How to eliminate postpartum breast edema? Three or four days after delivery, a new mother will suddenly feel pain in both breasts, some will swell and harden like two shot puts, which will look tight and shiny. In severe cases, it will hurt at the touch, and clothes will not stick to the skin, sometimes accompanied by fever. This is the physiological swelling of postpartum breast.
What is the cause of breast physiological swelling?
Physiology, as the name implies, is the normal physiological process of breast distension, some mothers may have it, and some mothers may not. Some mothers are mild, and some mothers are serious. When the placenta is delivered, the secretion of lactation hormone increases, reaching the highest point on the 3rd and 4th day after delivery, resulting in a rapid increase in blood circulation and lactation, resulting in physiological edema of breast tissue. At this time, there are blood and lymph in the breast, so it looks very swollen.
What should I do when the breast is physiologically swollen?
When this happens, mothers will be very worried that it will get worse. In fact, most of the time, as long as it is handled correctly and in time, early postpartum contact, early sucking, early breastfeeding and diligent breastfeeding should be done. Breast-feeding on demand (at least 12 times or more in 24 hours), so that the milk can be discharged smoothly, and the mother will feel that the breasts will gradually become soft and comfortable. The fever will go down automatically in about 24 hours, and the lump will disappear slowly in two or three days.
How to avoid the occurrence of physiological breast distension?
Do not drink greasy and suckling soup in the first week after delivery. When breast distension occurs, cold compress can be used to relieve breast pain. The International Breast Milk Association recommends applying cabbage leaves to the breasts (avoiding nipples and areola). Generally, cold compress should be applied in the middle of feeding for about 15~20 minutes at a time. Mom, pay attention to stop using it as soon as there is a rash or other allergic symptoms. Or you can cool the boiling water, wet the towel and wring it out, and apply it to the breast (also avoid nipples and areola).
If the above methods can't relieve the swelling of the breast and the fever persists, you can apply an ice pack or an ice towel to the breast to avoid the nipple and areola. After each breast-feeding, the breast will basically swell in about 24 hours, and the breast pump should be avoided to avoid damaging the nipple areola and aggravating breast edema. Most doctors in hospitals are too busy to guide them one by one, and some doctors' lack of breast milk knowledge may be misleading. New mothers are more at a loss in the face of postpartum milk increase. At this time, a "professional" breast milk guidance is very useful, and often it is the savior and backing of breast-feeding mothers.
The prolactin not only helps to deal with the problem of breast swelling, but also gives postpartum mothers some psychological, nutritional, breastfeeding, parenting and other guidance to help mothers successfully pass the first level of maternal love and successfully achieve breastfeeding.
How to treat postpartum mastitis fever? Acute mastitis is an acute purulent infection of the breast, and it is inflammation of connective tissue in and around the mammary duct, which mostly occurs in postpartum and lactating women, especially primiparas. It is reported that the incidence of acute mastitis in primiparas is 50%, and the ratio of primiparas to multiparas is 2.4∶ 1. Breastfeeding can occur at any time, but it is most common in 3 ~ 4 weeks after delivery, so it is also called puerperal mastitis.
How to prevent mastitis
First, it should vary from person to person and be supplemented as needed. Some parturients are not smooth when opening milk, and their families hurriedly stew fish soup and pig's trotters soup to supplement their health. In fact, this practice is not necessarily appropriate. First of all, what is the reason for the lack of milk? Is the milk secretion less, or is the milk accumulated and the milk tube blocked? That is, to distinguish whether it belongs to true hypogalactia or false hypogalactia. Because in many cases, the milk has been continuously secreted and accumulated in the breast, but because the mammary duct is not unobstructed, it can't be discharged smoothly, giving people the performance of "not much milk", that is, less fake milk. At this time, the food that supplements the milk can only be counterproductive, which can easily lead to the occurrence of acute mastitis.
The second is to keep the breasts clean. During lactation, you can use gauze dipped in warm water for cleaning before breastfeeding. After breastfeeding, you should wipe your breasts and nipples with warm water. Do not use chemicals such as soap and alcohol to scrub the nipple, otherwise it will reduce the local defense ability of the nipple, and the nipple will dry and lead to bacterial infection.
The third is to breastfeed correctly. It is recommended to breastfeed regularly, preferably every 2 ~ 3 hours. The two breasts are alternately fed, and it is best to have equal opportunities to prevent asymmetry of both breasts after breastfeeding. Empty your breasts and don't accumulate milk. When one breast can feed the baby, suck the other breast empty with a breast pump. Don't be stingy, because the more milk you eat, the more you have. Of course, when the milk is insufficient, it can also be stored in the refrigerator. Don't let the baby sleep with nipples in his mouth after feeding. The baby's saliva contains digestive enzymes, which will make the milk form a cheese-like substance and block the nipple, resulting in poor milk ejection and even siltation. Breast-feeding posture should be correct, it is best to use sitting position instead of lying position. After feeding, the baby should be held upright, with his head resting on his mother's shoulder and gently patting his back, so that the baby can discharge the air inhaled during breastfeeding by burping to prevent spitting. Wearing a suitable bra after breastfeeding can not only hold up the breast, keep the blood circulation in the breast smooth, but also help correct breast droop.
The fever caused by mastitis usually lasts for several days, and the whole body is just like a serious illness. It hurts all over and has no strength, and there will be many abnormalities in the blood picture, and it will take a few days to reduce the fever. Mastitis is not in the mammary duct. Children can be fed, but mothers are afraid to feed them. If mom is worried about not feeding, she can suck it out and feed it to the healthy side. During mastitis, doctors will give drugs that can be fed, such as cephalosporins and antibiotics, and it is recommended to take treatment in time. The treatment methods of acute mastitis mainly include physical therapy, antibiotic treatment and surgical treatment.