Stagnation of milk in the mammary glands how to remove. Finding the right position for breastfeeding

Every nursing mother knows that there is such an unpleasant phenomenon as breast lactostasis. It must be avoided and, if possible, avoided. But is lactostasis so terrible and what is it in general?

Laktostasis - stagnation of milk in the breast of a nursing woman.

This is literally what it is: with lactostasis, the movement of milk through the ducts is disrupted and the so-called "milk plug" is formed.

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Causes and symptoms of lactostasis

Perhaps, lactostasis has not bypassed any nursing mother, however, someone is faced with stagnation of milk every month, and someone once in the entire experience of breastfeeding. The most popular causes of lactostasis can be identified:

• Rare change in body position. For example, a mother can feed her baby in one position for a long time or constantly sleep on one side. At the same time, some lobes of the mammary gland may be pinched and not emptied in a timely manner;
• Squeezing the ducts with underwear. Many mothers, especially at the stage of lactation, when milk flows out of the breast during hot flashes, constantly wear a bra, including not taking it off at night. In underwear, some milk ducts can be pinched, which causes difficulty in the movement of milk in them;
• Stress and accumulated fatigue can also affect the condition of the ducts of the mammary glands. The ducts spasm and the outflow of milk in this place is disturbed;
• The cause of lactostasis may be an increase in the viscosity of milk. This occurs after eating certain foods (such as nuts), or from not drinking enough fluids (especially in the heat);
• You can provoke stagnation of milk by constant pumping. Some mothers seeking to establish natural feeding are confused by the recommendations of grandmothers, and sometimes pediatricians, that it is necessary to pump the breast to the end after each application. Since milk is produced in response to sucking, or, in other words, in response to the emptying of the breast, pumping additional volume is regarded by the body as a signal for additional milk demand. As a result, by the next feeding, there is already much more milk: the volume sucked by the baby is replenished, and on top - the volume of expressed milk. The child cannot cope with this huge amount, the chest overflows. Mom, in an attempt to correct the situation, pumps again and falls into a vicious circle with constantly overfilled breasts and stagnation of milk;
• Sometimes milk stasis occurs as a reaction to a change in the weather. It's hard to explain, but breastfeeding consultants have noted a spike in lactose intolerance cases during these periods.

Video: reasons. symptoms, remedies, prevention of lactostasis

Symptoms are not difficult to recognize:

• Localized swelling of the mammary gland, inside which you can feel the seal;
• Soreness of the site of blockage of the ducts;
• Redness of the chest in the place where the stagnation occurred;
• Temperature rise. If the temperature on the thermometer approaches 39, this is a dangerous sign that may indicate the onset of purulent-inflammatory processes in the chest. At this temperature, you definitely need to see a doctor.

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Causes, signs, what to do and what is important to remember about lactostasis for a nursing mother

Treatment

With the treatment of lactostasis, (if this process has not yet reached a critical point), any mother can handle it on her own at home. All actions with this problem are designed to restore the movement of milk in the clogged duct - that is, it is simply necessary to drain the stagnation.

Pumping

The best assistant in decanting the breast is the baby himself. The child should be applied as often as possible to the sore chest, including at night (). Most often, this is where the treatment ends. However, if suckling is very painful for the mother, first you need to alleviate her condition by manually expressing some milk:

• With the help of heat, you need to improve the outflow of milk. You can apply a warm compress (for example, a towel soaked in hot water), take a bath or stand in the shower for 10 minutes, directing water to the chest area;
• With very careful movements, massage the chest in the place of stagnation. You can use massage oil or cream;
• We express a little milk only until the condition is relieved and the pain is relieved;
• At the end, we remove tissue swelling with a cold compress applied to the chest for 5-10 minutes.

After manual pumping, be sure to attach the baby to the breast so that he suckles to finish the job. This sequence of actions can be done 2-3 times a day.

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Video: how to express breasts with lactostasis

Compresses

You can relieve the pain of lactostasis with the help of compresses or ointments. The most effective are compresses from very affordable products:

• Cold cabbage compress. The leaf needs to be beaten off a little so that the juice goes, and attach to the place of compaction in the chest;
• Honey compress. Honey is mixed with flour to the consistency of a tight dough, a cake is formed from this mass and applied to the chest;
• Compress from cold low-fat cottage cheese.

Any of these compresses with lactostasis is applied to the chest for 15-20 minutes.

