Blockage of milk ducts as the main cause of chest pain in nursing mothers
This phenomenon, when the outflow of breast milk from the glands is difficult, in medicine was called "lactostasis." As a rule, this disease is more often observed in those women who give birth for the first time, and is caused by a small lumen of the ducts in the gland itself.
Also, lactostasis can appear in the case when the mother does not comply with the schedule for feeding the baby, or when the milk is produced so much that the baby does not empty the breast completely. In such situations it is necessary to constantly express and massage the mammary glands.
Mastitis is the most frequent cause of chest pain
Often in a nursing mother, there is a situation where only one breast is affected. As a rule, this is the breast that the baby sucks less often or completely refuses it. As a result, the same lactostasis that leads to mastitis develops if it is not treated for a long time.
With such a disease in a nursing mother not only hurts the breast, but also notes its swelling, redness of the skin, it is hot to touch. In addition to everything, there is an increase in body temperature above 38 degrees.
What other situations can cause chest pain in nursing?
Talking about why mammary glands are affected by nursing mothers, it must be said that sometimes the fault is caused by the wrong suckling of the breast by the baby itself.
So, often, especially at the very beginning of breastfeeding, the baby badly grasps the nipple, which leads to traumatization and the appearance of cracks. All this is accompanied by severe pain, which can spread from the nipple to the entire breast.
Also, a breach of the integrity of the skin of the nipple can also occur if the baby is removed from the mouth incorrectly. In no case can not quickly take the baby's chest. If the mother needs to do this, just lightly press a finger on the corner of the child's mouth.
In addition, if the breastfeeding breast has a sore, and it does not observe the reasons explaining this phenomenon, it is necessary to reconsider its wardrobe, in particular the brassiere. After all, as is known, with lactation, the mammary glands grow in size, and then the underwear that my mother wore earlier becomes small.