Can I feed my baby if my milk is swollen?

Pregnancy is a normal thing in the world. Many people will breastfeed their babies after giving birth, which is of course the best. What our babies need most is nutrition, and the largest source of nutrition is breast milk. But if the mother has milk engorgement, can she breastfeed her baby? Come with me to find out the answer!

Can I give my baby milk if I have engorged breast milk?

Breast swelling is mainly caused by the increased blood and water content in the breast milk and connective tissue. Pregnant women begin to have colostrum in the late pregnancy. When the fetus is delivered, the secretion of lactogenic hormone increases, which stimulates the production of milk, causing the mammary ducts and surrounding tissues to swell, reaching its peak on the 3rd or 4th day after giving birth. If the mother fails to breastfeed as soon as possible after the baby is born, or the breastfeeding interval is too long, or the mother secretes too much milk and the baby eats some leftovers, the milk cannot be completely removed, and the milk accumulates in the mammary ducts, making the breasts swollen and painful. At this time, the breasts become hard and the nipples are not easy to latch on. The mother will reduce the frequency of breastfeeding for fear of pain, which will cause milk flow to stop and aggravate milk swelling. Something to feed children!

What to do if your breasts swell

1. Expressing breast milk

If the size of the breast is very high, you can squeeze it a little. But you must never squeeze out the short position, you must have control. The traditional practice is that even if the breasts are swollen, you cannot squeeze them, because the mother will say that the milk will go back as the breasts swell. But in fact, allowing the breasts to grow milk without limit is very risky. Once the milk ducts are blocked, mastitis is very likely to occur. Therefore, in order to prevent mastitis caused by weaning, it is still necessary to express breast milk slowly to prevent breast engorgement.

2. Heat and ice

If the swelling of the breasts is really uncomfortable, you can apply a hot towel to it. The heat can make the milk mass blocked in the mammary glands smoother and improve the breast circulation. When applying heat, be careful to avoid the nipples and nipple area, as the skin there is more tender. The temperature of the hot compress should not be too high to avoid scalding the skin. If new mothers have severe breast engorgement and pain, they can use ice to relieve the pain. But remember to squeeze the milk first and then apply ice.

It is really a happy thing for a child to have a mother to breastfeed. Many mothers have poor physical constitution and cannot express breast milk for a while after giving birth. Therefore, this also tells our mothers to pay attention to physical exercise in their daily life, eat well and sleep well!