Video: how to treat lactostasis with folk methods at home

Ointments

Of the medicines, the Traumeel C cream, the Arnica ointment, and the Malavit solution help well. It is better for a nursing mother to always have any of these products in the first aid kit.

Remember!

If massage, pumping and compresses help solve the problem, then some actions can only aggravate it. Mom does not just need to warm her breasts, not before pumping, or smear with warming ointments, alcohol. Camphor-based ointments are strictly prohibited - even when applied externally, this component can greatly inhibit lactation.

Whether to feed with lactostasis

The answer is unequivocal - yes. With any barely noticeable signs of stagnation of milk, the mother should often apply the baby to the "diseased" breast. No amount of pumping, even after a massage, can deal with breast emptying like a baby.

In order for the baby to effectively resolve the stagnation, it can be applied to the chest in different positions, based on which part of the mammary gland formed "milk cork". There is such a rule: in which part of the breast the chin of the suckling child rests, from that part he best sucks milk. Based on this rule, you can choose one in which the baby will actively suck "problematic" shares.

Prevention of lactostasis

The best prevention of lactostasis is properly established breastfeeding. The rules are very simple:

1. Periodically change your feeding position (link to various poses above).
2. Don't wear tight "past life" bras. Many mothers after childbirth, for aesthetic reasons, continue to wear the same underwear that they wore before. However, the breast size of a nursing mother usually increases, in addition, ordinary underwear has hard seams and bones. When feeding, it is better to wear special bras. As a rule, they have a soft cup, no bones, they gently support the chest without constraining it.
3. Do not deny yourself rest. Household chores can be postponed for later, because overwork is an important factor in the occurrence of many health problems.
4. Stick to those recommended by a nursing mother and drink enough fluids.

The occurrence of lactostasis is a common “working” situation for a nursing mother. You should not be afraid of this, because timely actions help to solve the problem that has arisen quickly enough. What is really worth focusing on is your own feelings. With any hint of induration and pain, it is worth considering restorative measures, then there is practically no chance of serious problems.

When to See a Doctor

Basically, all mothers successfully cope with the elimination of lactostasis on their own, but you need to be on the alert, and in some cases be sure to consult a doctor:

1. If the high temperature does not drop for more than 2 days.
2. If in a few days the seal in the chest does not decrease.

The content of the article:

Lactating women face many problems, one of the most dangerous is lactostasis. This pathological process is manifested by breast swelling, pain, fever. A similar condition is relevant for women at the beginning of breastfeeding, when lactation has not yet been established. You should not ignore the problem, but you should not panic either, since with a competent approach, lactostasis can be eliminated in a few days.

Basic information about lactostasis

Lactostasis is a condition in which the ducts of the mammary gland are clogged, and milk stagnation occurs. Due to a violation of the movement of milk through the ducts in the chest, a “milk plug” is formed, as a result, the tissues swell. At first, a woman feels heaviness in her chest and slight pain on palpation. A little later, seals form in the chest, the temperature rises. This happens because milk protein, which has accumulated in the duct for a long time, becomes foreign to the body. And so the immune system comes to grips with it.

After 3 days, lactostasis poses a real threat to the body. If the temperature does not subside, you need to see a doctor. If the problem is ignored, it turns into infectious mastitis (inflammation of the breast) through inflammation.

Therefore, it is recommended to visit a doctor when the first symptoms appear. Many women believe that a mammologist treats lactostasis, but this is not so. This doctor specializes in breast growths. The surgeon provides real help with stagnation of milk in the chest.

Clinical picture

Milk stasis during breastfeeding is manifested by the following symptoms:

The mammary gland swells, palpation can detect seals.

The chest hurts in the area where the “milk plug” arose.

The skin in the affected area turns red.

At first, there is a slight increase in temperature, when it reaches 39 °, this is a clear sign of purulent-inflammatory processes in the chest.

If the temperature has risen to 38.5 °, then the woman should consult a doctor.

Causes of lactostasis

Milk stasis in a nursing mother occurs for the following reasons:

Rare change in body position. Lactostasis occurs if a woman feeds her baby in one position or is used to sleeping in one position (on her side). Some lobules of the breast are compressed and emptied late.

Squeezing the duct with a bra. Many women in the period of becoming lactating (during strong rushes of milk) constantly wear a bra, as the milk flows out. Some of them do not remove it even before going to bed, as a result, the ducts are compressed, and the outflow of milk is difficult. Especially if the underwear is tight and the bones are very hard.

