What is the use of hot towels for breasts during lactation? What should be paid attention to when hot compressing breasts during lactation?

We all know that pregnant mothers will enter the lactation period after giving birth, and their breasts will secrete milk, which is the main source of nutrition for the baby. Most babies will be exclusively breastfed. During the lactation period, many mothers will use hot towels to apply to their breasts. So what are the benefits of hot compresses on the breasts during lactation? Let's take a closer look!

What are the benefits of using a hot towel on the breasts during breastfeeding?

1. Promote milk secretion

After giving birth, the best time to start breastfeeding is half an hour after delivery, or at least on the same day. However, some new mothers miss the best time to start breastfeeding, which makes it difficult to start breastfeeding later. At this time, you can use a warm towel to heat the chest to promote milk secretion.

In addition to breastfeeding, mothers with insufficient milk can also use hot compresses to increase milk secretion. Hot compresses can promote blood circulation in the local breasts, dredge the mammary glands, increase milk secretion, and clean the breasts.

2. It is conducive to the discharge of excess milk

Some new mothers have a lot of milk and their breasts are often swollen. At this time, new mothers can also use hot towels for hot compresses, which can effectively relieve the swelling and pain and also discharge excess milk.

3. When milk is blocked, it is beneficial to the expansion of the mammary gland

Milk blockage is a painful feeling. Many new mothers, in addition to letting the baby suck more, can also use hot towels to apply heat to help expand the milk ducts. However, hot compresses are different for different situations. If there is no mastitis, you can apply hot compresses for about 10 minutes before the baby sucks milk to expand the mammary glands, and then feed the baby.

Under what circumstances can't you apply heat?

If your milk ducts are blocked and you have mastitis, you should not apply hot compresses as this will aggravate the spread of the inflammation.

So how do you tell if it's mastitis? In fact, it's easy to tell. If there's local redness, swelling, pain, and sometimes throbbing pain, and the body temperature rises, you must apply cold compresses. Cold compresses can lower the local temperature, reduce edema, local pain, and control the inflammatory response. There are cabbage cold compresses, potato slice cold compresses, cold towel cold compresses, soft ice pack cold compresses, etc.

What should you pay attention to when applying hot towels to your breasts during breastfeeding?

1. Manage your time well

Ten minutes of hot compress is enough each time. If there is no milk, you will feel that your breasts are fuller than before. If there is a lump, you can apply it for a little longer. If you feel that the lump becomes soft, you can deal with it. If it cannot be dealt with in one go, you can continue to apply hot compress. Or you can continue after a few hours.

2. The temperature should not be too high

When applying heat, never use water that is too hot. If you are using a steamed towel, do not use water that is too hot. It is easy to burn your skin. You should choose a temperature that you feel a little hot, but not hot. You do not need to burn your skin very red. This is not necessarily the only way to achieve the effect. Everyone has different sensitivity to heat, so it depends on your personal feelings. But it is definitely not the kind of water temperature that you can't even put your hand in. If it is so hot that you can't even put your hand in the basin, you will be asking for trouble if you insist on applying heat to your chest.

3. Do not use hot compress when the pain is severe

There are many benefits of hot compress, but you must pay attention to one thing. If you can't deal with it immediately or the pain is very severe, don't use hot compress. Instead, use cold compress to relieve the pain. Heat expands and cold contracts. Using cold compress can shrink the mammary ducts, slow down blood circulation, and reduce milk secretion, so that the breasts will not be so painful. And if you can't handle it yourself, you must find a professional lactation consultant or go to the hospital in time to avoid hurting the mammary glands.