipple;
• Movements should be careful, without pressure;
• The duration of the massage for each breast is 3-5 minutes.

Breast massage is easy. First of all, pay attention to the fact that the tissue of the gland must be of the same density. If you have found areas of compaction, then it is in these places that the massage should be more intense.

E. O. Komarovsky, pediatrician

http://www.komarovskiy.net/knigi/otdelno-o-zhenskoj-grudi.html

Therapeutic compresses

Cabbage leaf compress

Cabbage leaf and cold water are effective methods to relieve swelling. A cool compress or cabbage leaf is applied after expressing milk. Cabbage leaf juice contains useful components such as vegetable fiber, phosphorus, calcium, sulfur, etc. Due to its antiseptic properties, cabbage leaf heals cracked nipples. Before applying, it must be slightly mashed so that the juice stands out, and applied to the painful part of the chest.

However, self-medication is not worth it. It is important to consult a doctor in time for the appointment of individual treatment. Cabbage leaf can only serve as a means to relieve swelling.

Feeding and pumping

Feeding with lactostasis

Milk can accumulate in different parts of the breast. If a woman is breastfeeding, it is necessary to feel the compaction zones and choose the optimal position for their resorption. The child's chin works more actively when sucking, so the mother should put the baby in such a way that the chin points exactly to the place of compaction. Residues of milk after feeding should be expressed to avoid re-consolidation of the mammary glands.

If the child coped with the task, the breast should become soft, but soreness and redness may go away a little later. It is necessary to apply the child every hour to avoid repeated stagnation.

If a woman does not have the opportunity to attach a child to her breast, then she must manually express milk on her own.

Video: breastfeeding and lactostasis

How to drain milk stasis at home

• Rinse your chest with warm water. If you have cracked nipples, it is not recommended to wash with soap before each pumping. Once a day is enough;
• Prepare the milk container. Sterilize in boiling water and cool in the air. Do not wipe with a towel, as villi may remain;
• Take a comfortable position so that your muscles are not tense;
• Place your thumb over the nipple and the rest under the nipple, forming the letter "C". At the same time, rhythmically press on the halo, deep into the mammary gland. At first, the milk will flow out in drops, and then in streams;
• Change the position of the fingers, twist around the nipple, so that each lobe of the breast is involved in pumping;
• Run your fingers from the base of the chest to the halo;
• At the same time, you can carry out a light massage with patting movements;
• Alternate massage and pumping;
• Getting rid of seals is a rather lengthy process that can take from 30 minutes to one hour;
• At the same time, after emptying the breast, try to give the child to suck to produce oxytocin. This will speed up the return of milk;
• Continue pumping until the lumps in your chest are gone.

Video: pumping technique for lactostasis

Nutrition for lactostasis

A lot of myths roam the Internet about what you can and cannot eat during stagnation. Some believe that a diet is necessary and you need to drink less fluids, while others say that you can’t deny yourself anything. In fact, there should be no food prohibitions, but there are some foods that can cause an allergic reaction in a baby when feeding (chocolate, honey, eggs, peanuts). In this case, the woman herself decides to limit herself to these products or not.

• A nursing mother must follow a balanced diet to provide the body with the necessary resources. Protein must be present on the menu;
• Do not overdo it with fatty foods. But limiting yourself completely to low-fat foods is also wrong. Stick to the golden mean;
• Do not abuse honey. This product during lactation can also cause an allergic reaction in the baby;
• Garlic can give the effect of "burning out" milk. Limit its use during lactation;
• It is impossible to limit oneself in liquid during lactostasis, as the outflow of milk may worsen. During lactation, most of the liquid goes to the production of milk, respectively, the drinking volume increases. To avoid dehydration, drink up to 2 liters of water per day, including liquid meals;
• Before emptying the chest, it is recommended to drink hot drinks (warm tea or rosehip broth).

Be careful with herbal preparations. If you decide to use any medicinal plant to improve lactation, consult your doctor and pediatrician.

plant name

The degree of risk according to APILAM

Breast milk is the best food for a baby. Almost all women can breastfeed. A real lack of milk, when its production is reduced due to hormonal reasons, serious illnesses, is a rarity. And you need to try in every possible way to maintain lactation. Ideally before the child is 2 years old. But sometimes there are reasons that prevent breastfeeding. For example, when milk is retained in any lobe of the mammary gland. It is also called lactostasis. At the same time, the woman experiences severe pain, the body temperature rises, chills and severe weakness appear. Expressing with lactostasis can help, stagnant milk must be removed. How to do it right?