Frequent stress and chronic fatigue also negatively affect the condition of the milk ducts. They shrink, and the outflow of milk in the spasmodic area is difficult.

Increasing the viscosity of milk. If a woman drinks little liquid (filtered water, natural juices, herbal teas), then the milk becomes thicker and it will be difficult for the newborn to suck it out. The viscosity of milk increases after a nursing mother consumes certain foods (for example, nuts) or during extreme heat.

Constant pumping of milk. If the baby constantly consumes breast milk, you should not express the rest. However, many mothers remove the remaining fluid from the breast. As a result, milk production increases, and the baby cannot suck it out completely. Milk residues cause clogging of the milk ducts.

In addition, stagnation of milk is observed in mothers with children who suck on a pacifier. Breast sucking activity in an infant who has tried a pacifier is reduced. Lactostasis occurs in women as a result of a strong blow to the chest. After an injury, edema appears, and the patency of the glands is impaired.

Methods for expressing milk

After identifying the cause, treatment should begin. Pumping when milk stagnates is the main way to fix the problem. To get rid of discomfort, you need to release the clogged milk lobule.

It is best to drain the chest to help the newborn, but with lactostasis, he will not be able to do this. To make it easier for the baby, it is worth expressing a little milk before feeding so that it flows out more easily. During feeding, position the baby so that his chin is over the problem area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe chest. If the child actively sucks, it will help to release the clogged duct.

The woman herself can eliminate the "milk plug". There are 2 ways to express:

1. Manual. You can strain the breast with lactostasis with your hands.

2. Breast pump. This device will not help eliminate a lump in the chest, women use it after manual decantation.

Before carrying out manual pumping, it is important to determine the place of the procedure. It should be comfortable for a woman. Before manipulation, it is recommended to take a warm shower.

Hand pumping technology:

1. Take the chest so that 4 fingers support it below, and the big one presses from above. So you more effectively drain the clogged ducts.

2. Grasp the areola with your thumb and forefinger. Blocked milk ducts can be detected by tubercles, this area should be massaged. Gently press on the breast and make radial movements towards the nipple.

3. Use your free hand to knead the seals. Control the force of pressure, as there is a risk of injury to the chest.

4. Remember to periodically change the position of your fingers to express milk evenly from all ducts.

If the pumping technology is followed, the milk will come out in vigorous streams.

The correct position for feeding with lactostasis

During the stagnation of milk, you should put the baby to the breast as often as possible. Moreover, this must be done in such a way that he releases it in the place where the “milk plug” has formed. To do this, you need to choose a position where the baby's lower jaw will be above the compaction zone. In most cases, the milk ducts become blocked in the upper outer part of the breast.

To free the milk ducts, feeding should be carried out in the following positions:

Jack - mother and newborn lie sideways in different directions.

Soccer ball - the baby lies on its side on a pillow, and its legs rest against the mother's back.

To free the ducts that are located in the lower part of the chest from blockage, the child is placed on the mother's stomach. During straining of a diseased breast, do not allow stagnation of milk in a healthy one.

Medications

To eliminate pain and inflammation in lactostasis, nursing mothers can use the following drugs:

Cream Traumeel C stops inflammation, pain, restores damaged areas. The drug is used as part of complex therapy for milk stagnation and inflammation of the mammary gland. The problem area is treated with ointment no more than 5 times a day. Traumeel is compatible with lactation, side effects are very rare.

Malavit in the form of ointment and infusion can also be used for lactostasis. Before use, the infusion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1. A cotton pad is soaked with a solution and applied to the problem area.

Doctors do not recommend using Vishnevsky's ointment, which provokes blood flow to the treated area, which contributes to the development of breast inflammation. Arnica ointment warms the tissues and speeds up blood circulation, and therefore it should not be used either. It is better to refuse Progestogel in the form of an ointment, as this hormonal drug inhibits lactation. Standard medicines to eliminate swelling and cooling ointments should also not be used, because they are dangerous for the newborn.

With an increase in temperature, which is often accompanied by pathology, you can take an antipyretic. The safest drugs for lactation are Ibuprofen and Paracetamol.

breast massage

Before performing the massage, you should clean your hands with antibacterial soap and apply a few drops of any vegetable oil (for example, peach, almond) to them. Then you need to follow the instructions:

Press lightly on the chest and move in a spiral to the areola. Massage the mammary gland in this way for 5 seconds.

Lightly stroke the décolleté and chest, moving from top to bottom.

Then lean forward and shake your chest so that the stagnant milk falls down.

