A mother’s breasts will experience major changes during pregnancy and postpartum. Some mothers refuse to breastfeed their babies in fear that their breast will lose the suppleness and shape, while others fret about the engorgement, pain and discomfort. Let’s take a better look at what actually happens and how you can care for your breasts:
Note:
- Breastfeed your baby as soon as possible – within 1 hour of delivery.
- Suckling stimulates milk production.
- If your baby gains more than 500gm a month, weighs more than his birth weight in 2 weeks or urinates at least 6 times a day – he is getting enough breast milk.
- More info at Feeding Your Baby page
| No. |
Symptoms / Causes |
Care |
| 1. |
Sore Breasts / Engorged Breasts
- Breast tingle, ache, harden and feel like they are going to burst.
- Due to hormone, your breasts will produce milk during the first week of postpartum whether you breastfeed or not.
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- Breastfeed your baby and your breast engorgement should diminish within a few days.
- If you are nursing, try these tricks to reduce the engorgement:
- Warm compress before nursing & cold compress afterwards.
- Place chilled cabbage leaves on each breast.
- Use some cooling bra inserts.
- Use hand or pump to excrete a little milk and release the pressure. Not too much though as the more you excrete the more milk you’ll produce, and if it’s more than your baby needs, your breasts will be engorged.
- Massage your breasts gently while nursing.
- Alter nursing position to ensure milk duct are emptied.
- Use snug and supportive bra.
- Take medication if the pain is too excruciating.
- If you are not nursing:
- Wear snug fitting bra.
- Avoid any kind of nipple stimulation or milk expression.
- Use ice packs to help soothe discomfort.
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| 2. |
Leaky Breasts
- Breasts dripping milk.
- Caused by “letdown reflex” as your body has yet to adjust to your baby’s feeding habit.
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- Stock on nursing pads.
- Do not pump your breasts as it will stimulate your breasts to produce more milk.
- Try pressing on nipple when it leaks or cross your arms tightly against your breasts (not to be exercised within few weeks of delivery as it may cause letdown or clogged milk duct).
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| 3. |
Sore or Cracked Nipples
- Soreness & cracking of the nipples.
- Sometimes can lead to bleeding.
- Caused by improper positioned baby during nursing.
- Baby with strong sucking.
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- Ensure that baby is well positioned and latches on to your areola not your nipple.
- Use both breasts when feeding, give the least engorged breast first as baby tends to suck harder when starting to feed.
- Be relaxed as tension will hinder milk production. Thus baby will have to suck harder.
- Expose your nipple to dry up after feeding.
- Leave any residue of milk on your nipple after feeding as moisture will help to prevent cracking.
- Tea bags soaked in cold water may help soothe sore nipples.
- Use only water to clean your nipple. Soap or alcohol will irritate your skin.
- Use cream like lanolin, avoid oily and petroleum-based products.
- Ask for pain relieving medication, if needed.
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| 4. |
Mastitis (Infected Nipples)
- Nipples turn red, hot, painful or inflamed.
- Severe pain with flu-like symptoms even nausea and high temperature.
- Caused by a non-cancerous growth .
- Breast engorgement.
- Blocked milk duct.
- Cracked or damaged tissues around the nipple.
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- Can be treated successfully with antibiotics.
- Continue breastfeeding as it helps to clear the infection.
- It is usually NOT harmful to the baby.
- Try pumping breast milk to avoid engorgement.
- Breastfeed only until the breast is soft.
- Apply ice to relieve pain and swelling.
- Drink lots of fluid and get enough rest.
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One of the major issues for a woman is whether her breasts will ever look the same again. Let’s look at some of the changes that a mother’s breasts will go through from pregnancy till postpartum:
| No. |
Changes during Pregnancy |
Changes during Postpartum |
| 1. |
Growth & Enlargement |
Breast shape will not be affected whether you breastfeed or not. |
| 2. |
Tenderness & Hypersensitivity |
After gradual weaning, your breasts will return to about the same size before you were pregnant. |
| 3. |
Darkening of nipples & areolas |
Stretch marks might be visible and your breasts might look a bit saggy. |
| 4. |
Darkened veins along breasts |
Try using supporting bra, keep watch of your weight and perform breast exercise such as “the lady push up” exercise or “the dumbbell fly” exercise regime. It will help, though not much. |
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Worried about sagging stomach and stretch marks after your delivery? Will you ever get back in shape? Let’s take a look at some tips on how mothers can get back into their pre-pregnancy shape:
Do not rush into getting back to shape. Take your time to heal and relax. In general (if your doctor permits) you can start exercising 2 weeks post delivery.
| No. |
Shaping Your Tummy |
Shaping Your Uterus |
| 1. |
Naturally your tummy will shrink but it will take a few weeks to a few months to fully recover (exercising does help). |
Shrinkage of uterus will start around the first 2 weeks, and will shrink to almost its former size within 6 weeks. |
| 2. |
Stretch marks unfortunately will not disappear completely. But don’t fret as it will resemble more to your skin tone. |
Your pelvic muscles should receive prime attention followed by your abdominal muscle as it ensures good support for your internal organs and sphincter control (urethra, rectum & vagina) . |
| 3. |
Wear supportive bra and exercise after breastfeeding your baby. |
Strengthen your pelvic muscle and abdominal wall by wearing girdle or traditional warp. |
| 4. |
Perform low impact exercise such as speed walking, cycling and swimming. |
Do the KEGEL exercise to further strengthen your pelvic muscle (more info in the Urinary Incontinence page). |
| 5. |
Progressive Crunchless Crunch – works on your abdominal muscle as good as a crunch, but minus the strain to your back and neck. Involves breathing and crunching your abdominal muscle inward and letting go till you feel the strain on your muscle. |
Yoga and pilates exercises are very much recommended. |
| 6. |
Contractions – almost similar to the above exercise only in rapid successions and halfway inhaling of breathing and muscle contractions. The idea is to jolt the abdominal muscle through fast and rapid movement. |
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