What To Do To Relieve Breast Engorgement?

Breast engorgement, also known as engorgement, usually occurs when there is incomplete emptying of the breasts. A good home treatment for this is to breastfeed the baby every two to three hours; in this way, it is possible to remove the excess milk that is produced, leaving the breasts less hard, full and heavy.

Another option to relieve this discomfort is to use a breast pump after breastfeeding, in case the baby has not emptied the breast completely. 

What to do to relieve breast engorgement?

However, if breastfeeding the baby is not possible due to pain, there are other home treatments that can be performed first, such as the following:

1. Place warm compresses on the breasts

Warm compresses help to dilate the swollen mammary glands to facilitate the removal of the milk that is being overproduced. Thus, compresses can be placed 10 to 20 minutes before breastfeeding the baby, for example, which facilitates the release of milk and relieves pain during breastfeeding. 

In pharmacies there are also thermal disks such as those of the Nuk or Philips Avent brand that help stimulate the flow of milk before breastfeeding, but warm compresses also help quite a lot. 

2. Make circular massages on the breasts

Breast massages help to drive the milk through the ducts of the breasts, so they also ensure that it is easier to expel the excess milk. The massage should be performed in circular movements, vertically and towards the nipple. 

This technique can even be used in conjunction with warm compresses, as this makes it easier to massage the region. Thus, when the compress begins to cool, it should be removed from the breast and the massage should be performed. Then, if the breast is still very hard, a new warm compress can be applied.

3. Using breast pumps

Using breast pumps or your hands to remove excess milk after breastfeeding helps to ensure that the milk does not harden inside the milk ducts. However, this should not be done every time the baby is nursed, as increased milk production may occur. 

If the baby has difficulty holding the nipple due to swelling and hardening of the breasts, you can also remove some milk earlier to make it easier for the baby to suckle and avoid injury to the nipples. 

4. Apply cold compresses after breastfeeding

After the baby is breastfed and after removing excess milk, cold compresses can be applied to the breasts to reduce swelling. 

As breastfeeding continues, breast engorgement usually disappears naturally. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Working out with a cut finger on the gym: What should you do?

Image
You’re looking to get your body in shape, and maybe even lose some weight. You’ve been working hard at it for months now and so far you’ve had good results. But then this morning while shaving you nicked yourself. Now there’s a cut on your index finger that is starting to throb and bleed again after having stopped for awhile. All of sudden things are not going as planned, but what should you do? Should you go ahead with your workout or will it only make things worse? There are three options available: Continue Working Out, Work Out With Protective Gear, Skip The Workout Altogether . Continue Working out with a cut finger. You can continue to work out with a cut finger on the gym. The risk of getting an infection is very low, and if you’re careful to disinfect the skin after each work out it’s not going to be a problem. Of course there are other things to consider as well: The healing process will take longer, so you’ll probably have some scarrin...
Read more

Home Remedies For Canker Sores

Image
An excellent home remedy to cure canker sores, also called postemillas, sores or fires in the mouth, is the balm with essential oil of laurel, as it helps relieve pain and inflammation. In addition to this, basil tea is also an excellent natural remedy to treat canker sores in the mouth, as they possess analgesic properties that reduce pain and antiseptic, leaving the region clean of microorganisms. To complement the natural treatment and accelerate the healing of sores, it is also possible to gargle or rinse your mouth with warm water and salt, 2 to 3 times a day, since salt is antibacterial, thus fighting bacteria, reducing inflammation and pain.  Best home remedies Home remedies are excellent alternatives to cure postemillas quickly, because they are prepared with plants rich in tannins. These compounds have astringent, anti-inflammatory and healing properties, causing the tissues to retract, reducing inflammation, relieving pain and facilitating the healing of lesions. These plants...
Read more

Diet For Diverticulitis: What To Eat And What To Avoid

Image
The diet for diverticulitis should be started with clear, easily digestible liquids such as chicken broth, strained and blended fruit juices, coconut water and gelatin. At the beginning, this type of food should be used because it is necessary to calm the intestine, keep it at rest and prevent or reduce the formation of stool. Diverticulitis crises arise when the diverticula of the colon, which are abnormal pouches that form in the wall of the intestine, become inflamed or infected and cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and constipation. For this reason the foods to be consumed should be easy to digest and low in fiber.  Once the diverticulitis crisis improves, the diet also adapts from a liquid diet to a pureed diet, until solid foods are consumed again. From then on, it is important to increase the consumption of foods rich in fiber and water, thus avoiding the possibility of another crisis.  What to eat during a diverticulitis crisis At the onset of a diverticul...
Read more