Pinch the nipple between two fingers, gently pull and twist. This movement not only eliminates stagnation, but also increases milk production.
After the procedure, it is recommended to take a warm shower. With a weak jet, you need to massage each breast in turn.

Such a massage is contraindicated for women with cracked nipples. This limitation also applies to patients with hypersensitivity.

To avoid injury, massage the chest carefully. Sharp, aggressive movements are contraindicated. It is strictly forbidden to break the seal with your hands! So you injure the tissues and increase the pain. Light, rubbing, stroking and smooth movements are suitable for massage. Hands move from the outside of the breast to the nipple.

If during the procedure a woman feels severe pain, then she should move to the shower, turn on warm water and continue massaging her breasts.

Therapeutic compresses

To eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of lactostasis, special compresses are used:

A fresh cabbage leaf is washed, beaten a little so that it softens and juice appears. The sheet is simply applied to the sore breast until it dries. Before feeding, you need to wash the nipple, as cabbage juice negatively affects the digestion of the newborn.

Fresh natural cottage cheese should be slightly cooled, form a cake and attach it to the inflamed chest. After 20 minutes, the cheese mass is removed, and the skin is washed with warm water.

Honey and flour are mixed so that a mass with a dense consistency is obtained. The mass is applied to the sore spot for 30 minutes, then the skin is cleansed.

Before using compresses, you should consult your doctor.

Preventive measures

Preventing lactostasis is much easier than treating. To do this, a lactating woman must follow the following recommendations:

During feeding, you need to change positions more often so that the baby evenly empties all the milk lobules.

Attach the baby to the breast so that the milk flows freely.

Feed your newborn on demand without skipping night feeds.

Do not express leftover milk after feeding.

Do not wear a tight bra and do not sleep on your stomach.

Wash your breasts after every feed.

Don't get cold.

Observe the drinking regime.

Limit your intake of foods high in animal fats.

Refuse pacifiers and bottles at the time of lactation.

Thus, at the first signs of lactostasis, you need to express your breasts, perform massage and apply compresses. If a temperature appears, you should contact a mammologist or gynecologist. When the first signs of mastitis appear, the doctor will prescribe antibacterial drugs that are compatible with lactation. Self-medication is strictly contraindicated!

What to do if a nursing mother has milk stasis? Milk stasis, or lactostasis, is not a very rare phenomenon. At the same time, the very first symptoms that a young mother feels are heaviness and pain in the chest. If lactostasis is detected, it is very important to take action immediately, since inactivity after 2 days can lead to mastitis.

There are many different theories why one woman often has lactostasis, while another does not have it at all. It even happens that lactostasis does not appear in the first year of feeding a child, and sometimes it occurs in women with a second or third child. one

What are the symptoms of lactostasis?

Milk stasis in a nursing mother occurs when a milk plug appears in the duct of the mammary gland. It blocks the outlet for newly formed milk, which creates tension and pressure on the duct itself. This causes severe inflammation. The woman discovers:

1. Redness of the chest in a certain area.
2. Increase in body temperature.
3. Pain on pressure.
4. Pain while feeding.
5. Consolidation in the chest.

There are many different causes of lactostasis. The most common and obvious of these is the long breaks between feedings. If a young mother constantly sleeps on the same side, this can also lead to stagnation of milk. Be sure to wear specialized underwear, a nursing bra, as the wrong underwear can squeeze the milk ducts.

Incorrect breastfeeding or pacifier, repetitive cleaning movements, overeating fatty foods that make milk more viscous, weather changes, stress, insufficient fluid intake - all this can cause lactostasis. It even happens that the anatomical structure of the chest affects. For example, there are women who constantly experience congestion in one breast, but not in the other. The structure of the mammary gland is unique - there can be many ducts, they can branch, and so on. Especially if this is the first child and the ducts are thin.

With lactostasis, and if there is enough milk, you should not express yourself after each feeding. Contrary to the previously widespread belief that it is worth giving only one breast for one feeding, this is not so. When feeding every 3 hours, each breast would be emptied every 6 hours, which is a lot. In addition, doctors advise feeding the baby on demand.

Pumping after feeding does not make sense, as the natural balance of milk production is disturbed. It is produced by a nursing mother as much as the baby needs.

2

How to decompress stagnation?

