There are many different breast pain causes. It is important to consider the clinical situation when trying to figure out the sources of the pain. Women who are breast feeding have several different causes of breast pain that are not typical for women who are not producing milk. Much of the breasts pain during breast feeding is from engorgement. Because the milk is flowing and filling up the sacs , there will be pain in breast and engorgement from the milk. This is very common and occurs most often during the beginning and the end of breast feeding.
The breasts pain can happen in the few days after a woman delivers the baby as the milk comes in. The milk is being produced and starts to swell the sacs in the breast and pain is produced. This is normally resolved by having the baby latch on to the breast and begin to suck and take in the sustenance. As the baby drinks the milk the breast will adjust the amount of milk that is produced and produce the right amount. The other time where there tends to be problems is towards the end of the breast feeding when the mother is trying to wean the children from the breast milk. When this happens the breasts will swell with milk and cause some discomfort.
There are some tips that women can do to help deal with the pain. Some women will warm their breasts just before nursing. This is because heat improves blood flow and helps your milk let down. Many women find that a warm shower just before feeding may also help relieve engorgement. Mothers can also cover the breasts with a warm washcloth and or a plastic diaper to keep the heat in.
The technique of breast feeding also matter. A woman should support her breast with her hand and, if necessary, gently squeeze the thumb and index finger together to help make the nipple and areola easier to grasp. Some women lightly tickle your baby’s top lip with the nipple and wait until your baby’s mouth opens wide. It is best to then quickly pull the child to the breast so the child grasps both the nipple and as much of the underside of the areola as possible.
Your baby should get a good, deep latch to help alleviate pain in breast and engorgement. Some women use the football hold or cross cradle hold to have more control of the baby’s head. With the hand, hold the back of the baby’s neck, upper back and shoulders. The fingers will be behind the ears. The goal is to have the baby be able to massage the milk from the breast more effectively with his tongue and cause less breasts pain.
If a woman continues to have problems with the breast and pain, she should she a health care professional. There are other causes engorgement pain that can be treated. Usually they are related to hormones or other processes with a womans body. Breast pain causes normally are easy to deal with, but sometimes a woman needs some professional help.