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How to care about your breast while breastfeeding

Importance of caring about your breasts

Breast milk is the most important gift that a mother can give to her child. Lactation consultants suggest that mothers, who don’t have any diseases that can be passed to her child via breast milk, should breastfeed their newborns at least for the first 6 months of life. In that period of time there is no need to combine breast milk with any other liquids or solids.

Since breastfeeding is very easy procedure if mothers don’t have any problems with their breast, it is prudent to keep it that way by trying to minimize your chances of getting some breast diseases. Wise behavior of breastfeeding mothers is a key in their ability to produce breast milk which is so beneficial to children. Since women breasts secrete milk while nursing infants, it is very important to care about them very carefully and properly. That will insure not only mother’s health but her baby’s also.

Care about breasts while nursing your child is very easy if breastfeeding is going well. The good sign that you have normal lactation is when your breasts feel full before and emptier after each breastfeeding. It is recommended to wash your breast with just warm water at least couple of times a day. You should wear comfortable wireless cotton nursing bras even at night. You should watch your diet and ask your doctor what food you need to eat and which one you better try to avoid. For example, some fat food might cause plugged ducts which can lead to even more serious disease as mastitis.

Normally your doctor may say you to breastfeed your baby from 8 to 12 times a day. However, children are very different and if your newborn wants to eat more than 12 times a day just let him/her do it. The more important thing that you shouldn’t do long breaks between feedings and child needs to suck your breasts equally throughout the day. In addition, you should make sure that your child is latched properly and not hurting you. That way you can avoid some breasts problems like breast soreness. You might also get breast engorgement, plugged ducts, mastitis, or all of that during your lactation period.

Therefore, you should always remember that it is better to prevent a disease then to treat it afterwards. Breastfeeding mothers have to check their breasts very day. It is better to do when you massage them gently for a few minutes. If you have at least small hesitation or suspicion that you might get plugged ducts then start to empting your breasts right away. If you had at least one time plugged ducts don’t think that it will never happen to you again. It might or it may not – normally depend on mothers how they can learn from previous mistakes. However, usually if you have, for example, plugged ducts second time you will be more experience and know the symptoms. Therefore, it might be less painful and scary.

What is a strange feeling in your breasts?

Your body will begin making a larger amount of milk, called mature milk, within a few days after delivering a baby. When the mature milk comes in, your breasts will feel full and warm. You might feel some pricking in your breasts as well. In addition, they also may feel tender. These feelings are normal and most breastfeeding mothers experience them. If you breastfeed your baby often and pump some milk, it should decrease the pressure in your breasts. In addition, it might decrease possibility of plugged ducts which occurs mainly in early months after delivering a baby.

Medical disclaimer

The author is not a doctor and the information in the article is general in nature with no medical advises given or imply. Talk to your doctor, nurse or medical advisor how to treat health related problems.