Why lactostasis occurs and how is it treated

What is lactostasis

Lactostasis Mastitis and / or lactostasis? How to tell? How can I help you? How to treat? - This is a condition in which a nursing mother produces too much milk, but it does not come out normally, but stagnates in the breast. Both the child who lacks food and the woman suffer from this because of the severe pain.

It is worth noting that there is no such diagnosis in Western medicine. There stagnation of milk Mastitis is considered the initial manifestation of lactational mastitis - an inflammatory disease.

Lactostasis in lactating women can appear at any time, but most often its signs arise. Pathogenetic features of the development and therapy of lactostasis in different periods of breastfeeding within a month after childbirth.

What are the symptoms of lactostasis

A woman with milk stagnation is concerned about Lactostasis and the prevention of lactational mastitis: the role of a neonatologist and pediatrician:

Chest pain. It occurs on the right or left, but sometimes both sides are affected. Disturbed by the feeling of fullness, heaviness, and one of the mammary glands becomes hard to the touch.
Redness of the skin. This symptom rarely appears, but sometimes a red spot is noticeable above the place of stagnation.
Difficulty feeding. Milk is discharged from the affected breast drop by drop, and the attempt to express it increases the pain.
Change in general condition. Usually a woman feels well, but if lactostasis lasts longer than 12 hours, the temperature may rise to 38 ° C. Modern approaches to the treatment of lactostasis, a slight malaise, weakness will appear.

Why does lactostasis occur?

The main cause of lactostasis is blockage of the ducts of the gland, so milk cannot be released outside. This condition occurs for various reasons. Scientists suggest that the pathogenetic features of the development and therapy of lactostasis in different periods of breastfeeding are often to blame for hormonal changes that regulate lactation. This is how they happen.

After childbirth, a lot of the hormone prolactin is synthesized in the body. It is needed to stimulate the synthesis of milk, which accumulates in special sacs in the chest - the sinuses. But in order for the liquid to begin to be thrown into the ducts, the hormone oxytocin is required. It is released when the nipple is irritated while feeding the baby.

If the mother puts the baby to the breast less often than seven or eight times a day, the milk continues to accumulate, stretches the sinuses, but does not come out. And a sharp decrease in the level of the hormone progesterone in the blood, which normally occurs after childbirth, leads to breast edema and squeezing of the ducts. They also form the pathogenetic features of the development and therapy of lactostasis in different periods of breastfeeding "milk plugs" - accumulations of fatty drops that mechanically block the lumen and further worsen the situation.

In addition to hormonal changes, doctors identify the anatomical and physiological aspects of the development of lactostasis, factors that increase the risk of developing lactostasis. It:

Cracked nipples. They cause severe pain during feeding, so the mother is less likely to attach the baby to the breast.
The wrong laundry. If the bra is small, too tight, it can squeeze certain areas of the breast, which leads to narrowing of the ducts.
Errors Lactostasis and prevention of lactational mastitis: the role of the neonatologist and pediatrician in feeding. The baby should grasp the areola - the skin around the nipple. If this does not happen, the breast is not emptied completely. Also, the risk increases if the mother does not hold the newborn correctly in her arms, and the lobules of the breast move into an unnatural position. Many women develop lactostasis if they refuse to feed the baby at night or drink it from a bottle.
Stress Pathogenetic features of the development and therapy of lactostasis in different periods of breastfeeding and overwork, lack of sleep.
Mastopathy Pathogenetic features of the development and therapy of lactostasis in different periods of breastfeeding. With this disease, the amount of connective tissue in the mammary glands increases, which can narrow the ducts.

Why is lactostasis dangerous?

If you do not try to get rid of lactostasis or do it incorrectly, then in 1–2 days, against the background of milk stagnation, will lactational mastitis develop. Mastitis and / or lactostasis? How to tell? How can I help you? How to treat? … It is caused by streptococci or staphylococci, which enter the milk through the nipple. Bacteria lead to purulent inflammation of tissues, the formation of an abscess. At the same time, severe redness appears on the affected side, the chest hurts very much, it becomes dense and hot.

If a woman is in this condition, you need to call an ambulance. The patient will be taken to the hospital for surgery and antibiotic treatment. This is a risk for mom and child, so it is better not to start the situation.

How to get rid of lactostasis

Milk stagnation is best treated early. At first, many try to do it on their own, but if there is little experience or nothing comes out, it is better to contact an obstetrician-gynecologist or mammologist.

What can you do at home

To prevent lactostasis from turning into mastitis, at the first symptoms, you need to feed the child every 1, 5–2 hours and express milk. Modern approaches to the treatment of lactostasis. They do it like this:

They go to the shower, warm up their breasts with a warm stream of water, or apply a heated towel.
Gently massage the gland, starting from the top towards the nipple.
With light movements, so that there is no severe pain, the chest is squeezed around the areola, the nipple itself is not pressed.

If you have a breast pump, you can use it after warming your breasts. Continue pumping until a feeling of lightness and comfort appears.

What the doctor will do

The specialist can show the correct methods of expressing and prescribe medications. Modern approaches to the treatment of lactostasis. Most often these are:

Inhibitor of prolactin secretion. It reduces the synthesis of the hormone, so less milk will be produced.
Oxytocin drug. It is needed to stimulate the contraction of the ducts and the release of milk.
Progesterone cream. Helps to remove local swelling in the chest.

Lactostasis is treated at home, but if in a day Modern approaches to the treatment of lactostasis does not become easier, and the condition only worsens, then the woman is sent to the hospital.

How to prevent the development of lactostasis

So that a young mother does not have milk stagnation, the following rules must be observed Lactostasis and the prevention of lactational mastitis: the role of a neonatologist and pediatrician: