Every mother wants the breastfeeding process to bring joy and benefit. However, it is not always possible to avoid trouble. The inexperience and lack of an adviser can lead to the fact that with the formation of milk stagnation, mother will not be able to take the necessary measures to eliminate it in time. This may be the result of the development of lactostasis. How to treat him? And what needs to be done in order to avoid complications?
What it is?
Childbirth triggers processes in the female body that will allow the baby to exist outside the womb. This is expressed in the flow of breast milk. If stagnation forms, and it accumulates in the mammary gland, and more precisely in its ducts, then lactostasis occurs. An unusual word for many women, however, this phenomenon may affect, even if they are not the first time become a mother.
As a rule, stagnation can form on the second or third day after childbirth. It was at this time that in most women colostrum was replaced by breast milk. In some cases, it does not accumulate in the ducts, but in the lobes of the mammary gland. However, do not immediately panic. There is a way out, the main thing is that the treatment of lactostasis is timely.
It is worth considering such cases when a woman has to abandon breastfeeding and transfer the child to artificial mixtures. Since the mammary gland cannot itself stop producing breast milk, and the baby is no longer attached to the breast, stagnation can occur.
Causes of occurrence
There are certain factors that affect the formation of stagnation, which further leads to the need for treatment of lactostasis in a nursing woman. These may be anatomical features:
- A milk cork that closes the ducts of a lobule of the breast. Stagnation occurs due to the fact that they are at different distances from each other. Those that are closer to the nipple are released earlier, since the baby does not need a large amount of milk in the first days of life. In the remaining ducts, a traffic jam occurs.
- The anatomical feature of the structure of the mammary gland, in which there is a narrowing of the ducts. The situation is complicated if they have a tortuous shape.
- Inverted, flat nipples, in which the child becomes difficult to grab. As a result, he cannot completely empty his chest in one feeding.
- Increased production of breast milk or hyperlactation. It can occur not only due to stagnation, but also because of problems in the production of hormones.
- Mastopathy, which is caused by the growth of fibrous tissue, exerting a compressive effect on the ducts, disrupts the normal outflow of breast milk. It can also develop into the process of infection, which penetrates as a result of the formation of cracks on the nipples.
Other reasons
There may be injuries to the breast, for example, caused by excessive pressure on her fingers during feeding or after wearing a tight bra. In this case, edema forms at the site of compression, which leads to compression of the ducts.
It is not recommended to allow a large gap between feeding. If more than three hours have passed, a woman may feel stagnation of milk, treatment of lactostasis in this case is symptomatic. It means expressing itself, which will allow you to empty the chest and reduce the risk of stagnation. Excess milk can be frozen in special thermal packs in case you need to go away.
During pumping, it is important not to provoke the influx of excess milk, which cannot be overpowered by the baby in one feeding. Therefore, it is better not to resort to this procedure without the need.
Incorrect attachment
The technique of breastfeeding requires a certain approach and study at the stage of pregnancy. It is advisable to study in advance the methods of applying the child, organize a place for feeding, nutrition. This will avoid the need to resort to the treatment of lactostasis.
Ineffective attachment leads to the fact that the baby cannot completely empty the chest, and the remaining milk begins to stagnate. This happens most often due to the lack of skills of the young mother to apply, understanding how the baby should capture the areola and nipple. If the main reason for stagnation is only this, then the treatment of lactostasis in a nursing mother at home can be limited by the study and practice of the correct technique of breastfeeding. If it’s difficult for a woman to cope on her own, then there are special courses (both online and full-time), as well as consultants who teach young mothers the rules for putting a newborn to her breast.
How to determine?
Outwardly, stagnation of milk is manifested in the swelling of the breast, it becomes severe, you can even say stone. Touching it may cause discomfort. If a woman has discovered unpleasant symptoms of lactostasis, then it is often possible to get by correcting the technique and increasing the frequency of application.
Even if a young mother feels pain, fever, chills, feels tight during palpation, and her chest acquires an asymmetric shape, then it is possible to treat the symptoms of lactostasis at home. The main thing is that the body temperature does not stay for a long time above the mark of 37.5 degrees. It is also undesirable that red spots appear on the mammary gland, which indicates the place of stagnation and the possible development of the inflammatory process.
Mastitis or lactostasis?
The initial stage of mastitis can be confused with the symptoms of lactostasis. Treatment at home of the first diagnosis will not be effective with self-administration of therapy. Here you will have to visit a doctor to specify the diagnosis and exclude the onset of complications. To determine mastitis, you need to know what it manifests itself in:
- The affected area most often affects one breast.
- It occurs against the background of lactostasis after 3-4 days.
- There is no improvement after decantation.
- Body temperature can reach more than 38-39 degrees.
- Treatment may require antibiotics or surgery.
- Purulent discharge from the nipple is present.
- There are changes in blood tests, in particular, increased white blood cells and ESR.
The last two points play an important role in determining the exact diagnosis, which indicates the need for treatment of lactostasis in a nursing mother.
