Lactostasis
Lactostasis is a disease in which a breast—feeding woman experiences milk retention. In other words, it is an active accumulation of milk in the mammary gland, which occurs in case of difficulty in outflow. Such a problem can be caused by many different factors: blockage or spasm of the excretory canal, difficulties during feeding, hyperlactation, abrupt refusal of breastfeeding, the use of very tight underwear. Lactostasis causes breast compaction, as well as pain during feeding and pumping. The lack of timely treatment in most cases leads to the occurrence of mastitis.
The content of the article:
Causes and mechanisms of development of lactostasis
Symptoms of lactostasis
Complications of lactostasis
Treatment of lactostasis
Prevention of lactostasis
Lactostasis
Causes and mechanisms of development of lactostasis
The reasons for which lactostasis occurs may be as follows: deterioration of the patency of the duct through which milk exits, excessively active production of the mammary gland, as well as a combination of hyperlactation and duct spasm. Insufficient emptying of the breast, which happens when the child is improperly applied, can also cause lactostasis. In addition, narrow ducts, a tight bra, chest injuries or bruises, sleeping on your stomach, dehydration and frequent stress can lead to this disease. The occurrence of lactostasis may contribute to the morphological features of the female breast (sagging or too flat nipple). This disease is actively developing in women who refuse to breastfeed the baby and use mixtures and additives that mimic breast milk as an alternative.
After childbirth, with the appearance of lactation, an excess of milk is not uncommon. Usually, active milk production begins on the third or fourth day, but with repeated childbirth, lactation may begin earlier. The problem is that the baby sucks very little these days, so there is not enough release of the breast. In addition, during the first lactation, there is some difficulty in outflow. The reason for this is the narrow winding milk channels, which are still being developed over time, and pumping causes difficulties simply due to lack of skills.
The milk remaining in the gland causes an increase in pressure on the passages and lobules. At the site of stagnation, the gland tissue infiltrates and swells, and this, in turn, causes a seal accompanied by pain. Milk lends itself to incomplete reabsorption, which leads to the development of fever. An increase in pressure in the lobules causes a decrease in milk production, which slows down all further lactation. Due to prolonged lactostasis, proper milk production may stop.
Symptoms of lactostasis
The main feature of lactostasis will be the sealing of the gland site. In addition, there may be feelings of heaviness, bursting; the feeding process may cause severe pain. As a result of prolonged stagnation, a feeling of heat or local hyperemia may occur, and an increase in body temperature is often observed. In some cases, the disease does not cause compaction, and the stagnation zone is able to shift and increase.
Complications of lactostasis
The basis for the prevention of lactostasis is regular feeding and careful pumping of milk residues from the breast. It is strongly recommended to avoid wearing tight underwear. It is important to protect yourself as much as possible from possible physical exertion and stress, try to sleep on your side, take enough fluids, fruits and vegetables.
In the case when lactostasis is still formed, it is necessary to apply all possible measures to eliminate it as soon as possible and in no case should lactation be stopped. With lactostasis, it is not uncommon that the volume of milk produced is significantly reduced. Most often, after the stagnation, the lactal activity of the gland is normalized.
Treatment of lactostasis
With lactostasis, it is very important to ensure the maximum possible emptying of the breast. Easy warming, breast massage will help to expand the ducts correctly. In order to avoid the danger of reflex stasis, experts recommend quality rest, protection from stress, wearing loose underwear that does not constrain the chest. You should not sleep on your back or stomach for a long time, but it is best to sleep on your side.
It is recommended to resort to the feeding process as often as possible, but no more than once in two hours. It is worth starting feeding with a “sick” breast. In this case, a hungry baby will make every effort to feed from a stagnant area. However, healthy breasts similarly require maximum emptying. Feeding should be carried out in a position convenient for the baby. It is important to give the child as close contact with the nipple as possible to facilitate sucking. In cases where the baby is not suckling intensively and often enough, it is necessary to resort to pumping excess milk.
Breast massaging will help to increase the outflow. It is important to massage it with stroking movements towards the nipple.
Pumping excess milk, breast massage and frequent feeding should be continued, overcoming painful sensations until the symptoms of lactostasis completely disappear. Persistent efforts contribute to the proper emptying of the mammary glands and proper full-fledged prolonged lactation.
In some cases, when a clogged duct opens, this can lead to burning and painful sensations in the breast area.
The expressed milk may look excessively fatty and contain some inclusions, such as small milk grains and filamentous fibers. It should be remembered that this is a normal, correct, healthy consistency of the mother’s breast milk, which will provide the child with full nutrition.
The pain that occurs during feeding, as well as pumping, can be eased by applying cold compresses to painful areas of the breast in between these processes.
Before pumping or feeding, it is important to keep the breast warm. If such a need arises, the chest can be warmed up a little by applying a towel soaked in non-hot water or by taking a warm shower. The use of hot water, as well as warming compresses, carries the risk of infection — that is why doctors do not recommend sudden warming.
After warming up, it is necessary to massage the breast in circular movements — from the base to the nipple. In the process of massaging, the lobule where lactostasis is collected is easily determined by touch, it differs from the rest of the tissue by its increased density. The seal should be massaged especially carefully. It is such a compacted painful area that first of all needs pumping. At the end of pumping, you can give the breast to the baby and let him suck the remaining milk.
After a prolonged lactostasis that lasted more than a day, pain in the stagnation areas may remain for several more days. If even then the pain does not subside, but on the contrary — it increases, fever, hyperemia manifests itself, then in this case it can be assumed that mastitis has formed (inflammation of the mammary gland). It is necessary to stop warming up the gland, since heat contributes to the progression of infection, and urgently see a doctor.
During lactostasis, any heating compresses are undesirable, and alcohol compresses, in addition to the probability of activating bacterial flora, interfere with the hormonal process of lactation, which contributes to the development of this disease.
Too frequent massage can also lead to undesirable situations: mechanical damage to the ducts and lobules, the appearance of new stagnation zones, an increase in body temperature in cases of intensive reverse absorption of milk and infiltration of neighboring tissues in lobules with damage.
Treatment of lactostasis by folk methods and remedies is especially not recommended for women who are lactating for the first time. It is important to understand that with the wrong treatment process, lactostasis may not pass, but on the contrary, begin to develop. In such situations, there is a significant deterioration in the quality of milk, and in the worst case, lactation may stop altogether.
Self-pumping is very often not only very painful, but also ineffective. The midwife is able to help with straightening, as well as with the development of ducts. A qualified specialist is able to carry out pumping quite painlessly.
Pumping excess milk with a breast pump is as effective as manual, however, with lactostasis, it is important to massage the affected area of the breast tightly, and only after that use a breast pump.
One of the most popular and effective methods of resorption of stagnation is ultrasound massage of the mammary glands. Oxytocin will also help to reduce minor congestion. It is used in injections and used intramuscularly, half an hour before feeding.
Prevention of lactostasis
First of all, lactostasis is dangerous because it can cause mastitis — inflammation of the breast. The development of this complication is characterized by increased pain, possible occurrence of fever and fever. In the affected areas, red stripes may appear on the skin of the breast, and an admixture of pus or even blood is observed in the milk.
The development of mastitis, as a rule, is provoked either by hypothermia (when feeding takes place in a draft), or overheating due to compresses and hot baths, or improper treatment of lactospasm.
