What is breast engorgement and how can it be prevented at home?

During the postpartum period, the mother faces a new unknown stage in which

arise regarding the care and upbringing of the newborn.

Among them, many have to do with

.

A very beneficial practice that often leads to

.

Among the most frequent discomforts derived from breastfeeding, it is worth highlighting

an inflammation of the breasts that arises when they are

.

Consequently, they become firm, swollen and uncomfortable for the mother, as well as making it difficult for the baby to breastfeed.

Why does breast engorgement appear?

According to scientific studies on breastfeeding, breast engorgement usually appears between

to more abundant and mature milk

occurs .

Breast engorgement occurs when the breast produces

than the baby drinks.

This can be caused by a late start of lactation;

for

,

or time-restricted shots;

when the baby does not latch on well to the breast or does not suck enough... It also occurs when

, for example because the little one is asleep.

Or by

.

Likewise, it is not exempt from appearing in women who decide not to breastfeed, in the period that elapses until their body stops producing milk.

Symptoms of breast engorgement

The main symptom of breast engorgement is

and

in the breasts.

These feel very sensitive and can even be

.

Another sign is that the nipples become firm as a result of engorgement, which makes it even more difficult for the baby to latch on correctly to the breast.

Therefore,

In some cases, breast engorgement can also cause

in the mother, giving rise to what is known as milk fever.

Feeling the

is another associated symptom, as well as the appearance of

that sometimes even occur in the armpit area.

If breast engorgement is not properly treated or relieved and persists over time, it is likely to lead to

and cause mastitis.

For this reason, it is advisable

to receive a personalized treatment for each case.

How to treat breast engorgement at home

In addition to the advice of a health professional, there are some

with which to

breast engorgement at home.

The first of these is

the baby as much as possible, both in terms of the frequency of feedings and their duration.

Also let him

before offering the next and change positions to better drain the entire breast.

Likewise, it is advisable to

with which each feeding begins.

When the breast is very full, it is helpful for the mother

before feeding or when she cannot breastfeed for several hours, to relieve engorgement.

If the breast is too swollen, expressing a little milk with a breast pump or manually before feeding, as well as

during feeding, will facilitate suction and latching.

On the other hand, placing

before feeding will soften the breast.

In this sense,

after breastfeeding helps reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

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