Massage
Massage movements are effective both in the prevention and treatment of symptoms of lactostasis. Smooth circular movements with warm hands should be directed from the base of the chest to the nipple. It is also possible to carry out not strong pats, stroking with simultaneous light pressure with both hands on the mammary gland. It is necessary to move from top to bottom, to the areola.
The inflamed lobe will be felt by its increased size. And in this place it will be necessary to act more aggressively than where the chest is soft. During the massage, milk will be released, and in order to consolidate the effect, you can apply the baby to empty the breast or express.
If a woman experiences pain during the manipulation, you can ask your spouse or mother so that they can help her gently express stagnant milk and soften her breasts. As an alternative treatment option, when there is no way to call for help, it is recommended to use a breast pump.
How to set
One of the ways to treat stagnation is decantation; it must be done correctly. First you need to do a massage, then put the chest on the arm (right on the right, left on the left). The thumb and forefinger, which are located along the edges of the areola, participate in the decantation. Pressing movements should be directed from its edge to the pacifier. This process actually takes longer than using a breast pump, but in the end it turns out to be more sparing. Moreover, it can be used in the presence of cracks.
Naturally, no one will cope with the role of expressing milk like a child. Especially if he is hungry.
Treatment
In order to feel the quick effect of the treatment of lactostasis at home, a nursing woman needs to find out how she applies to the baby’s chest. Since this is one of the common causes of stagnation. Having adapted and having picked up a convenient pose and a mode, you can feel relief already after a couple of feedings. In this case, it is important first of all to give the baby a healthy breast, and only when there is a rush to the lactostasis breast, it is necessary to attach it to it.
It is noted that the treatment of lactostasis is faster if, when feeding, the baby's chin will be directed towards the part of the chest where there is congestion. It is easiest to do this in a pose when the mother is above the baby. Then the movement of milk occurs along all lobes and ducts evenly, without crushing any side.
Physiotherapy
In the case when the problem of stagnation of breast milk in the mammary gland is associated with narrow ducts, and lactostasis lasts more than two days, the doctor (in particular, obstetrician-gynecologist or surgeon) can recommend physiotherapy. As a rule, this method is resorted to if the problem with stagnation is not solved by the above methods. Or in case of emergency hospitalization.
Then, according to the doctor’s testimony, it is possible to use a special device (for example, “Vitafon”), which acts on the stagnation site due to microvibration of tissues. In the process of exposure, the damaged tissues are cleansed, the walls of the vessels are restored, the state of the muscle tissues of the mammary gland improves.
Drug use
Women are not recommended to use antibiotics during breastfeeding. It is advisable to avoid taking medications without the recommendation of a doctor. Particular attention should be paid to tips on applying alcohol compresses or based on camphor. They are strictly prohibited in lactostasis.
Any of the available drugs in the pharmacy network aimed at removing the inflammatory reaction, in the annotation, indicate that no tests were performed during lactation. They can be used only when the benefit to the mother exceeds the harm done to the child. Such drugs can only be used after consulting a specialist.
If a woman feels severe pain and nothing helps, then it can be reduced with the help of No-Shpa tablets. They have a softening effect on the outflow of milk, as the spasm is removed.
Folk methods
The first thing that comes to mind to eliminate the symptoms and treat lactostasis in a nursing mother is one old grandmother's recipe. It consists in applying leaves of white cabbage to the chest. However, there are secrets that you need to know in advance:
- It is necessary to take only fresh soft inner leaves.
- Remove the middle vein so that it does not interfere with the sheet to take the shape of a chest.
- The compress should be warm and at the same time cooling, ideally room temperature.
To enhance the effect of cabbage, you can grease the leaf with honey. It is important to heat it to a temperature of no more than 40 degrees in a water bath. Or, instead, use butter and sprinkle salt on top, apply as a compress.
An anti-inflammatory effect has an infusion of chamomile. It can be used as a base for a compress. To do this, take 2 tbsp. l chamomile flowers and 1 glass of water, brought to a boil, cools to room temperature. The compress is applied in the form of a gauze cloth for 15-20 minutes. Intensity of use - 3 times a day.
Prevention
In order not to bring lactostasis to a nursing mother before treatment, a sufficient amount of water should be drunk during the day. It is she who is responsible for the influx of milk. If it is necessary to cause rapid filling of the breast, then hot tea is used. Otherwise, it is advisable to give preference to cool water. During lactostasis, it is not worth abusing with a large amount of water, so that there is no excessive influx of milk and subsequent stagnation.
The child must correctly capture the nipple, feeding is best done at his first request. Breastfeeding should be done alternately. It is worth avoiding hypothermia of the mammary gland, do not sleep on your stomach. Clothing, both at home and on a walk, should be free, not restricting movement, from natural fabrics.
If there is no stagnation and the baby completely empties the breast, do not express after feeding or try to express the remaining milk. Also, do not resort to this action often.