First, what not to do. Many women seek help from their husband. Namely, they ask him to replace the child, to help suck milk. This absolutely cannot be done. The mouth of an adult contains a huge amount of pathogenic bacteria, which, once in a favorable environment, will begin to develop. And then just decant the stagnation will not help. There will be mastitis - inflammation of the mammary gland, in which antibiotics, and sometimes surgical care, can no longer be dispensed with. And then breastfeeding may have to be abandoned altogether.

When milk stagnation occurs, that is, lactostasis, you can get rid of it with the help of a breast pump, manual or electric, as well as your own hands. But the best way to restore breast health is to often attach a child to it. Breastfeeding your baby is the best way to drain congested breasts. In this case, it is necessary to apply the child correctly so that he sucks milk precisely from the diseased lobe of the mammary gland. To do this, the baby's chin should be directed towards her.

To decant lactostasis at home quickly, you need to hold your breasts under warm water before you feed your baby or express. This will make the milk come out faster. You can apply something warm to the place of stagnation. For example, compresses with camphor oil. For these purposes, people advise cabbage leaves or baked onions. And doctors recommend that if the chest hurts during feeding and stagnation of milk has formed, make compresses with magnesium sulfate - popularly called “magnesia”. It is necessary to buy ampoules of the specified drug or its powder and then dissolve it. Moisten gauze with magnesia and apply to the diseased area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe gland. It is important that the drug does not get on the nipple area. By the way, breastfeeding consultants advise doing such compresses even in the maternity hospital, as a prevention of lactostasis and breast engorgement. Do it for a week until lactation is more or less established.

If you are interested in how to drain the stagnation of milk with a breast pump, then here you need to apply the method of warming the breast. Although not the fact that everything will work out. In practice, it can be seen that only women with not very sensitive breasts, and these are usually multiparous, as well as those who have a very large amount of milk, can use a breast pump.

If there is not too much milk, hand pumping is recommended. It is very important to keep them away from the nipple and areola, so as not to injure and not only make it worse. At the same time, you should try not to move your hands across your chest, namely, to strain the milk, to move it towards the nipple.

If pumping breast milk during stagnation does not work, you need to seek help from doctors. It is clear that mommy has no time to go to the doctors, but you can call a doctor or a nurse from a private clinic to your home. And there are always specialists in decanting lactostasis in maternity hospitals.

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Few of the nursing women escaped such an unpleasant condition as lactostasis. This term is understood as stagnation of milk, manifested by painful sensations, hardened areas and redness of the skin of the breast.

The main danger of this phenomenon lies in the possibility of its transition into a more serious nuisance - inflammation of the mammary glands. And in such a situation, treatment with medications and even surgery is not excluded. That is why it does not hurt to know how lactostasis manifests itself in a nursing mother and how to cure it at home.

Only after the birth of a child, newly-made mothers begin to understand what lactostasis is, having discovered an extremely painful seal in the mammary gland and feeling. However, these are not the only symptoms of the phenomenon.

Of course, it is more correct when nursing mothers turn to specialists for help at the first problems with their breasts. But before that, it is important to “recognize” the signs of lactostasis, which include:

If the temperature in breastfeeding mothers rises to 39.5 ° C, it can be assumed that some infection has joined the swelling and an inflammatory process has begun. In such a situation, a visit to the doctor is mandatory.

Causes

Before proceeding to describe the causes that provoke the formation of "plugs" in the mammary gland, it is necessary to consider the process of development of lactostasis in lactating women.

In one of the areas of the breast, the outflow of milk stops, swelling appears. Hence - unpleasant sensations when touched. The temperature in mothers begins to rise because the milk protein accumulated in the ducts is perceived by the cells of the immune system as a foreign body. The body simply fights with the "enemy".

What causes congestion in the chest? Several factors can provoke them.

