We have talked about some of the causes that can cause pain in breastfeeding, pointing out, now, when dealing with engorgement, that breastfeeding can hurt but it shouldn't hurt.
Breast engorgement is quite painful but can be solved with proper techniques. It is a congestion of the breasts and their painful growth, occurring in the days following delivery. It is produced by the increase in blood vessels in the chest and milk that is abundantly produced.
What is breast engorgement?
It involves an enlargement and an increase in breast tension. There is inflammation, redness, hardness and heat. In addition, this congestion causes the milk to come out difficult, so the baby must sometimes try harder than he can, thus increasing congestion and reducing production due to lack of suction.
It is not a problem that we should ignore. It causes pain and negative emotions in the mother, and can also cause mastitis to appear. I remember it as a very difficult experience and that, since I did not receive adequate attention or advice, I almost finished my breastfeeding before starting it.
My baby weighed less than two kilos and was also separated from me being bottle fed. His sucking reflex was inadequate, he was barely able to take the nipple in his mouth and the posture was bad. He fell asleep and was not effective sucking. The rise of milk quickly became a huge, very painful congestion, which still made it more difficult for the child to aggravate the breast and pump milk. Direct breastfeeding was almost a gesture and I left the hospital with the bottle-fed baby although taking out a little milk, which, in the long run, would help me to relate.
Congestion occurs when the baby does not extract enough milk and the initial production is very abundant. In childbirth, during the expulsion of the placenta, hormones have appeared that indicate to the breast that it should start producing milk. Normally the milk will "go up" and, although there are some discomforts, these will happen when the baby is hooked to the breast. However on other occasions there may be a breast engorgement and this causes pain and concern to mothers.
The breast engorgement It occurs during those first days, and makes the rise in milk accompanied by an edema, usually in both breasts, which prevents lymphatic drainage. If left untreated it could cause mastitis, but with proper care it will disappear in a week or two.
When the milk rises there is a normal hardening of the breasts, which appear hotter and heavier. However, if there is engorgement, the moms will also be painful, edema, bright and red. In addition, the nipple will be flatter and the milk will not flow normally. That leads to the baby not getting worse correctly, crying, being dissatisfied and restless, further complicating the problem and being able to develop, if you do not act to solve the problem, cracks or mastitis.
The engorgement may be accompanied by fever and malaise, which still increases the mother's painful sensation and distress. All this makes it advisable to solve the engorgement as soon as possible to prevent major problems or the abandonment of breastfeeding early.
Prevent and cure breast engorgement
The best way to deal with engorgement is to prevent it. To do so, it is important to start breastfeeding as soon as possible, preferably in the same delivery room and not separate the baby from his mother unless there is a real medical need that prevents them from staying together.
After breastfeeding, mothers should be able to consult with an advisor or specialist who checks that the grip is correct and that the babies are suckling properly. Above all, we must forget about advice such as breastfeeding every three hours or not letting the baby suck more than a few minutes: breastfeeding on demand. And especially in the early days, this can be continually. The more accessible the breast is to the baby, the better the demand and supply will regulate, so keeping skin to skin is a recommendation that adds to that of frequent breastfeeding.
Yes engorgement manifests itself in the halo you have to increase the shots and check the posture. Since the nipple is flattened and that makes the grip even more difficult it is useful to gently press the edges of the halo to give it a more suitable shape. It is better not to use the breast pump to avoid increasing congestion. Applying cold compresses helps calm pain and reduce inflammation.
Yes engorgement is all over the chest, affecting the ducts and lobes, even preventing milk from flowing, we can help it more easily with a hot shower before putting the baby to the breast and also remove with the breast pump a little before starting, so that it is not So much tension. Giving us a gentle circular massage with the fingers throughout the chest also helps and, after taking, also apply cold compresses to reduce inflammation.
Since the discomfort can be very intense when you suffer a breast engorgement It is not necessary to rule out the need to take any analgesic compatible with breastfeeding, so it is advisable to consult a doctor who knows how to recommend the appropriate medications.
Breast engorgement, despite being, as I said, very painful, does not imply the need to wean, but rather a reason to increase the intakes and improve, of course, breastfeeding techniques with the help, if necessary, of an advisor or specialist.
