How many days lactostasis takes place. Manifestation of lactostasis in a nursing mother, signs, massage and other methods of treatment When lactostasis passes

A young mom is always scared: "Look, don't get cold on your breasts!"
The term "chilled breasts" means that the nursing mother received a cold spasm of the ducts, which in turn caused lactostasis (milk stagnation).
But lactostasis happens not only from cold spasm, more often it happens from:
uncomfortable tight clothing, underwired bras
squeezing your breasts while sleeping or nursing
skipping or irregular feeding
severe stress or physical activity Mom
there is a breast shape in which lactostasis is easily formed, especially if you feed all the time in one position
inflammatory processes inside the body
and in general, in a "bare" place.
95% of breastfeeding mothers face milk stagnation, regardless of whether they "chill" their breasts or not.

Before getting rid of lactostasis, you need to determine whether it is really lactostasis. To do this, answer yourself the following questions: is there a seal; is there redness; the painful area is closer to the outside of the chest or the inside; hurts like a bruise?
If there is no redness, it means that this is a classic lactostasis, and the baby will easily dissolve it if you apply the baby to the sore breast indefinitely. It is also good to do the following:
If you are wearing an underwired bra, remove it.
Between feedings, apply a cold compress ( cabbage leaf; cottage cheese in gauze from the refrigerator; just a towel dipped cold water) and wait until it heats up - it will take 20-30 minutes
Immediately before feeding, for 15–10–5 minutes, as it happens, warm the sore lobe of the breast. To do this, you can use both a heating pad and a towel moistened with warm water. If you do not have a fever (often stagnation can be accompanied by an increase in body temperature up to 38 degrees), then you can take a warm shower before feeding. While in the shower, mom can sweep her breasts until she is relieved, but in no case should you press hard on the sore spot - your task is not to pump out as much milk as possible, but to break through the stagnation, for which it is usually enough for a drop to come out that clogs the milk duct
During feeding, lightly (without pressure) massage the sore spot from the periphery to the nipple with your palm (this improves the outflow of milk in the sore lobe). At the same time, auto-training is good - close your eyes and imagine how milk flows through the sore lobe directly into the child's mouth
Latch your baby to the sore breast as often as possible. Apply to a healthy one so that the baby empties it, and, in turn, stagnation does not form in it. The best posture for resolving stagnation is one in which the baby's chin will "look" directly into the sore spot. Most often these are the "armpit" and "69" positions.
This exercise helps a lot: stand in front of the doorway, fists to the shoulders, elbows to the sides. Rest your elbows on the jambs. Press for a few seconds, then sag, stretching the muscles from your chest to your elbows. Repeat several times. Then you move your elbows higher along the jambs - press several times, sag. Then repeat the same in the lower position of the elbows. Stagnation goes away after a few such exercises.

If there is redness, then for the cold compress you need to use not cottage cheese or a cool towel, but ice
When the seal has resolved (i.e. it is no longer palpable), residual pain may still be observed for some time (from self-massage, constant checks, etc.). This pain goes away after a while, and there is no need to fight it.
Elevated temperature during lactostasis often does not need to be knocked down if it is localized under a sore breast.
The stagnation should not last more than 3 days. If during this time the pain does not go away, you should contact the hospital to relieve stagnation with the help of an experienced consultant and / or ultrasound.
What should not be done in any case:
1. Apply alcoholic and alcohol-containing compresses - alcohol suppresses the production of oxytocin in cells, thereby suppressing the outflow of milk, while your task, on the contrary, is to improve it and break through stagnation.
2. Warming the breasts between feedings, making warming compresses - this will cause milk flow between feedings and worsen the inflammation.
3. Stop feeding from a sore breast.

And this is from the experience of one friend.

