Caring for You, Always
It’s quite common to have a crack on the skin of the nipple and this is extremely painful when the baby sucks.
You can apply a lot of moisturizing nipple creams that help to ease the pain and encourage healing. You can also use a nipple shield as a protective cover on the crack whilst breastfeeding.
This is common when a baby has not been fed or there are long intervals in feeding and the breast gets engorged.
It is advisable to do hot fomentation, breast massage, hand expression of the milk. You can take a Paracetamol Tablet to ease the pain. It is always advisable to wear a bra but avoid the wired bras.
The breast can get red tender swollen when the engorgement is persistent, and infection develops. It can be accompanied by a fever. In this case, it is important to see the doctor as you may need to take antibiotics and do some blood tests and sonography to ensure that there is no abscess formation. In case there is an abscess then it may need incision and drainage.
Many mothers feel that the milk is not enough for their baby and that the baby is not satisfied.
Rest assured that the milk is almost always enough irrespective of whether you have one or more babies to feed. You must look after your nutrition, ensure that you are feeding in the correct position, holding the baby properly, keep your back straight and supported, and keep legs supported. You must ensure that the baby latches on well.