What to do if lactostasis is detected and what not to do if milk stagnates in a nursing mother:

1. Never stop breastfeeding your baby. The baby is the best at emptying the breast, much better than manual pumping or a breast pump. This is the most effective way to deal with stagnation. Heating the breast stimulates the flow of milk. If you are not going to breastfeed or pump immediately afterward, you do not need to warm your breasts.
2. Refuse to drink. Milk production depends on breast stimulation, not fluid intake. Decreasing the amount of fluid in the body will make the milk thicker and may raise the temperature even more.
3. Apply compresses from alcohol, Vishnevsky ointment, camphor. The baby may refuse to breastfeed due to a change in taste. Ointments can cause a burn, and worsen the outflow of milk.
4. Refuse to see a doctor if it is not possible to remove lactostasis for more than a day.

What are the first steps to take if you have congestion in your breasts while breastfeeding? You should offer this breast to the baby and feed him more often. You may need to pump, but infrequently.

Change the position of the child. The fact is that with his lower lip he sucks breast milk more strongly, so you need to position it so that the chin is directed towards the place of stagnation.

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What compresses to use during milk stagnation?

You need to feed the child in small portions, but as often as possible. If all of the above does not help, then use additional means. What is most effective in treating congestion in a nursing mother? Try this way:

1. Use a warm compress before breastfeeding. If possible, you can even take a shower. The exception is elevated body temperature.
2. Massage the place of stagnation. Do this with smooth strokes towards the nipple. Do not make heavy movements. They must repeat the movement of milk through the ducts.
3. Express the milk, trying to express as much as possible from the plugged lobe. Give the breast to the baby.
4. Apply a cold compress for 10 minutes.
5. In addition, you can apply compresses to relieve inflammation. Use a cabbage leaf, beat it until juice is formed, attach it to the chest so that the juice does not get on the nipple.
6. If possible, call a lactation consultant to your home. If lactostasis does not go away for 2 days, consult a doctor and undergo an ultrasound diagnosis to rule out mastitis.

Try to rest more, if you have a fever, then you should not endure it, unlike an infection, the temperature only exacerbates the state of inflammation. Do not be afraid to use ibuprofen to relieve it.

AT

Laktostasis: how to express milk?

Mastitis in lactating women occurs if lactostasis is not treated in a timely manner. The disease occurs with improper and rare application, infection, decreased immunity. The chest becomes hot, increases in size, begins to hurt badly. The attached pathogenic infections affect the mammary glands, causing purulent inflammation. Symptoms of lactostasis differ from mastitis in terms of general, local signs, and the intensity of the course.

Mastitis is characterized by:

• a sharp deterioration in the well-being of a nursing mother (the appearance of a headache, lethargy, drowsiness, fever up to 38 C);
• the chest turns red, swells, shines, acquiring a bright red color. When feeling and in a calm state, pain is felt;
• milk is separated with great difficulty;
• after pumping, relief does not occur;
• enlarged lymph nodes.

Treatment methods for lactostasis

When the process is not exacerbated, lactostasis is treated at home. In the first 2 days of the formation of stagnation, special attention should be paid to the chest, using all possible methods. The main task is to drain lactostasis and, having freed the ducts from the milk plug, restore the outflow of milk.

Straining

It is best to dissolve lactostasis can baby. It is applied to the sore chest more often than usual. Night feedings are especially valuable. With a small blockage, the child will quickly cope and after 1-2 days the outflow is completely normal. But it happens that sucking causes pain.

Then feeding is facilitated by straining:

1. Warm shower. Heat stimulates milk flow and improves milk ejection. A jet of warm water is directed to the chest. You can take a bath, lying in it for 10-15 minutes. It will relieve fatigue and stress, warm the chest and help eliminate congestion.
2. Careful light movements in the area of ​​​​lactostasis will help soften lumps and seals. Palms can be lubricated with oil or baby cream. It is important that they do not get on the nipple and areola. Breast massage with lactostasis will relax the muscles, stimulate the release of milk and accelerate the discharge of the milk plug. Movement should not cause pain and injure the skin. Smooth strokes, rubbing, kneading are carried out from the tops to the nipple. This will help move the milk through the milk ducts. Massage is done on the back and forearms. It can be done by a husband or relatives. In this case, the back is massaged in a sitting position, slightly bending over. Then they start pumping -.
3. Milk is expressed in a small amount to relieve pain and must be applied to the baby's chest. This sequence of decanting is observed 2-3 times a day.