My war with lactostasis
(Nastena's mother (Leda))
My first stagnation happened in the third week of Nastya's life. She's ill. A physiological runny nose began, which in our apartment with insanely dry air quickly turned into swelling of the nose. What is nasal edema for a newborn baby? Almost a disaster! Since she did not know how to breathe through her mouth yet.
I stopped eating altogether, because the stuffy nose did not allow me to suck. My chest was bursting, and the baby made two smacks, causing a rush, and turned away in crying: there was not enough air. She calmed down, falling asleep in her arms. From the closeness of the child, the breast gave out all the new unclaimed portions. It was not possible to drain the milk, because for this it was necessary to put aside the small one, and she would not allow such a thought: she would immediately wake up and start crying. The result - the whole day, the unsucked mother was dying in the evening under two milk cans with a temperature of about forty. When my husband came home from work and took Nastena, I was able to express. It took a long time. Intermittently to slip Nastasya into a couple of smacks. While mom continued to take care of her breasts, dad fed Nastya from a pipette with expressed milk. During the breaks, we fought with the swelling of the nose. The chest withstood, the swelling subsided, and the next day we were already regularly sucking the sisya.
At three months I made myself lactostasis. In a single misfortune, the lactation crisis crossed and the mother's need to be absent for several hours a day. The tactics of dealing with the crisis are clear - the mother lies with the child in bed and feeds, feeds, feeds. Weaning is about pumping ahead of time and letting your breasts sit for several hours. And so, against the background of the crisis, I drank liters of lactagon teas and expressed myself at night for leaving. I was absent for 3-4 hours. After a week of such a life, the breast, instead of the established lactation, gave out such cans that lactostasis could not be avoided. Blockages of different lobes with fever, redness and soreness of the breast occurred alternately. Fortunately, I stopped absenting and rushed to fight this scourge. She hung Nastya on the boob and fed her from different positions, trying all the time to place her chin over the sore lobe. In 4 days, we dealt with these cans and healed like people.
At 4 months, lactostasis happened due to an uncomfortable sleeping position. Were treated with the same frequent attachment.
When I was 5 months old, lactostasis started working because of the irrepressible energy of my Nastena. The teddy bear moved more and more, mastering his and his mother's body. The chest suffered from everything: from harmless pats and light pinches to palpable apercuts and kicks. As an insult, Sisia rebelled with a slight lactostasis, thanks to which my mother realized that the respectful attitude of the younger generation to the breast should be brought up so that it would not be excruciatingly painful in the future.
Then there was a lull until 10 and a half months, when lactostasis went one after another. It seemed that I was already a skillful fighter against this scourge. But no. At 3-4-5 months, my whole struggle was reduced to more frequent attachments of the baby to the breast. A good tactic that gives 100% results at an age when the mother is interested in the child much more than the world around her and an extra breast supply is considered a precious gift. At 10.5, my Nastya looked bewildered when my mother tried to slip her sissy, because there are so many interesting things around. And the extra sucking ability was easily exchanged for the contents of a trash can or a toilet brush. For the first time, for the treatment of lactostasis, I had to resort to additional means: Traumil C ointment for the sick share, a cold compress with cottage cheese. (Take cold cottage cheese (from the refrigerator, but not from the freezer!), Take gauze, put it on the diseased share, cottage cheese on top and then gauze again. Hold for 15-20 minutes until the cottage cheese heats up and dries out. Lactic acid breaks down very well stagnation). I climbed into a warm shower just before feedings and did Eli's signature exercise between feedings. (You stand in front of the doorway. Fists to your shoulders, elbows to the sides. You rest your "front of elbows" (what can you call that?) On the jambs. You press for a few seconds, then sag, stretching the muscles that go from the chest to the elbows. So several times. Then you move your elbows higher along the jambs - you press, sag several times. Then in the lower position of the elbows the same way.) However, in my opinion, all these manipulations are needed in order to kill time for the main action - the opportunity to slip the breast into the baby. For the first time, it was enough for me to hold out until the daytime sleep, during which Nastyukha absorbed the seal for me in no time. Two weeks later, when the relapse occurred, it took half a night to heal.
What conclusion can I draw from my whole story? Lactostasis is not so terrible as it seems, if the best breast pump is in the skillful hands of the mother - her child!

About half of women during breastfeeding have various problems in the mammary glands associated with the process of feeding the baby with mother's milk. Moreover, every fifth young mother is faced with lactostasis one or more times during the first 5-7 months of breastfeeding. Therefore, the question "What to do with lactostasis in nursing?" remains relevant among obstetricians-gynecologists and doctors of related specialties.

Read in this article

Signs and causes of lactostasis

In modern medical literature in recent times experts began to divide lactostasis into two categories:

the first, in which it may or may not go into mastitis;
the second, the main criterion of which is the inflammatory process in the mammary gland.

On the other hand, it is almost impossible to clearly distinguish between lactostasis and mastitis, since, according to mammologists, there is no mastitis without lactostasis, it is also difficult to imagine the occurrence of a disease without a corresponding inflammatory moment.

All painful problems in the mammary glands during lactation usually occur in the first six months of breastfeeding and are associated with the restructuring of the female body in the postpartum period. However, painful symptoms in the breast can occur in young mothers and in the subsequent period of breastfeeding. Doctors offer the following classification of breast diseases during breastfeeding:

any injuries, cracks and abrasions of the nipples, the presence of a clinic for clogging of the milk duct;
directly lactostasis itself;
inflammatory and non-inflammatory nature.

