At the beginning of breastfeeding, your body has not yet adjusted to your baby’s needs. However, milk production is in full swing. If the baby is still drinking little, the breast will not be emptied enough. This can lead to milk engorgement. This can cause the breasts to swell and make it harder for the baby to grasp the entire areola.
Symptoms – Complaints
- Red, warm and hard spots on the breast.
- Tight, aching breasts
Common causes are:
- Stress of the mother
- Incorrect positioning of the baby during breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding too infrequently – the mammary glands become too full, so that the glandular tissue filled with milk squeezes the milk ducts.
- Feeding too often to one breast – this causes the other breast is not emptied sufficiently.
- Bra too tight – this can pinch off the mammary glands.
- Injury to the breast inside
- Sucking vesicle – the vesicle appears as a small yellow spot on the nipple; it closes a mammary gland.
- Breast milk residue can form a plug and block the mammary glands.
What helps?
- The child must be put on especially often in this situation, even if you find it uncomfortable. Only in this way there is a possibility to empty the breast. For breast emptying, a breast pump can also be used in addition to frequent breastfeeding.
- Through a daily breast massage can stimulate the flow of milk again.
- Change the breastfeeding position.
- Warm your breast before breastfeeding, for example, with warm compresses or a grain pillow. This will stimulate the blood circulation.
- Following breastfeeding or if the milk congestion is already well advanced, cooling is more likely to be perceived as pleasant and helpful.
- Avoid stress.
- A woman with milk congestion belongs in bed!
As soon as a flu-like feeling, chills and fever appear, you should see a doctor. It could be that mastitis (inflammation of the breast) has developed. If the mastitis is bacterial, administration of an antibiotic will be necessary. Most agents are compatible with breastfeeding.