Oxytocin

A hormone that regulates many processes in the female body during pregnancy and lactation. When it is not enough, the doctor may prescribe the drug Oxytocin, which promotes lactogenesis. The muscles of the mammary glands relax, and the outflow of milk improves. The dosage and course of treatment is determined by the doctor, based on the severity of lactostasis and the condition of the nursing mother.

No-shpa

It is prescribed for the combined treatment of lactostasis. It is an antispasmodic that dilates arterial vessels, reduces pressure, and eliminates pain in a problematic chest. Perhaps treatment with tablets and the introduction of intramuscular injections.

Ointments

In compresses for lactostasis, add Vishnevsky ointment, vaseline or camphor oil after consulting a doctor. They have an antimicrobial effect. The composition of the ointment includes alcohol, phenol and xylene, which cause severe irritation of sensitive skin. These funds must be used with caution.

Ultrasound

Treatment of lactostasis with ultrasound is an alternative method to tablets and ointments, which allows you to painlessly, quickly and safely get rid of seals in the chest. Ultrasonic vibrations thin the milk and increase blood flow.

Folk remedies

Many breastfeeding mothers do not know which doctor to contact with high fever and palpable lumps in the breast.

With lactostasis, consultation with the attending gynecologist or mammologist is necessary.

But when the doctor is unavailable or the symptoms of lactostasis are not pronounced, mommy can treat at home within 1-2 days after the onset of signs of stagnation. If folk methods turn out to be powerless, it is impossible to postpone the trip to the doctor.

1. cabbage leaf- a common way to treat mastitis and lactostasis. The cabbage leaf is washed, cut in several places or crushed with a rolling pin to release the juice. Honey will help improve the effect. A cabbage leaf smeared with honey is applied to the affected area, fixed and kept on the chest for 3 hours. Then apply fresh.
2. Chamomile decoction- prevents the development of lactostasis and purulent mastitis in a nursing mother. 2 tbsp. l. dried flowers are brewed with a glass of boiling water and wait an hour. Pieces of tissue soaked in warm infusion are applied to the nipple. The procedure is repeated 3 times a day.
3. honey cake- With lactostasis, honey cake is considered a popular remedy. Raw onions are cut into small pieces and mixed with honey 1:1. A little rye flour is added to the mixture and the dough is kneaded. The resulting cake is attached to the problem chest and worn constantly, changing it 3 times a day.
4. Can you bake an onion?- In a warm form, apply to the problem area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe chest. Wear before feeding, then change to a new one.

Preventive actions

Prevention of lactostasis is quite simple:

• feed the baby in different positions, alternately giving the breast. There are 3 main poses: in the arms of mommy, lying on her side, feeding from under the arm ();
• do not make long intervals between applications, feed the baby on demand;
• if the baby is sleeping, and the chest begins to hurt and burst, the baby can be fed in a dream by carefully putting the nipple into the mouth. He will definitely start sucking, eat, and then fall asleep again;
• do not wear tight synthetic underwear. You need to purchase bras for nursing mothers, made from natural fibers with wide straps, without hard protruding seams and stones. They perfectly support the chest, without constraining the mammary glands;
• sleep during the day with the baby, putting aside household chores. Stress, unrest and overwork should not be allowed during this important period;
• consume no more than 3 liters of liquid per day, including first courses, milk porridge, juices;
• eat fully.

Hello dear readers. Almost every varnishing woman faces the problem of milk stagnation. Today we decided to devote time to this topic and talk about the symptoms and treatment of lactostasis in a nursing mother.

Congestion in the mammary glands (one or both) is associated with incomplete emptying or lack of emptying (for example, Rhesus women do not put the baby to the breast on the first day) from the secreted nutrient fluid. This is definitely a pathology. It is encoded according to the ICD-10 code O92.7.0.

With timely application to the breast, stagnation of milk occurs most often due to errors in applying the baby to the nipple. Violation of emptying in the lobe / lobes of the gland leads to thickening of milk. A kind of milk cork is formed.

At the same time, the process of milk production does not stop, because the child is applied to the breast, sucks and reflexively makes the gland “work”. In the stagnant lobe, the pressure of the milk increases, and it diffuses through the wall of the vessel, penetrating into the blood. With severe stagnation, "milk fever" develops.

Causes of milky stagnation

More often, lactostasis develops in primiparous. A young mother does not yet know how to apply the baby to the breast correctly. Not all mothers can unhook themselves. And they start the process until the "petrification" of the glands.

In this situation, you have to massage the breasts of a midwife or a pediatric nurse, and then straining turns into torture. After 1-2 days of stagnation, the inflammatory process has not yet begun, but kneading the chest is very painful.