In all cases, problems in the mammary gland develop rapidly, and the occurrence of each symptom is a mandatory reason for the occurrence of the next stage of the disease.

It usually happens very simply. Lack of experience in feeding a child in a young woman often provokes the appearance of damage to the skin in the area of the nipple or areola. The presence of an abrasion or a small wound leads to swelling and pain. The presence of pain at the time of feeding, of course, leads to problems with emptying the breast during expression or naturally. When milk is stagnant, the hormonal problems of lactation are disrupted. Milk accumulated in the thoracic ducts contributes to the blockage of the milk ducts, increases the edema and pain in the mammary gland and, as a result, even more causes lactostasis.

At the same time, the transition in the breast tissue of the component of the liquid part of breast milk, which, after the clogging of the milk ducts with a creamy clot, looks for a way out, joins the pathological process in the mammary gland. The composition of this liquid part also includes the so-called cytokines, which cause inflammatory disease in the damaged gland and contribute to the transition of lactostasis into inflammatory purulent mastitis.

With mastitis, the release of milk from a woman's breast practically stops, the edema of the mammary gland and its inflammation increase, the circle of pathological manifestations is closed.

TO common reasons lactostasis in nursing can be attributed to:

mistakes when feeding a baby,
insufficient emptying of all quadrants of the breast,
mechanical squeezing of the breast with poorly selected underwear or incorrect position of the woman's body during daytime or nighttime sleep.

An important role in the occurrence of lactostasis in nursing is also played by the incorrect body position of the baby and the mother at the time of feeding, weak sucking in the baby, and increased milk production in a woman.

Diagnosis and treatment of lactostasis in lactating women

Paradoxically, but best of all, experts recognize the pathology already at an advanced stage of the process, when a subcutaneous purulent abscess has formed in the patient's chest (it is distinguished by the presence of skin hyperemia at the site of inflammation and the phenomenon of local fluctuation). In most other cases, ultrasonography comes to the aid of clinicians. This method allows you to distinguish true lactostasis from purulent mastitis and other benign breast diseases. In the hands of an experienced specialist, sonography allows not only to determine the type of pathological process and its stage, but also to puncture and remove purulent formations in the mammary gland on an outpatient basis.

Bacteriological examination of milk from the affected breast is also of great practical importance. In addition to determining the pathogenic pathogen, which makes it possible to prescribe, in the presence of pus, the woman is advised to temporarily stop breastfeeding in order to avoid infection of the baby.

The leading mechanism in the development of lactostasis and mastitis in a nursing woman is stagnation of milk in the mammary gland. It is on the complete and high-quality emptying of the diseased breast that the actions of medical personnel should be directed at in the first stages of lactostasis treatment.

Should be carried out under the supervision of an experienced nurse at least every two hours. Expressing should be painless, as painful sensations indicate that the procedure is being performed incorrectly. In this case, it is possible not only to injure the mammary gland, but also to cause a woman's psychological fear of the feeding procedure itself, which in the future may require the intervention of a psychologist.

The very duration of lactostasis in a nursing woman is limited by a clear time frame. With proper treatment and constant emptying of the mammary gland, the prognosis is quite favorable, and the pathological process itself does not take more than 2-3 days. However, if during this period it is not possible to achieve a significant improvement in the condition, the patient should be referred for examination to a specialized specialist. The sooner a purulent process in the mammary gland is detected, the easier and better the treatment will be.

Drug treatment of lactostasis

For the treatment of lactostasis in lactating women in modern medicine a whole range of drugs is used.

In the first place with lactostasis in a nursing woman, psychological problems come out, therefore it is recommended to start the treatment process with the consultation of a psychologist or psychiatrist. Simultaneously with the impact on the psycho-emotional background of the young mother, appropriate hormonal therapy is carried out. This includes the combined administration of prolactin and pituitrin for 5-6 days in therapeutic doses. To achieve a more pronounced effect, it is advised to add the appointment of oxytacin, 0.4 ml twice a day.

Hormone therapy must necessarily be accompanied by the use of vitamin complexes (vitamins A, B12, C, PP) according to the appropriate schemes in the form of injections and capsules. The completeness of the treatment is ensured by the use of trace elements for 2 weeks. In our case, a 0.5% solution of potassium iodine or Lugol is recommended.

Of great importance in women with postpartum lactostasis is the use of physiotherapeutic methods of treatment. They are more accessible, do not cause allergies, and are well tolerated by young mothers. Women are advised to:

go through 8-10 ultrasound sessions, lasting from 3 to 5 minutes;
UHF up to 10 minutes throughout the week;
good results in the treatment of lactostasis in nursing women can be achieved by using vibration massage from 2 to 5 minutes (this procedure can be prescribed to patients for two weeks).