• Infrequent changes in posture while breastfeeding. If the parent feeds the child for a long time in one position, then only certain areas of the breast will be released. In the rest, the milk secret begins to stagnate, resulting in a seal.
• This reason is typical for women who like to nap in one position - most often on the left or right side. In this case, the milk secret accumulates in the lower areas of the chest, located closer to the armpits.
• Tight underwear. Some mothers, who are afraid of sagging mammary glands due to the influx of milk, or who want to prevent it from flowing out, get an overly tight bra. Such linen compresses the milk ducts and makes it difficult for the outflow of milk.
• Insufficient fluid intake. Due to an incorrectly organized drinking regimen, lack of fluid in the body, excessive passion for nuts, the viscosity of the milk secretion increases. The child is not able to sufficiently empty the breast, resulting in stagnation of milk.
• The use of "substitutes" of the mammary gland. A newborn child, forced for some reason to suck on a pacifier or a bottle, develops an incorrect breast latch. Because of this, he takes it worse and sucks milk not actively enough.
• Pumping. With normally organized breastfeeding, pumping is an optional procedure. However, some mothers, wanting to improve lactation, pump constantly, and this causes an excessive flow of milk. The newborn is not able to take the entire volume of the product, so the remnants of the secret remain in the milk ducts, gradually clogging them.

In addition, trauma to the mammary gland can lead to lactostasis. If a woman hits her chest against a hard object, there will be swelling of the tissues and, as a result, blockage of the milk ducts.

What do we have to do?

Treatment of lactostasis is a fairly quick process, if you approach it wisely. Nursing mothers can also get rid of seals and relieve other unpleasant symptoms at home.

At the first sign of blockage of the milk ducts, you should seek help from the best "doctor" - your child. It is breastfeeding that is considered the best way to get rid of lactostasis. The popular doctor Komarovsky also speaks about this.

And in order for the attachment to the mammary gland to bear fruit, it is important to adhere to certain rules.

Usually, frequent and proper feeding of the baby leads to a quick disposal of milk "plugs". If treatment with a “child” does not help, you need to use the following algorithm:

1. Warm compress
2. Gentle
3. Pumping
4. Cold compress

Treatment of lactostasis at home involves the consistent use of these methods. It remains only to understand, apply compresses and.

With distinct and painful seals in the mammary gland, compresses will help to drain the “cork”. Warm pads relax the pectoral muscles and improve milk flow, while cold pads perfectly relieve puffiness.

The simplest but most effective procedure is to soak a tissue in warm water and apply it to the hardened area. It is necessary to make such a compress before feeding or decanting milk. If the body temperature is high, warm pads are canceled.

However, elevated temperature is not an absolute contraindication for applying compresses. Breastfeeding experts recommend treating lactostasis with the following overlays:

For breastfeeding mothers, a cold compress is also useful, which is effective for severe swelling. It is extremely simple to do it - it is enough to apply a cold cloth for a couple of minutes after decanting or feeding the baby.

No need to apply compresses soaked in alcohol or camphor to the chest. These substances block the release of oxytocin, as a result of which the waste of milk only worsens, and the swelling of the mammary glands only intensifies.

With pronounced seals, massage of the mammary glands becomes a mandatory procedure for women. However, it is important to understand that the main task of massaging is not to break the seal, but to relax the chest as much as possible. This will help the active movement of the milk secret in the ducts and its outflow.

When breastfeeding, mothers should massage very carefully, observing the following simple rules:

• The main purpose of the massage is not to remove the “plugs” in women, but to relax her breasts. Treatment of lactostasis by massaging should take place without pressure and other strong influences that will only increase pain.
• Stretching the mammary gland during milk stagnation means only harming yourself. Nursing mothers should have a “golden” rule - the breasts are stroked and gently rubbed, but not kneaded. When breastfeeding, a simple warm-up and relaxation of the mammary glands is enough.
• It is necessary to carry out circular massaging movements towards the center of the chest.
• If, when massaging the mammary glands, mothers experience severe pain, then the event is transferred under a warm shower. Not very hot water relaxes the chest and reduces the intensity of the pain syndrome. The optimum shower temperature is 36-38 °C.

If the massage is performed in compliance with all the rules, then it becomes a good preparation of the mammary gland for the withdrawal of milk through pumping or feeding the baby.

Rules for successful pumping

For some new moms, breast pumping is stopped by the pain. However, if milk stagnation is dissipated in accordance with the rules, then the painful sensations will disappear after the first procedure, and lactostasis will disappear entirely after one or two days.

When breastfeeding, mothers must pump according to certain rules.

