Breastfeeding Problems

Breastfeeding for even the most practiced of us can sometimes become a real pain(literally)

I have provided a list of causes and cures and hope this helps people in the future.

Blocked Milk Ducts: When a milk duct is blocked you usually get a painful red lump around your nipple area. To combat this you should not wear any tight clothing around your chest, including tight bras.You should see a doctor about this as it could become infected and may need antibiotics. Also you should continue to feed from the affected breast as this can sometimes make it better.

Sore Nipples: This is generally because bub has not latched on properly. The best thing to do is take bub off and reattach trying to get as much breast in bubs mouth as possible. Applying breastmilk directly to the nipple before and after a feed can reduce this pain.

Engorgement: This is when you make to much milk and the breasts get overfull. Generally it occurs a few days after baby is born and usually settles down within a week. Regular feeding will help stabilize milk supply. This can also occur during weaning a fully breastfed baby. If this is the case or you are planning to bottlefeed from the start there are numerous things you can try. These can include cold cabbage leaves, tight binding around chest (to reduce the amount of room in breasts for milk to be held)

Mastitis: This is an infection which can strike at any time. Usually caused by engorgement, weaning or less nursing, too tight bras. With mastitis you can expect a number of symptoms including: swelling, pain in the breast and generally an accompanying fever. Your doctor may prescribe warm wraps or heat bags placed on the affected area and in some cases antibiotics. Generally these are ok for nursing mothers.

If any of these things should happen to you it is always best to seek out medical attention.

Hope this has helped.