I gave birth last week and my milk has started coming in, but I always feel very uncomfortable and engorged. Do I have blocked ducts? What can I do to relieve it?
Breast Engorgement is usually caused when milk is being produced by the breast, but enough milk is not being removed. This could be due to several reasons such as:Your baby is not latching on properly, and hence not taking enough milk
- You are not frequently removing milk from your breasts, by either nursing your baby or by using a manual or electric breast pump
- Your baby is latching on properly, but does not stay at the breast for long due to reasons like distractions, uncomfortable position etc.
You should be able to identify any obvious reason which is leading to breast engorgement. However, there could be other reasons which can lead to breast engorgement, but first you should make sure that your problem is breast engorgement and not blocked ducts.
Blocked ducts can be painful and are almost always resolved within 24 to 48 hours after onset, without treatment. So if you have not been experiencing any pain, it means you have engorgement, and not blocked ducts.
To see if the baby is getting enough milk, you should see the stool pattern of your baby as well as the urination. The color, size and frequency of stools should be able to give you an idea. Similarly, you should take note of how many diapers your baby is changing every day. These factors depend on the age of the baby; you should consult a baby specialist to see if your baby’s stool and urine pattern is alright.
If your baby does not stay at your breast for long, chances are that the baby is not latching-on properly. Engorged breasts can also cause breathing problems for smaller kids so make sure that you give the baby enough space to breathe easily. Taking advice from a nursing consultant can be a good idea.
No matter the reason for engorged breasts, you can take the following steps to help relieve engorgement:
- Feed the baby frequently to ensure that milk is regularly released from the breasts
- Use manual or electric breast pump to pump milk out of your breasts