• The thumb should be placed above the chest, the rest - clasp the gland from below. In this case, the index and thumb fingers are as close as possible to the edge of the areola.
• Then the fingers gradually move to the middle of the chest. At the same time, it is important for women to learn how to make slow and rhythmic movements.
• Absolutely all the thoracic lobes must be filtered out, focusing on the compacted areas.
• After that, you need to place two fingers on the edges of the areola and press on the gland. In this case, you need to constantly change the position of the fingers so that the milk secret is expressed from all sides.
• If the discharge has stopped, you need to massage the chest a little, following the recommendations described above. After the procedure, they again proceed to pumping.
• If the seals in the chest are preserved, and the milk secret has stopped flowing out, they again return to the massage. When breastfeeding, massaging well relieves pain and improves the outflow of milk. The movements should be circular and directed towards the nipple.

When breast pumping, it is important for women not to break up the lumps, because, as in the case of massage, this usually leads to an intensification of painful sensations.

Before the procedure, it is necessary to wash your hands thoroughly so as not to introduce bacteria and not turn milk stagnation into inflammation of the mammary glands. You do not need to wash your breasts with soapy water! Otherwise, such treatment will end for mothers.

When breastfeeding, they are actively used to express milk. Such devices can be purchased at any specialized store. They are either electrical or mechanical.

Despite the release of mothers from manual pumping, it is better not to use breast pumps with lactostasis. Firstly, pumping with your hands is safer, and secondly, it is much cheaper. it's still not that cheap.

Nursing mothers can combine treatment at home with the help of non-traditional means with the use of pharmaceuticals. Ointments and medicinal infusions that are allowed during breastfeeding will come in handy.

Before using them, it is better to consult a doctor who will tell you how to treat lactostasis correctly. The following means are allowed:

• Used to reduce the severity of pain in nursing mothers. Apply the product to the compacted areas several times a day between feedings.
• Elixir Malavit. The tincture is diluted with water (in a ratio of 1 to 1), the cotton wool is moistened and applied to the hardened area. You need to hold the compress until the next feeding of the child.

Treatment of lactostasis in women with medical products intended to get rid of edema, hematomas is prohibited! Features of their influence on the child's body during breastfeeding have not been established.

With increased pain or persistent hardening in the chest, the best way out for nursing mothers is to see a doctor. In such situations, physiotherapy is prescribed, which is carried out outside the home, but effectively breaks the stagnation of milk.

• Ultrasonic procedures. They will help to get rid of traffic jams in one event. However, the female body reacts to ultrasound in different ways. If, after two procedures, seals persist, this method is abandoned.
• Magnetotherapy, UHF. They also show good results after one or two sessions.

Treatment with the help of physiotherapy procedures is usually combined with the use of ointments and folk recipes. Alone, these methods are not very effective.

Prevention

Among lactating women, lactostasis occurs unevenly. Some newly-made parents have never encountered it at all, while others regularly suffer from milk “plugs”. This is why the prevention of congestion is so important.

It is necessary to start preventive measures even before the birth of the child. To this end, the expectant mother should regularly wash with warm water and gently rub her breasts. After childbirth, the following recommendations must be observed.

And, of course, a friendly attitude from the household, a close emotional connection with the baby, the joy of motherhood will be the best warning of congestion in the chest.

Milk "cork" is quite common in new mothers. How to treat lactostasis if, during the next feeding, a woman felt unpleasant hardening in her chest? First of all, there is no need to panic. If you call on the help of a child, regularly massage and express your chest, then you can cope with the problem on your own in one or two days.

Hello, I'm Nadezhda Plotnikova. Having successfully studied at SUSU as a special psychologist, she devoted several years to working with children with developmental problems and advising parents on raising children. I apply the experience gained, among other things, in the creation of psychological articles. Of course, by no means do I pretend to be the ultimate truth, but I hope that my articles will help dear readers deal with any difficulties.

The word "lactostasis", which is translated as "stagnation of milk", fully explains the essence of the phenomenon. Congestion occurs when there is no milk flow in some part of the breast. A milk plug is formed, blocking the exit of the newly formed milk, in place of this plug, swelling of the breast tissue occurs, which makes itself felt first with a seal, and then with soreness, redness, and finally a rise in temperature.

