How To Overcome Painful Breastfeeding

Painful breastfeeding is one of the most common experiences for the mothers just a few days after the childbirth. It usually occurs while they breastfeed the baby. The medical term is ‘Engorgement’ to describe this painful experience. This is a condition when there is some inflammation on the breast. The skin goes red and warm in the affected area. If you want to overcome such problems, the following tips are certainly going to be very helpful for you.

Remove The Excess Milk

The breastfeeding pain may be caused because of the excess milk in your breast. Therefore, in order to relieve the pain, you are recommended to use a breast pump or hand massage to remove the excess milk. However, do it only if you are sure that the baby has had enough milk. The best way to remove the excess milk is nothing but to nurse the baby frequently. It is good for your baby and for your breasts as well. However, even after feeding the baby, if you find that the baby has not emptied your breast, you can definitely use breast pump to empty the same. Do not worry, as it will be full again when your baby is ready for the next feed.

Eat, Drink, And Sleep Properly

In order to ease the painful breastfeeding, you are also recommended to eat and drink properly. An empty stomach or thirsty throat will only increase the pain. Besides that, adequate amount of sleep is also essential.

Proper Bra Support

You should also pay special attention towards the use of bra. You are recommended to wear supporting maternity bra. That will make you feel comfortable.

Breast Pain Vs Abdominal Pain

It is important for you to understand that pain after breastfeeding and abdominal pain are two different things. If it is abdominal pain, it is probably caused because of the contractions of the uterus. You experience the pain when the baby begins sucking your breast. That is the reason why some women confuse this kind of pain with the painful breastfeeding. However, you should also note that sucking by the baby is actually good in this case, as it is very helpful in reducing the uterus back to its normal size. This process is known as Involution in medical terms.

Talk To Your Doctor

If you find the breastfeeding still painful, you are recommended to talk to your doctor. If the pain in the breast is substantial, the doctor may suggest heat compress to reduce the pain. The doctor may also prescribe some medicines to ease the pain. Some antibiotics can be very effective in such cases.

Conversely, if the painful breastfeeding problem is not solved even after a couple of week of medications, it may be something more serious and you may have to undergo a thorough medical checkup.