What happens in case of late to provide breast milk

Engorgement in nursing mothers must have been experienced by the mother who had just given birth. What is the cause of this? It may be that this effect late mother breastfeeding.

Engorgement in nursing mothers have two types, namely :

1. Breast milk is overfull

The most common because milk is piled up and made full in the breast. After giving birth, the pregnancy hormone will decrease and breastfeeding hormones increase, as colostrum, which went into production. Then, about 60 to 80 hours later, mature milk starting out, so the amount of milk has increased dramatically in the breast.

When it began to rapidly mature milk is produced, this is when the baby should be able to drink enough breast milk. But in certain circumstances, just a little baby drinking breast milk, which then makes the milk accumulate and cause swelling in the breast. Especially if the mother is able to produce enough milk.

2. Accumulation of fluid

Other swelling is due to edema. This may occur in women who have a buildup of fluid during labor. Some women may experience swelling of the hands and feet after giving birth, and sometimes also occur in breasts.

Swelling of this type is not the result of a buildup of breast milk, but because of the effects of fluid buildup on the part of the body after giving birth.

There are some things that may happen during labor and birth, for example, labor induction or epidural caesarean section, which allows the mother to get intravenous fluids. If induction is done within 12 to 24 hours, maybe the mother will receive an additional infusion of fluid every 4 to 8 hours. So that the mother has a buildup of fluid in some parts of the body. But for some women may experience a buildup of fluid in the breast.

What happens if the mother late breastfeeding?

Actually, the body has a protein that is able to regulate the milk supply. Protein will tell the brain if the breast is too full and slows the production of milk. Similarly, if the mother's breast is empty, this protein will tell the brain to start producing more milk.

If a mother does not breastfeed her baby in a long time, or maybe some women choose to formula feed their babies, then the protein will govern the brain to stop milk production. At first, the breast will experience swelling, and then tells the brain mechanism "to stop production," and everything will settle down, and the milk will disappear.

Therefore, if you still want to breastfeed their babies even though they take place some constraints, often mothers should drain the milk, so breast will still continue producing new breast milk. In addition to reducing the problem of swelling, draining the milk is also beneficial to help produce new and better breast milk

Advised on new mothers to initiate breastfeeding, especially in the early weeks of breastfeeding, at least 8 times every 24 hours or every 3 hours.

Tips nursing mother overcome breast swelling

1. If the mother is breast swelling or overfull, mothers can pump breast milk first. It's beneficial to soften the areola part, so that the baby's mouth can be more easily adjust to suck milk. In addition, the condition of 'overfull' will also make it difficult for the baby to suckle.

2. If the mother wants to breastfeed directly, apply a little milk on the areola to help soften it. then the mother can initiate breastfeeding. If the baby has been well fed but still feels swollen breasts, mothers can pump breast milk to relieve swelling.

3. You do not have to pump breast milk until they run out. Gentle massage can help the milk to flow better, and help soften your breasts so do not feel hard and solid. Do it regularly until you feel comfortable.

4. If the breast swelling due to fluid retention and not because milk is overfull, this would require a different treatment. To determine whether the swelling caused by fluid, you can do the following ways:

Pay attention when you remove the bra, if there are indentations

Press and hold down on the side of the breast for 10-20 seconds. If left finger indentations, the possibility of swelling caused by fluid and not because of breastfeeding.

To overcome the problem of this fluid, able to perform the method "Reverse Pressure Softening". That is by doing a gentle massage using your fingertips with the movement of pushing out the areola, hold for maybe 30-40 seconds to remove fluid. Then move your finger around the areola and repeat. After that, you can begin to breastfeed or pump breast milk out.

5. Using cabbage leaves (cabbage). Cabbage leaves have the ideal shape for breasts, besides the cabbage leaves have a soothing effect. In conditions where the breast swell , you can use cabbage leaves to cope.

Way, take cabbage leaves and place some time in the refrigerator or freezer. Then insert it into your bra Let stand for 10 minutes to help cool the breast. Remove the cabbage leaves and clean the breast before feeding.

6. Alternatively, you can buy a gel pack that can cool or heat the breast. In conditions where breast milk being produced, then the venous blood flow will also appear in the breast, so that the effect of the gel can soothe. But if you do not feel comfortable with this way, you can do the other way.

How long this swelling problem occurs in breastfeeding mothers?

Every individual has a milk supply different. Generally, after the first week, the issue of breast swelling has begun to subside, and began to settle on the size.

And between 3-9 weeks later, the mother's body begins producing milk with the right amount for her baby. At this time maybe some women worry about the milk does not come out well, but this is precisely the right conditions in which the mother's body has begun to produce milk more efficiently with the right amount for her baby.