- How to manage engorgement linked to the flow of milk when you don't want to breastfeed?
- We sometimes hear that expressing milk will promote its production, what about that?
- What can we do to relieve pain?
- Some people recommend applying cabbage leaves in the bra, is it really effective?
How to manage engorgement linked to the flow of milk when you don't want to breastfeed?
The milk flow should not be painful and a woman who does not wish to breastfeed should not suffer pain either. The mother can express a little milk to relieve breast tension.
We sometimes hear that expressing milk will promote its production, what about that?
To maintain lactation requires frequent drainage with the intention of producing milk. As part of a surge in milk when you do not want to breastfeed, you have to drain to have supple breasts but you are not trying to produce more milk. It's not the same dynamic.
The mother can pull often and in small quantities to provide flexibility in the chest area. It's not normal to be left with excruciating pain. Engorgement is the least well understood pathology in maternity.
Initially, there is a hormonal phenomenon at the origin of milk production. If the milk does not come out, there will be engorgemen. This engorgement does not mean that there is too much milk, but that there is edema around it. We can then express a small quantity so that the edema decreases and by removing what is needed regularly, the body eventually stops producing, without pain.
What can we do to relieve pain?
The objective is to get a little milk out of the breasts, and heat is very helpful for this. You can take a hot shower, or massage the breast with a baby diaper filled with hot water.
Editor's note: it is also possible to apply our Mama Cool heatable gel strip, contained in our Mama Saver postpartum kit.
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99,00 € - Regular price
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165,80 € - Sale price
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99,00 €
Some people recommend applying cabbage leaves in the bra, is it really effective?
It is relatively effective because the cabbage leaf is astringent. As a lactation consultant, I prefer to implement techniques that are a little more effective, but it is possible to use this method. The cabbage leaf provides a fairly rapid feeling of freshness while activating blood circulation. The breast is therefore a little more flexible.
However, some mothers may have burn-like reactions when applying the leaves to their bra, so care should be taken.