If the mother has knowledge, at the first birth they did not become a skill. The milk ducts are "not developed". The baby sucks out the surface milk, the deep remains in the gland.

The main problems associated with feeding errors are:

1. One of the common mistakes made by inexperienced mothers is pressing the nipple between the index and middle fingers so that the baby does not “suffocate”.
2. Wrong choice of position when feeding. This moment is especially important for women with a large bust and. It is necessary to monitor the emptying of the lower lobes.
3. Incorrect position of the child in relation to the breast, capture of the nipple and insufficient emptying of individual lobes as a result.
4. Frequent pumping leading to hypersecretion of milk. It is provoked by the previous factors. With hyperlactation, milk is secreted in large volumes that the baby is unable to suck out.
5. Irregular feeding (frequent skips, interspersed with rapid application of crumbs to the chest).
6. Mixed feeding.

Violation of milk extraction can also be associated with objective reasons beyond the control of the woman. For example, with a flat nipple, cracks in the areola, narrow milk ducts.

The causes of congestion may be less natural:

• wearing tight underwear;
• injuries in the area of ​​the mammary glands;
• hypothermia;
• sleep on the stomach;
• constant influence of stressors, lack of sleep, excessive physical activity;
• not drinking enough fluids or being dehydrated, causing the milk to thicken.

If you do not get rid of milky stagnation in a timely manner, it begins. And this is a direct path under the knife to the surgeon.

signs of milky stagnation

What is lactostasis - figured it out. How to determine that stagnant processes have begun, and how to distinguish "deep stagnation" from mastitis? Let's talk about that too.

The first signs of congestion are as follows:

• soreness in the mammary gland, decreasing after pumping or feeding;
• seals that ache on palpation;
• a feeling of heaviness, fullness in the glandular tissues;
• local hyperthermia in the area of ​​compaction.

If no measures are taken in the clinic, changes occur, the following are added:

• an increase in body temperature first to subfebrile, then to febrile figures;
• local hyperemia over the seal.

Pain with lactostasis may be the only sign of stagnation. And not be accompanied by the formation of "lumps". After feeding, the soreness decreases, although the process of sucking by the baby is unpleasant and is accompanied by pulling pains.

One of the most common questions from you, dear readers, is how to distinguish lactostasis from. At the extreme stages of milky stagnation and at the beginning of the development of mastitis, you yourself cannot distinguish one pathology from another.

But if you don't have a fever and the pain disappears after feeding, it's milk stasis. It is the reduction of pain that is characteristic of milk stasis.

If an admixture of pus, streaks of blood has appeared in the milk, you are feverish, nauseous and have a headache, your chest has enlarged, noticeably extensive redness is probably mastitis.

Treatment at home

Quality rest, wearing comfortable underwear, protecting a nursing mother from stress in order to avoid reflex stagnation are obvious recommendations, although usually difficult to implement, except for underwear. It really needs to be picked up. Best to buy special nursing bra.

Self-help in the early stages of stasis

Remove stasis will help:

• moderate heat (it leads to the expansion of the ducts);
• the beginning of feeding from the “sick” breast (you need to try so that the child empties it as efficiently as possible);
• change your sleeping position if you sleep on your stomach (try to sleep on your side);
• if the baby cannot suckle the breast completely, use a breast pump;
• breast massage (performed to the nipple, with soft strokes, in no case do not stretch the skin - this is the path to mastoptosis!);
• correct water-salt regime.

Massage should be done until the signs of stasis disappear, despite the pain.

A few rules to help you overcome stasis:

1. Keep your breasts warm before feeding or pumping. A woolen cape or a towel soaked in warm water will do. Or a diaper warmed up with an iron, folded in several layers. Or just take a warm (not hot!) shower, massaging the bust with trickles.
2. After warming up, massage the gland with soft circular motions. Move from the base of the gland to the areola. If seals are felt, pay more attention to this area. This is the answer to the question of how to break up lumps. Actually, you don’t need to “develop” anything, a gentle massage, and subsequent pumping / feeding will help to cope with the problem.

To reduce soreness and swelling between feedings, it is allowed to apply cooling pads (cool, but not icy) to the breast for 10-15 minutes.

Prolonged stasis is characterized by the persistence of discomfort in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bseals, even after the chest is decanted. It is considered long-term if the phenomenon persisted for 2 days or more.

