Lactation stasis - milk stagnation in the breast due to poor emptying....

Lactation stasis - milk stagnation in the breast due to poor emptying. It occurs most often as a result of errors in breastfeeding organization. 1. Feeding on a schedule. If the mother feeds the baby every three hours, then each breast empties once every six hours. 2. Long night interval. It's often said that the stomach should rest at night, and the child doesn't wake up. 3. Limiting feeding duration. For example, don't feed the baby for more than 15-20 minutes, explaining that after this, the baby only plays with the breast. 4. Using a pacifier. 5. Feeding with water. 6. Incorrect attachment. If a child sucks not from the breast but from a nipple, it leads to incomplete emptying of the breast. 7. Feeding in bottles. 8. Systematic suckling. This increases the amount of milk that the baby is unable to handle later on. Also, lactostasis is caused by: - Fluid restrictions in women; due to which milk becomes viscous and globules of fat clump together forming plugs that block milk ducts and disrupt flow, leading to stagnation. - Mechanical causes (breast compression, incorrect position in bed, tight clothing, trauma) Symptoms of galactostasis: 1. Local pain in the chest 2. Swollen 3. Redness 4. Elevated temperature. Usually within a few days after the first symptoms appear 5. Body aches Symptoms may appear in different sequences. Not all symptoms may be expressed. What you should not do: - Stop breastfeeding your child - Alcoholic compresses and Vishnevsky's ointment. Alcohol hinders milk drainage, thereby worsening the condition. - Aggressively expressing your breast. This will lead to trauma and further swelling. - Wait until everything passes on its own. Lactation can turn into mastitis. What to do with galactostasis: If there is no temperature and the first signs of stagnation appear: 1. Breastfeed your baby. 2. Apply the lower jaw to the lump. Usually this is enough. ❗️But if the condition worsens and the temperature rises, we apply another algorithm of actions. 1. We apply heat only if there is no body temperature. If there is a rise in body temperature, we skip this point. 2. Lymphatic drainage massage for 10 minutes. As with galactostasis, there is an active lymph flow, which hinders emptying, so before feeding, it's necessary to do a massage to push the lymph away. Massaging movements should be done along the course of the lymphatic flow from the chest to the armpits, with gentle circular motions. 3. Gently squeeze the breast. Painful sensations should not occur. Approximately 10 minutes. 4. Apply the baby's chin towards the area of congestion. 5. Cold compress. It should be very cold, approximately for 10 minutes. From elevated temperature you can take ibuprofen or paracetamol. We observe the condition for 2 days: - pain should weaken - swelling becomes smaller - redness disappears - temperature normalizes ? In what situations should you seek medical attention? On the second day, there is no improvement - the pain does not decrease, it increases; the consolidation does not become smaller, the redness does not pass, and the temperature continues to rise. It is also necessary to consult a doctor if there is an improvement in condition, but the consolidation does not disappear completely within a week. All of the above signs may indicate an infectious mastitis. ✅ According to international protocols, neither lactostasis, nor infectious mastitis, nor purulent mastitis require the separation of the baby from the breast and termination of breastfeeding.