Causes of lactostasis may be different:
- GW according to the regime;
- for example, a nursing mother can feed her baby in the same position or sleep all the time on one side - and this leads to the fact that in some areas of the chest (usually under the arms) the movement of milk stops;
- can press underwear that is not suitable for feeding;
- cleaning with repetitive hand movements can do its job (especially chores like hanging curtains or working with a vacuum cleaner);
- general fatigue and lack of sleep;
- use of nipples, thanks to which the baby begins to take her mother's breast worse and prefers not to work hard on her devastation;
- Mom can overeat fatty, the same nuts - and this affects the viscosity of milk and can contribute to stagnation ...;
- quite often, for reasons that are not entirely clear, the breast reacts to a change in the weather - when the pressure changes sharply, the temperature outside jumps, then any active breastfeeding consultant will confirm that treatment with lactostasis is sharply increasing. And in the summer, stagnation occurs especially often in hot weather, when women forget to drink enough and the body lacks moisture;
- e Another reason, unfortunately, is quite common: -pumping after each feed to the last drop on which they insist « experienced » grandmothers. The mothers of current mothers remember very well how they themselves were frightened with mastitis if they did not constantly express themselves, and they - of course, wishing their daughters only the best! - convey to them "tested" time information.

The recommendation to pump both breasts after each feed goes back to the same time when mothers were strictly told to feed their baby once every 3 hours, no more often, and even with a night break, and at the same time give the baby only one breast each time. In fact, it turned out that with such a rhythm of feedings, each breast was emptied once every six hours! And if you do not express milk additionally, then indeed milk stagnation and mastitis became a very real threat.

If the mother feeds the child on demand, then there is no need for such measures! At first, it sometimes happens that after feeding there are still seals or heaviness in the breast, then the mother can give a massage and a little - express the remaining milk, only until relief (!) In the breast. If the breast after feeding is soft and comfortable, then this is not necessary! After all, milk is produced in response to breast stimulation, and if the baby sucks, and then the mother expresses additionally, then the body “understands” this as the need to increase milk production. Mom gets into a “vicious circle”: the more she expresses, the more milk comes again, and it’s quite difficult to bring the situation back to normal - when the milk is produced exactly as much as the baby needs - without any lactostasis ...

How to help yourself
If stagnation (lactostasis) nevertheless happened, it is necessary to ensure the most effective drainage of milk from that lobe of the breast where stagnation has formed. This is achieved by applying to the breast in such a way that the lower jaw of the child falls to the share with stagnation. Exactly where works lower jaw baby, goes the strongest outflow of milk. For example, when stagnation occurs in the upper chest (if you imagine the chest in the form of a clock, then around 12 o'clock), you can lie on your side from the side of the problem chest and attach the child with a jack - so that his legs are directed to the mother's head. If necessary, a pillow can be placed under the head or the whole body of the baby. In other cases, use the basic postures, adjusting them so that the lower jaw (or, if not, at least the upper one) is as close as possible to the stagnation site. By placing more or less pillows of different sizes under the baby, holding him more vertically or horizontally, you can change the position of the gums relative to the chest. The first thing to do if you think that there is congestion in your chest is change the position of the child when feeding.

The baby best of all sucks milk from that part of the chest where, when feeding, his chin points!

This is what you need to focus on and deal with stagnation:

1. If tightness and heaviness in the chest is felt in the armpit area, then often apply the baby in a position from under the arms:

2. C stagnation at the middle of the chest will help to cope with feeding lying on your side, but not traditionally - with the lower breast - but with the upper one:

3. overflow in the lower part of the chest the baby will quickly figure it out if you put him on his mother’s knees for feeding, facing him:

4.But for the child to dissolve the relatively rare seals at the very top of the chest, you will have to give the breast in a non-standard position, which is used specifically for this case: putting the baby with its legs away from you on the bed or changing table, bend over it in an inverted position with respect to the usual position:

Restoration of the normal movement of milk in the breast contribute more frequent feedings, especially from the affected breast (it is better to feed in small portions, but often, every 30 minutes - 1-2 hours). It is best to sleep with the baby in order to be able to feed more often - at least every 1-2 hours, even at night. Sometimes this is enough.