And of course, you cannot ignore the plant medicines... Experts advise the use of hawthorn extract, lemon balm tincture, various medicinal teas with a slight diuretic effect during the treatment of lactostasis.

Compliance with the norms of personal hygiene, the absence of stress, a constant regimen, good nutrition - all this should also help a young mother in the prevention of diseases of the mammary glands throughout the entire period of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding for 9-12 months helps the female body to fully recover from childbirth, create the appropriate hormonal and psychological background for the continuation of reproductive function.

I want to tell you about lactostasis. It just so happened that several times I had to seriously try to solve this problem. The first time everything came to mastitis and abscess, and I even had a small operation.

The problem of lactostasis, unfortunately, is not spared by any nursing mother (with rare exceptions). But you need to prevent and overcome it as soon as possible so that the whole process of breastfeeding is not upset. Of course, there is enough information on this issue, but I want to tell you about the knowledge that was useful to me - I read a lot of literature and forums, and chose what was close to me, and, thank God, solved the problem of lactostasis.

Lactostasis is a blockage of the milk duct caused by poor emptying of the breast or part of it. The breast consists of lobes (according to various sources - from 12 to 20), and each lobule has its own duct in the nipple. When it is felt that some lobule of the breast has become denser and sore, sometimes there is redness and swelling. If you express your breasts, you can see that milk is pouring out of the nipple in fewer streams, or from some part of the nipple, little by little, while from the rest of the nipple it may still be pouring out in streams.

Causes of lactostasis

To prevent lactostasis, you need to know the reason why it occurs.

Lactostasis often occurs due to the following points.

The mother does not often feed the child, or on the clock, waiting for the exact intervals.
The baby does not latch onto the breast correctly. Therefore, there is a poor outflow of milk in a certain part of the breast.
The mother holds a certain part of the breast with her finger during feeding. It is often found when a mother holds a dimple near the child's nose with her finger so that he has something to breathe - you just need to find and accept a position in which the breast does not overhang and press on the child, but this skill does not always come immediately. Or the mother incorrectly offers the child the breast - she squeezes the breast between the index and middle fingers, thereby squeezing some lobule of the breast or duct, and this happens as a habit - all the time.
Mom is wearing a tight bra.
Feeds the baby for a short amount of time, for example, for fear that the baby will suckle or overeat.
Sleeping on your stomach can cause a blockage in your milk duct.
Small chest contusion, microtrauma.
A stressful situation, overwork - of course, breastfeeding is not such an easy process, so do not forget about your own rest!
Lack of night feedings while the breasts are filling.

At the first symptoms of lactostasis, the state of health may be good, without fever and redness of the chest, but if nothing is done in such a situation, the temperature may rise and uninfected mastitis may begin (high temperature - more than 38, all other symptoms of lactostasis are aggravated).

Lactostasis treatment

As a rule, for the treatment of lactostasis, and even it is enough to learn how to properly attach the child to the breast and do it as often as possible (as an option - every hour or more often when the child is awake, and if it is very difficult for the mother, you can both wake up and slip the breast into sleepy ) - with this approach, the symptoms of lactostasis disappear within a day. But even if the symptoms of lactostasis do not go away even with frequent latching to the breast, then you will have to pump about 2-3 times a day (you also don't need more, so as not to catch a lot of milk into the breast). But you do not need to express after each feeding, this way the wrong information is sent to the brain about how much milk the baby needs. In this case, more milk begins to arrive each time, and the child will not be able to eat such an amount of milk. It turns out that you have to pump all the time, or there will be a sequential series of lactostasis - one passes and the other immediately begins. Unfortunately, I suffered with this for a long time.

Before expressing, a warm compress should be applied to the breast (not hot in any way!), In order to provoke the oxytocin reflex so that milk is more easily excreted from the breast. To do this, take a napkin and soak it in warm water. Place on chest and hold until it cools. Then, with light circular movements, massage the breasts from the base to the nipple, paying special attention to those lobes that are stagnant. Then start pumping. It is necessary to express aiming, that is, exactly the area that hurts you, and it is better to do this under a warm shower.

It is also good to pump over steam (if there is steam, it helps a lot). More about massage - you need to be very careful about your breasts - you can't crush them too much and do a professional massage. The masseur, kneading the stagnant areas, can transmit the milk ducts. And lactostasis can occur already in other parts of the breast.

