breast hardening post delivery?

Question

Hi,

My breasts have turn into hard lumps post delivery because of which I am not able to feed my child. It also hurts a lot. I did the breast pump thing, it doesnt work. I am at my wit's end, feel hopeless, please let me know if u can help...

Answer 1

You need to consult a lactation consultant to get the pump working better. You may need a hospital grade pump.

Get the pump and go to a quiet place. Think about your baby, think about an open mouth and a sucking on your breast. Try manipulating the breast with your hand first.

Answer 2

Breast Hardening

Answer 3

What you are experiencing is engorgement. This can happen usually from not feeding frequently enough. You need to make sure that you don't have mastitis. If you are seeing red streaks, warm tender breasts, or a fever you need to call your physician. When you are engorged, it is harder for your milk to let down and also for baby to latch because he/she can't pull tissue in to the mouth as well. Soak your breasts in warm water by laying in a bathtub and hand expressing by massaging the breasts and try to release some milk until the breast softens a little. Then try putting the infant to breast. An infant at the breast is always going to work better at getting you to let down than a pump will. Make sure you feed frequently (2-3) hours for a new baby and don't skip any feedings. If you do, pump for it. Even wake up at night to feed or you will be engorged again by morning.

Answer 4

the hard lumps are areas where milk is captured. You need to help it flow out. You should be able to nurse, but you need help. As someone said, a lactation consultant could guide you. Contact La Leche League.

Meanwhile, use hot packs to your breasts to warm and try to get the milk flowing. I used to get plugged milk ducts and the BEST person to express those and get the milk out was my baby. He DID have a hard time getting his mouth on the nipple at such times as my breast was swollen so full and hard, but he did the job better than anything else I tried. I often had to hot pack. He nursed 11 1/2 months in the end, so it doesn't have to prevent your nursing.

Answer 5

Im breastfeeding and had the same thing happen to me. The lactation consultant told me to put something cold like and ice pack or frozen peas or something on my breasts for 15 min then off 15 min then back on 15 min. It worked for me. Also taking hot showers and massaging ur breast can make milk come out too. try to press down and push forward on the lumps so the milk will stop bein clogged.

Answer 6

You've got to get your milk to drop and you've got to get a little bit out, because right now, baby can't latch on to your nipple because it's too hard. Either manipulate it by hand (think of baby to make it easier) or use a breast pump. Or, take a hot shower and squeeze on the areola a little bit, and see if you can leak a bit out. When I was in a hot shower, mine just leaked automatically. Maybe hot compresses?

Good luck honey. Keep with it, it will be worth it once you get the nursing routine working.

TX Mom
not an expert
Mine are 17, and 21

Answer 7

BE CAREFUL HOW MUCH YOU EXPRESS, AS THIS CAN SERIOUSLY HAMPER THE AMOUNT OF MILK THAT YOU PRODUCE.
TRY JUST EXPRESSING ABOUT HALF AN OUNCE TO BEGIN WITH, TO SOFTEN THE BREAST, IF YOU CAN DO IT BY HAND, ALL THE BETTER, ALSO TRY PUTTING WARM COMPRESS'S ON THE BREAST, THIS WILL ALSO HELP TO SOFTEN THE TISSUE.
TRY THE BABY IN VARIOUS POSITIONS TO BEGIN WITH ALSO, INCLUDING LAYING DOWN, ONCE YOU HAVE GOTTEN INTO A GOOD FEEDING ROUTINE, THEN THE BREAST WILL USUALLY SETTLE DOWN, AS YOUR MILK BECOMES MORE REGULATED.
I HOPE THAT HELPS
ELISABETH. MATERNITY NURSE

Answer 8

Right away. Some people go to their 6 week check up and find out their pregnant again. Even if you're not getting your period yet, you're still able to get pregnant. That's one of the reasons that they recommend no sex for 6 weeks.

Answer 9

Take a hot shower it will help the pain i had to do it many times.