But, if the stagnation has formed against the background of weaning and there is no way to let the child drain the breast, and the breast pump does not take the breast, decanting with two fingers will help:
Express breasts with fingers + properly store and use milk

With lactostasis, if there is no temperature or it lasts no more than a day, breastfeeding is carried out as follows:
- Apply first warm compress, you can, for example, soak a towel in hot water and apply for 5-10 minutes to the place of stagnation or take a hot bath or shower - this will help a better outflow of milk;
- Then gently and very carefully massage the place of stagnation. Pre-lubricate the skin, for example, with baby oil, so as not to damage the breast by rubbing;
- If necessary, express some milk to make it easier for the baby to take the breast;
- Attach the baby to the breast, focusing on the occluded lobe (see photo above);
- Apply for 5-10 minutes cold compress, for example, a towel soaked in cold water to remove the resulting swelling of the tissues.
The sequence of actions should be exactly like this!

But it happens that everything is still required extra pumps breasts, for example, if it is not possible to breastfeed the baby. The sequence of actions for decanting is similar.

If during stagnation milk continues to flow ... so that milk flows less - we reduce drinking to a minimum: we stretch 1 glass of water for a day. If you are very thirsty, wash your face, moisten your lips and rinse your mouth. A day later, according to the state, you can drink in the usual way.

It would be ideal if immediately after pumping (before applying a cold compress) to breastfeed the baby - babies usually suck out the remnants of stagnation very well. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat pumping, but in any case, this is done no more than 3 times a day. If it’s not very successful to express manually, you can use a breast pump, devices that work on a two-phase pumping system are especially effective for this.

Can be done between feedings compresses, relieving pain and helping the resorption of stagnation. The simplest is the usual cold compresses.

The following options also help:
- a compress from a cool fresh cabbage leaf, beaten a little along the veins, so that the juice goes (it is the cabbage juice that has a healing effect, just make sure that it does not fall on the halo and nipple area - this is not useful for the baby's digestion). You can apply a thin layer of honey on a cabbage leaf;
- a compress of grated raw potatoes;
- honey cake - honey with flour, preferably rye, mixed to the consistency of a stiff dough and applied to the painful area;
- a compress of cool fat-free cottage cheese.
The application time of each compress is about 20 minutes.

At severe lingering pain you can drink No-shpu once, 1 ton, but do not get carried away with it!

Also, according to moms, they help well:
- homeopathic ointment Arnica »;
- Traumele C cream;
They are sold in pharmacies and they simply lubricate the affected area between feedings.
- infusion "Malavit".
A cotton pad is moistened with infusion, diluted in half with water, and applied for half an hour to the affected area before or between feedings.

Finally, try to rest. Lack of sleep itself sometimes provokes congestion. Household chores can wait!

What Not to Do(! ):
- Stop feeding the baby. Ordinary lactostasis cannot harm the baby in any way, while no other way empties the breast as effectively as the child does;
- Warm the breast between feedings if you are not going to express milk immediately;
- Smear the chest with alcohol (vodka), Vishnevsky ointment and camphor. All these means make the outflow of milk even more difficult. Alcohol and Vishnevsky's ointment in practice often lead to the fact that the problem area is encapsulated and an abscess is formed - a cavity filled with pus, which requires surgical intervention. And camphor is able to completely stop the production of milk in those proportions to which it was applied;
- Tighten the chest with an elastic bandage.While stagnation makes itself felt only lump in the chest, you should not worry at all, just follow the above scheme.

When the temperature rises follow the recommendations especially exactly, if you have the opportunity to call a breastfeeding consultant - do it. can be accepted children's antipyretic based on paracetamol: Paracetamol(or Panadol , Efferalgan), V children's dosage - about 1 ml.

If temperature stays for a long time, longer than 2 days (and in the first month of a baby's life - more than a day) - be sure to contact a doctor: a gynecologist or a mammologist.

The same - if no temperature, But tightness in the chest for several days does not decrease or does not go away for more than a week. Usually in such cases, physiotherapy is prescribed.

If it's going to mastitis, can prescribe antibiotics, and it is almost always possible to choose those compatible with breastfeeding.

So everything is not as scary as it seems, the main thing is not to start the process !

Be healthy!

_______________________
P.S.: I somehow had a strong lactostasis. In the evening, in a matter of minutes, the bump grew the size of an egg. I tried to save myself with a breast pump, but in an hour of my efforts, he was able to squeeze out only a few drops. After no luck, I decided to turn to i-no. I found this article... And as a child, I cleared myself in just 5 minutes! There was no hint of a bump at all. After that, to relieve the pain, I put a cabbage leaf in my bra... and by the morning there was no pain, no bruising, no discomfort... Since then, I have only been saved as a child...

Child is our best breast pump, I know from my own experience!