Stagnation of milk is a process that occurs in the ducts of the mammary glands. This fairly common phenomenon is also called lactostasis. Often it is confused with the initial stage of the inflammatory process directly in the mammary gland, called mastitis.
As a rule, with stagnation of milk, a painful seal is formed in the chest. Above this seal, the skin turns red and becomes very sensitive. But at the same time, the milky duct itself is not blocked at all. In fact, the breast tissue in the duct swells, putting pressure on it.
Present blockage of the milk ducts is quite rare at the present time, and it requires mandatory long-term treatment. Sometimes lactating mothers notice a small spot of white on the tip of the nipple. It is a sign that the duct is blocked by growing skin cells.
But this problem is fixed quite easily. To do this, it is enough to carefully pierce the surface of the formed white spot with a sterile needle or a clean nail. This is best done after breastfeeding, when the skin becomes softer on the nipple.
Stagnation of milk is often observed when the milky duct is blocked by a clot of milk. The main reason for this is poor breast drainage during feeding. When milk is produced much faster than the baby requires, it accumulates directly in the breast tissue.
In this case, compaction and roughening occurs. This part of the mammary gland is inherent in redness, soreness. It becomes hot to the touch. When even a small amount of milk enters the bloodstream, the body temperature rises and chills begin. These signs indicate mastitis.
Stagnation of milk has symptoms similar to those of a cold. Just for the body of a nursing mother, breast milk becomes nothing more than a foreign protein. And as a result, the immune system fights with it.
There are some tips that you must follow when symptoms of this occurrence occur. Firstly, your baby will become your assistant. Try to apply it to your chest as often as possible, and he will resolve this painful focus himself. If the child does not manage, use a breast pump, after expressing which will come relief.
Stagnation of milk, the treatment of which must be carried out immediately after the appearance of the first signs, requires timely diagnosis to avoid the development of mastitis. So, at the first manifestations, apply fresh cabbage leaves to the chest, which must be changed regularly as they wither. They are able to cool sore spots and soothe the chest.
It is important to reduce the flow to the stagnation site of milk. To do this, for a few minutes it is recommended to attach a cool diaper to the mammary gland. But it should be noted that it is very important not to overcool the breast, because this will only worsen the condition.
When there is stagnation of milk in a nursing mother, in no case should you apply warming compresses to the chest, as well as massage painful places. In the absence of a positive effect within two days after applying the above methods, you should immediately consult a specialist.
If you do not resort to treatment in a timely manner, then this is fraught with serious consequences, in particular the development of mastitis. It differs from the usual stagnation of milk in that the inflammatory process in the chest continues, and relief does not occur, despite feeding and expressing.
It is important to remember that mastitis is much more serious than stagnation of milk. And self-treatment here will not be enough. In addition, it is not just undesirable, but rather contraindicated. In the absence of treatment, as a rule, purulent inflammation develops, called an abscess.
The course of treatment is prescribed by a doctor after consultation and examination. Mostly these are medications, often antibiotics. But there’s nothing wrong with that. Since in modern medicine it is allowed to combine a course of antibiotic treatment with breastfeeding, because new drugs do not harm the baby at all.
The main thing is to follow the recommendations of a qualified specialist, and then the problem will be resolved quickly enough, and discomfort will be minimized.