Alcohol compresses should not be applied to the chest, as they block the release of oxytocin. Although many say that they make it easier, but this is a double-edged sword. The warming moment of the alcohol compress will do its job - the ducts will expand and the milk will be redistributed in the breast, but this milk and new, arriving ones will be more difficult to flow out (the release of oxytocin, which is responsible for the "flowing" of milk, is blocked). And if you stimulate the production of more milk, or you initially had a lot of it, you will get a new lactostasis, only probably stronger and more extensive.

After you have expressed “every last drop” of your breast, it is very important to bring the baby to the affected breast so that he can suck off any remaining milk and possibly stagnant lumps that can be difficult to express manually. But a high-quality breast pump is a great helper in this!

There is no need to ask your husband to help "dissolve" stagnant milk - the child sucks milk in a special way, which an adult is no longer capable of, since he has long lost the skill. The baby does not suck, but with his tongue removes milk from the areola, and then swallows. And the husband cannot do that - he will pull milk like a cocktail through a tube and thereby injure the affected nipples without it. In addition, in the mouth of any person there is a certain microflora with various bacteria, including disease-causing ones (for example, caries). And it will pass these bacteria on to you when it "sucks" the milk. And if you have a crack on your nipple, then this is a direct route for infection.

Do not expect soreness and some swelling of the affected lobe to go away immediately after pumping completely. All this takes place on the 2nd or 3rd day. The redness goes away at the last moment. You need to stop pumping your breasts on the 2nd - 3rd day. Sometimes one such complete pumping is enough and then frequent attachment of the baby to the affected breast to get rid of lactostasis.

Treatment of mastitis

"Uninfected mastitis is a more complex form of lactostasis, the symptoms are about the same, but with greater intensity. The state of health deteriorates sharply, the disease is accompanied by an increase in body temperature from 38 degrees and higher, pain in the area of compaction increases, it can be felt when walking, when the position of the body changes." ...

Treatment is the same as for lactostasis. The high temperature is brought down with antipyretic drugs, and after expressing, if the red spot becomes hot, edematous, it is recommended to apply ice to this spot for a few minutes. It is best to choose a nursing position such that the baby's chin is directed towards the affected area. This will allow the baby to empty this part of the breast more efficiently. When feeding, the mother can massage this duct to make it easier for the baby to empty it from the base of the breast to the nipple.

On the 2nd day, the improvement should dull us. But if the symptoms of uninfected mastitis remain severe, there are two or more days, infection may enter the chest and then it develops into infected mastitis.

In addition, cracks in the nipple can be a cause of infected mastitis, as they are a route for infection to enter the body and must be taken very seriously. Remember! A fissure is a direct route for infection to enter the mammary gland and the development of an abscess. There are many ways to treat cracked nipples, but the main thing is to properly attach the baby to the breast. And also the cream helped me well.

Also, mastitis can be a complication after an illness. For example, if a woman is sick, she may develop infected mastitis after about 2 weeks - you need to keep this in mind and additionally take care of the breast.

Infected mastitis is already an inflammatory process and its treatment should be medication and timely. As a rule, a course of antibiotics is prescribed that are compatible with breastfeeding - do not give up breastfeeding at this point, otherwise you may not return to it again. There is no need to be afraid of antibiotics - the disease is much more dangerous both for you and for the child. Also, be sure to continue pumping. Without expressing drug treatment will not be effective.

Expressions should not be done manually so that the infection does not spread to the adjacent lobes of the breast. It is better to use an electric breast pump for this. Warm compresses should not be made with infected mastitis, as they can provoke an abscess. If all the measures for treating mastitis are effective, then pumping ends on the 10th day.

And I still had an abscess. The lumps of stagnant milk did not disappear in any way, and a purulent sac appeared inside. The main thing with an abscess is not to panic about the fact that you can only breastfeed. You may well be able to feed the baby with this one healthy breast - and the right amount of milk will be produced, you may only have to feed a little more often.

A drainage is placed on the sore chest to remove pus from the purulent sac, plus, again, a course of antibiotics is prescribed. Medicines are also selected to be compatible with breastfeeding. Expressions are continued with a breast pump (so as not to affect the purulent sac, manual expression is not recommended). Expressions are also needed so that lactation in the affected breast does not die out, and after the end of treatment, you can return to feeding the baby from both breasts.

Self-medication of mastitis is unacceptable, but it is quite possible to cope with lactostasis on your own, the main thing is to carefully monitor your breasts and take measures in time.

I wish all nursing mothers never face this problem! But forewarned means forearmed!

Happy New Year to everyone! May our children be healthy and happy!

Lactostasis - stopping movement along the ducts (stagnation) of breast milk, usually occurs in the first weeks of feeding a newborn. Most often, primiparous women suffer from this pathological condition. The disease usually occurs between the first three days and six weeks of breastfeeding. The consequences of lactostasis are the reproduction in an excellent nutrient medium of microbes that have entered the gland through the cracks in the nipples, and the formation of purulent inflammation.

