Breast massage while breastfeeding

Breast massage during feeding - in some cases, this may be the only means that helps reduce all the unpleasant consequences of breastfeeding. Very often, a nursing mother faces the problem of lactation disorders due to milk stagnation or other reasons, which brings painful sensations to the mother and does not bring satiety to the child. In this case, it is necessary to carry out treatment and it is better to start not with medicinal procedures using ointments, but to carry out physical and physiotherapeutic procedures in order to avoid complications in the future.

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Indications and contraindications for breast massage during feeding

Breastfeeding is a process that every woman goes through and that brings a lot of emotions to both mother and baby. If the process of feeding a child is correct, then he gains weight well, is not capricious, eats well and the process itself brings pleasure to the mother. But it is necessary to know several rules for successful breastfeeding.

First of all, feeding a newborn baby, that is, in the first 28 days of his life, should be done at his request, without night breaks. At the same time, the interval between feedings should not be more than three hours. Such an interval has a good effect not only on the child, but also on the secretion of milk. At night, under the influence of pituitary hormones, milk is formed in the mammary glands, and under the influence of night feedings, the production of the hormone oxytocin increases, which in turn affects the muscle fibers of the milk ducts and normal secretion of milk into the milk ducts occurs. This process occurs normally, but there are cases when there is not enough milk and the child is fed with mixtures. In this case, the normal process of milk formation and secretion does not occur and this contributes to the disruption of the lactogenesis process. Then various pathological conditions arise in the form of lactostasis or, in case of infection, inflammation of the mammary gland occurs - mastitis.

It is also necessary to know about the correct toilet of the mammary gland. After each feeding, you should not wash the mammary gland or wipe it with a dry towel. A daily shower is enough, which allows you to clean everything without additional effort. Immediately after feeding, you need to wipe the nipple with a drop of milk and this is enough. Such elementary rules help to avoid the formation of cracks in the nipple, through which microorganisms can penetrate with the initiation of the inflammatory process.

Therefore, it is necessary to be clearly aware of the indications that may be associated with breastfeeding.

Massage and physiotherapy procedures are an excellent home method of breast care for a nursing mother. It helps to relax the breast muscles, increase milk secretion and increases the contraction of the muscle fibers of the milk ducts, which in turn contributes to better milk secretion. Therefore, the main indication for breast massage during feeding is lactostasis or milk stagnation. This occurs when feeding rules are violated, with irregular feeding or when there is milk left in the breast after feeding, which can stagnate. In this case, there is a feeling of distension and tension in the mammary gland, pain during feeding, the child does not get enough due to a violation of the flow of milk into the milk duct. If the process is limited to local manifestations only, then breast massage in this case is the main treatment that can be done at home. It resumes the normal outflow of milk and can help in the initial stages of the process without the use of ointments. It is important to adhere to the correct massage technique and hygiene measures.

Contraindications for breast massage during feeding are obvious signs of an inflammatory process in the breast - mastitis or breast abscess. In this case, massage can only worsen the situation by spreading the purulent focus. It is easy to differentiate mastitis and lactostasis. When mastitis occurs, local changes in the breast occur in the form of reddening of the skin, a burning sensation, the skin is warm or hot to the touch, tense, and severe pain. In infectious inflammation of the breast, there are general manifestations in the form of intoxication syndrome with a rise in temperature. In this case, breast massage should never be performed. It is also necessary to exclude breastfeeding of the child. Also, breast massage should not be performed in case of concomitant other infectious processes or malignant processes.

Massage in combination with other physiotherapy procedures is an excellent means of treating milk stagnation and helps to quickly resume normal breastfeeding.

Breast massage technique during feeding

Breast massage during feeding is a very good way to treat lactostasis, if it is done correctly. It is necessary to follow some rules for a successful procedure. To do this, first of all, you need to prepare. It is better to do the massage several times a day - in the morning, during the day and in the evening after feeding the baby. Preparation for the massage is hygienic procedures in the form of wiping the breast with warm water. After this, it is necessary to express a few drops of milk and moisturize the skin of the nipple and the mammary gland itself. Now you can proceed directly to the massage.

Read also: Vacuum breast massage

Many people wonder how to massage their breasts while feeding. First of all, it is necessary to say that there is nothing complicated here and every woman can do it. The main techniques of breast massage are rubbing with gentle massaging movements. In this case, the movements should be in the radial direction from the periphery of the mammary gland to the nipple along the milk ducts. This principle improves the outflow of milk through the milk ducts, and then promotes its better secretion. It is necessary to go through such massaging movements several times throughout the gland, and then express the remaining milk.

Breast massage oil is not usually used during feeding, as it can cause an irritating effect both on the skin of the breast and on the baby during the next feeding. Oil can be used if the skin of the nipple and breast is dry and prone to cracking. Then you can use a small amount of natural, but not cosmetic oil, such as olive oil, and it is better to use a few drops before the massage to moisturize the skin, and then a few drops after the massage. The use of cosmetic oils is not recommended, as they can have a sharp smell that is absorbed into the skin and may not be liked by the baby during feeding.

This massage should be done for several days - about five - then lactostasis will pass and milk will flow normally. It is also good to apply a warm heating pad after the massage, but not a hot one. Then the heat relaxes the muscles of the milk ducts even more and this improves the effect of the massage.

Another point that women often ask is whether breast massage will help if the breasts are so hard that it feels like a stake? The answer is clear - yes, if you follow all the rules and massage regularly and thoroughly.

The consequences of an incorrectly performed massage are its ineffectiveness, which may require additional treatment methods. If you rarely or incorrectly perform a massage, then it is clear that it will not bring any effect.

Complications that may arise from violation of massage technique, as well as from its ineffective use for a long time - this is infection with the development of an inflammatory process. If you have been doing massage and other physiotherapy procedures for a long time, and this is ineffective and breast swelling increases or symptoms of local inflammation and intoxication syndrome appear, then you must stop the massage and all other methods of treatment and consult a doctor. After all, in this case, complications in the form of mastitis or the formation of an abscess of the mammary gland can develop. These are very dangerous complications that must be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. As for other complications, galactocele can form as a result of prolonged lactostasis. This is a cyst formed by an enlarged milk duct lined with epithelium and containing milk. Such cysts significantly disrupt the process of further feeding and can fester. All this can contribute to the loss of lactation, and the child is deprived of the most important food product, which contains many useful substances.

Breast massage during feeding is a very convenient and simple method of correcting lactostasis in nursing mothers. This is a very common pathology that disrupts the normal nutrition of the child and brings discomfort to the woman, so it is necessary to prevent and treat lactostasis. The correct massage technique and its regularity ensures rapid restoration of breastfeeding, so it is necessary to adhere not only to the regime, but also to the feeding technique. A good effect is achieved by the complex use of massage and physiotherapeutic procedures in the form of warm heating.