Another typical question from young mothers: what to do if fibers similar to threads, grain-like inclusions, fat are found in the expressed milk. Rejoice! Your milk has a healthy texture, and is not just suitable for nutrition, but will provide the baby with everything necessary for growth and development, saturate and soothe.

Home first aid kit with running milky stagnation

Women, especially those who are breastfeeding their first child, are categorically not recommended to treat stasis on their own at home. Be sure to consult a doctor to avoid serious complications.

You can use camphor oil. After you have finished feeding/pumping, when you have relieved the pain with a cool washcloth, apply camphor (oil, not alcohol) to the affected area.

Warm compresses are not necessary. Milk is an excellent environment for the development of bacteria, the compress creates a thermostatic effect for a long time. And the conditionally pathogenic microflora that penetrates the glands actively multiplies, leading to purulent mastitis. Camphor alcohol, semi-alcohol compresses, vodka compress - should be left for other purposes. An exception may be a compress with Dimexide.

It is acceptable to use wet-drying dressings;

• with hypertonic saline solution;
• 25% magnesium.

The breast should be completely freed from milk at least once every 3 hours. All compresses and wraps are done after emptying the chest!

Traumeel ointment can be used to reduce swelling. Vishnevsky balsamic liniment is often recommended. Surgeons consider it a remedy for treating open wounds. Practice shows its effectiveness in the treatment of injection infiltrates.

With the resorption of seals caused by stasis, the ointment can help. But the smell is so specific and difficult to wash off that the child may refuse to breastfeed.

The use of any medicines, even homeopathic ones, should be agreed with a doctor (mammologist or gynecologist). The most applicable homeopathic remedy is the aforementioned Traumeel and Arnica ointment.

Often you can find recommendations for taking Lecithin with recurring lactostasis. The treatment of congestion is not taking this dietary supplement. There is no mention of such an application in the instructions. But since its composition is PUFAs (fatty acids, polyunsaturated and necessary for the body) and phospholipids, the remedy is not prohibited during lactation. Check with your gynecologist. Even if it helps you at the placebo level, that's not bad either.

One of the remedies often recommended on the Internet is the naturopathic drug Malavit. It is often believed that if "naturopathic" then safe. This is not entirely true. The official instructions for the use of this remedy do not provide for the treatment of stasis. But the composition has anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous and antimicrobial action. If you want to use this remedy and feed your baby, consult your pediatrician.

Turning to specialists, you can avoid antibiotic treatment and get qualified help, preventing abscess formation, “burning out of milk” of the operation. Physiotherapy has proven itself well:

• breast massage with ultrasound;
• darsonval (only after being prescribed by a doctor).

To reduce the milk ducts, doctors use a drug - Oxytocin. It is administered - half an hour before feeding by injection. To reduce swelling, surgeons and mammologists sometimes prescribe external venotonics (Troxevasin gel, Heparin ointment). These agents reduce swelling.

To maintain lactation, different treatment regimens can be offered, depending on the severity of the process:

1. Traumeel C ointment externally and Nosh-pa tablets orally for a mild case of stasis
2. With moderate lactostasis, Synthomycin ointment is recommended externally, Nosh-pa and Chlorophyllipt orally. It is allowed to add Paracetamol at high temperature.
3. A difficult case requires a special approach: Triderm (no more than 2 days), Traumeel, plantain juice externally can be recommended. Temperature paracetamol. Some doctors recommend Dimexide 20% + Amoxiclav in the form of lotions.

Dimexide is moderately toxic, and in the instructions, breastfeeding (HB) is listed as a contraindication. Because side effects related to lactation or the baby are possible. There is a small risk. The child should be observed, in case of any negative reactions, stop treatment and consult a doctor. Usually, such treatment takes place without excesses and allows you to save HB and avoid mastitis.

In acute lactostasis, when "the whole breast is full of lumps", fever, acute pain and the threat of mastitis, the doctor may suggest not breastfeeding. In such a case, a series of oral preparations is usually prescribed;

1. Dostinex to stop lactation.
2. Amoxiclav to prevent breast infection.
3. Wobenzin, as an anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating agent that promotes the resorption of "bumps".

In some cases, doctors prescribe Progestogel. The instructions do not provide for such use. But given that the active substance of the drug blocks:

• prolactin receptors in the glandular tissue and reduces lactopoiesis;
• esrogen receptors and improves fluid absorption in tissues, which reduces swelling and soreness.

Transdermal use of the drug in hepatitis B may be considered acceptable and appropriate by the physician.