How to distinguish lactostasis from mastitis? The first is a non-inflammatory condition, with no signs of inflammation. When there is a reddening of the skin of the gland, its swelling, severe pain and induration, an increase in local temperature in the area of compaction of a relatively healthy gland, a deterioration in general well-being. Mastitis requires immediate medical attention.

Causes and mechanism of development

The reasons for lactostasis are primarily associated with the wrong way of feeding the child. This is facilitated by cracks in the nipples that appeared in the first days of feeding. They are painful, interfere with the feeding technique and make it difficult to express.

With irregular attachment to the breast, violation of sucking, nerve impulses from the nipples and breast tissue carry incorrect information to the pituitary gland - a part of the brain. As a result, the production of prolactin decreases in the pituitary gland. This hormone regulates milk synthesis. Under its influence, oxytocin is also produced, which contracts the muscles of the uterus and stimulates the contraction of the milk ducts. As a result of the lack of prolactin and oxytocin, the lactation function of the ducts decreases, and acute stagnation of milk occurs.

Factors provoking the disease:

hypothermia, contusion of the mammary gland;
emotional stress;
flat nipples;
constant pumping;
structural features of the gland (narrow ducts, too thick milk);
prematurity or illness of the child;
sleeping on the stomach;
using an unsuitable, tight, "pre-pregnant" bra;
premature feeding with artificial formula or refusal to breastfeed without taking measures to stop lactation.

Prevention of lactostasis during breastfeeding

It consists in training a woman in preparatory courses for childbirth, the availability of an available daily telephone consultation at the request of the patient ("breastfeeding hotline"), the correct organization of assistance to women giving birth in the pediatric area.

A woman should also engage in self-education: read special literature, watch training videos, listen to the advice of more experienced relatives and friends.

How to feed a child correctly to prevent the development of lactostasis?

attach the baby to the breast as early as possible, if possible immediately after birth;
feed in a position that is comfortable for mom and baby;
make sure that it completely captures not only the nipple, but also the areola;
help the baby a little, holding the gland from below so that it is convenient for him to suck, but not pinching the ducts with his fingers;
not to be afraid to learn by herself and teach the child to breastfeed, sometimes this does not happen on the first try;
feed the baby "on demand" until he has formed his own feeding schedule;
in the first weeks, allow the breast to suck as much as the baby wants;
apply to different breasts at each feeding;
feed the baby at night, it is advisable to arrange so that you can easily move the baby's bed to the mother's bed during feeding.

Clinical picture

At the very beginning of the disease, a woman pays attention to the fact that milk began to be released worse, in a thinner stream, with interruptions. The child's behavior also changes: he does not gorge himself, is capricious, gets tired quickly. Usually a day or two after that it unfolds clinical picture lactostasis.

Symptoms of lactostasis in a nursing mother: there is a strong engorgement of the gland, it thickens, becomes painful. More often the gland is affected on one side, less often on both. When expressing, patients are worried about pain, a feeling of fullness, a weak outflow of milk. Sometimes there is soreness in the armpits. It is associated with an increase in the additional lobules of the mammary glands, located slightly away from the bulk of the secretory tissue.

Usually, a compacted area in the form of a "ball" or "cake" is felt in the gland. The skin above it may turn slightly red, a venous pattern becomes visible on it. Such a zone can occur in different parts of the gland, changing its size and position.

Often, signs of lactostasis in a nursing mother include an increase in body temperature. People often call it milk. It does not exceed 38˚ and lasts no longer than a day. If the fever is higher or longer, accompanied by a worsening of the woman's condition, it is possible that lactostasis has already been replaced by mastitis.

With lactostasis, the general condition of a woman does not suffer. She has no weakness, weakness, sleep and appetite are not disturbed. She is capable of caring for her child.

Lactostasis treatment

To treat this condition, you need to perform two main tasks: to free the mammary glands from stagnant milk and to establish its normal secretion.

What you can do yourself

Should be established correct mode feeding, sometimes completing it by expressing milk residues. You can use a breast pump for this. Both mechanical and automatic devices will do.

How often do you express during lactostasis? This should be done no more than three times a day, emptying the corresponding mammary gland. It is not necessary to express milk at the end of each feed unless the woman feels an urgent need to do so. If your breast is full of milk, it is best to express a little milk before breastfeeding. No need to pump at night. How to strain lactostasis at the same time, read our article below.

You do not need to limit your drinking. Help to reduce the formation of milk sage, hop cones, infusion of walnut leaves, garlic (up to 5 grams per day). But we should not forget that unusual herbal products may slightly change the taste of milk, and the baby will refuse to eat it.

Such a common remedy as a cabbage leaf can provide significant assistance to a woman with lactostasis. First, the dense sheet heats up the tissue and improves its blood supply. Secondly, secreted by the plant active substances have a decongestant, analgesic, vasodilating effect. Before use, it is recommended to cut off the veins of the leaf, this will help the juice to be absorbed faster. It is best to apply the cabbage leaf after feeding the baby. It can be put directly into the cup of your bra, after washing and drying. Such a sheet should be changed after two hours, there are no contraindications for its use.

Means such as an alcohol compress and camphor oil, as well as any other warming methods, are now not recommended, since they can cause mastitis or completely stop the formation of milk.

Traumeel gel practically has no contraindications - a product based on herbal ingredients. It helps relieve swelling, pain and inflammation, and improves the functioning of the milk ducts. With lactostasis, the medicine is applied to the skin of the gland twice a day, it is not harmful to the mother and child. In this case, the compress is not needed, the gel is simply applied to the washed skin.

How to bring down the temperature that occurs during lactostasis without harming the baby? It is permissible to use drugs such as Paracetamol or Nurofen. Do not take Aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Analgin.

Treatment of lactostasis at home is based on the use of folk remedies, tested by generations of Russian women, and on modern devices. It consists of three principles:

more often feed from the affected breast, while applying the baby so that his nose and chin "look" in the sick side;
massage the affected gland;
express milk infrequently, it is better in a small amount before feeding, after the lactostasis is cured, additional expressing should be stopped.

One of necessary conditions improving well-being - an elevated position of the gland. It is better for a woman to use special nursing bras that support the breasts and distribute pressure on wide straps. If the breast hangs freely, it creates excellent conditions for milk stagnation.

"Cradle" - the mother sits and holds the child in her arms, as in a cradle;
feeding from under the arm: the child lies on the side of the mother, facing her breast, while the additional lobules located closer to the axillary regions are well emptied;
Face-to-face: an ideal lactostasis feeding position, since both glands are in the most physiologically advantageous position.

You need to find several convenient positions and alternate them.

1. Baby on mom
2. Overhang

1. Lying on the arm
2. From under the arm

1. Cradle
2. Cross cradle

The so-called lactostasis strain is used when simple ways do not help; carried out before feeding the baby, at least every two hours:

first, bending over the bathtub, you need to warm up the gland well with warm water from the shower, while simultaneously massaging the breast; this can be done with a heating pad or a simple hot water bottle;
massage in a spiral, starting from the periphery and moving to the center, it should not be kneading and cause soreness;
feed the child from the "diseased" gland in one of the above positions;
gently massage the breast from the edges to the nipple, gently feel the place where the lump remains, express milk or use a breast pump (it is better to express no more than three times a day, so as not to cause excessive milk production);
place a bottle of cold water, a damp cloth or a plastic ice bag wrapped in a terry towel in the place of the former seal for 15-20 minutes;
the baby should be fed twice from the affected gland, then once from the healthy, and again twice from the sick, you can offer him the breast even more often than he himself asks. Of course, if the child is not hungry, he will refuse to suckle, but you still need to try to breastfeed more often.

How a doctor can help

What to do if home remedies for lactostasis do not work well? Which doctor should I go to? Usually, such problems are solved by a visiting nurse or a pediatrician who visits mother and child, supervises the process of breastfeeding. If home methods are ineffective, the doctor may prescribe physiotherapy or medications.

Physiotherapy methods are safe for women and children, painless and very good help to restore lactation. Usually used ultrasound, electrophoresis of medicinal substances, ultra-high frequency (UHF), darsonval. These procedures can begin at the hospital if the feeding problem arises immediately.

For home treatment, you can purchase an electrophoresis apparatus at the Medtekhnika store. In it, you can use Dimexide, Troxevasin and other drugs that improve blood supply, but only after consulting with the observing doctor.

To improve the emptying of the gland, Oxytocin is prescribed intramuscularly before feeding or expressing. To prevent this drug from causing painful contractions of the uterus, No-shpa is also injected intramuscularly half an hour before the injection.

To increase the volume of water, thereby reducing the amount of fluid in the body, diuretics (Furosemide, Hydrochlorothiazide) are prescribed.

To reduce milk production, Dostinex or Parlodel are prescribed. They are prescribed literally for one or two days; with a longer intake, such drugs can completely suppress milk production. Also, with severe lactostasis, which many authors consider as the initial form of mastitis, penicillin antibiotics are used that are safe for the child. They are prescribed to prevent the development of pyogenic microflora in the area of stagnation.

Features of lactostasis in men

It would seem, how can there be milk stagnation in atrophied mammary glands in men? It turns out that such cases occur, although very rarely. They are usually associated with the secretion of milk by the hormone prolactin. It is secreted in men as a result of a benign or malignant tumor of the pituitary gland - a gland in the brain. In addition, sometimes milk begins to be released with a deficiency of testosterone - the male sex hormone, lung tumors, hypothyroidism, excessive use of antidepressants, Verapamil and other drugs.

In these cases, men begin to produce a small amount of milk. Since their glands do not have a well-developed structure, milk can stagnate inside, accompanied by the same symptoms as in women: engorgement of the gland, the formation of a painful seal in it.

Treatment of lactostasis in men consists in the treatment of the underlying disease. They have fewer restrictions on drug termination of lactation with hormonal drugs.

Infant health is often highly dependent on the health of the mother, especially if she is breastfeeding. Dangerous bacteria can also pass through milk into a fragile body, which will cause the appearance.

In contact with

Danger

Mothers who have given birth to their first child often face milk stagnation. In women, the mammary gland consists of several sections in which milk is produced.

It passes through the milk ducts into the nipple, from where it is sucked out by the baby. Milk must be regularly renewed, otherwise, in case of stagnation, it becomes an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. This can lead to the development of mastitis or inflammation.

The reasons for the formation of lactostasis can be:

Physiological features: narrow milk ducts, structural features of the nipples, excessively strong milk formation.
Improper attachment of the baby to the breast or clamping of ducts during feeding.
Tight underwear that squeezes the chest.
Breastfeeding intervals too long, formula used, single breastfeeding.
Breast injury.

Any reason can lead to the fact that the mother's body begins to produce a large amount of milk, which the child will not be able to drink until the end. If you do not pump out the leftovers, they will begin to bring discomfort and will cause the onset of the disease.

Symptoms

Symptoms of the disease include:

the formation of lumps in the chest;
a feeling of heaviness, unpleasant and painful sensations when pressed;
redness of the skin, the breasts become hot;
fever, a painful condition that can turn into a fever.

It's important to know: lactostasis easily turns into mastitis, and therefore it is necessary to "catch" the disease at the very beginning, otherwise its treatment may be delayed.

Often, lactostasis is accompanied by a painful condition and allergic symptoms: watery eyes, runny nose. This is due to the onset of inflammatory processes and the body's desire to get rid of the virus on its own. If you do not respond in time, the inflammation will quickly grow and develop into mastitis.

High temperature treatment

Many mothers believe that milk stagnation can negatively affect the health of the baby, but this is not true. If the milk is not contaminated, the child can safely drink it without fear of infection.

Expressing regularly is a must; if your child does not drink to the end, you must express yourself. Also can help:

Breast massage (with hands or with a shower): This will help relax the muscles and dilate the milk ducts.
Cabbage or honey compresses: they relieve swelling and inflammation.
The use of herbal decoctions from coltsfoot, plantain, chamomile or aloe: they can be moistened with the skin or applied to tissues and pressed against the breast.

All these funds will help get rid of lactostasis, after which the temperature will return to normal. To alleviate the painful condition, you can additionally use folk remedies and bring down the temperature, for example, tea with honey and lemon. You can also take "Ibuprofen", "No-Shpu" or "Paracetamol", but in small dosages.

Doctor's advice: knock down the temperature folk remedies it is possible only if it is low, up to 38 degrees, otherwise it is necessary to consult a specialist as soon as possible.

With successful complex treatment, improvement in the condition should occur in 2-3 days. If the temperature lasts a long time or rises to 39 degrees, and the pain becomes stronger, the help of a doctor will be required, since most likely the disease has passed from lactostasis to mastitis. The latter will require a course of antibiotics.

It is important to remember that treatment with pills familiar to many can be used only after the permission of a specialist. The fact is that many powerful drugs contain active substances that easily penetrate into the mother's milk and can harm the baby.

The doctor will help you choose the most optimal treatment option and the duration of the course. You will have to stop breastfeeding while taking antibiotics.
It should be noted that high temperature does not always indicate the presence of milk stagnation: it may be associated with ARVI or exacerbation of chronic diseases.

This must be taken into account before starting treatment. You can get rid of the high temperature with lactostasis by completely getting rid of the disease itself. By doing necessary recommendations doctor and performing preventive procedures, you can quickly get rid of the disease, without waiting for it to grow into something more.

It is important to remember that inflammatory processes develop extremely quickly: if the treatment is not carried out on time, the disease will progress to a more serious stage in a few days. Why the temperature rises during lactation, see the following video: