Nursing breast care

How to take care of the breasts while breastfeeding, to avoid irritation, fissures and infections?

The breast is the only part of our body that does not complete its full development during pregnancy, but this ends once the baby is born.

Already from the first weeks of gestation, the breast swells, the areola darkens, tension and heaviness are felt. The nipple becomes sensitive, elastic and stiffens at the touch.

The breasts increase in volume, the veins become more evident and the skin tighter.

It is therefore possible that the first stretch marks appear on the breasts .

During pregnancy the breast prepares to fulfill its primary function which is that of breastfeeding . During the last few weeks or immediately after the delivery of the placenta, the nipple produces colostrum:

• it is a yellow liquid, dense and rich in proteins, vitamins and mineral salts.
• is rich in antibodies

Only around the 4th/5th day does the milk froth take place and the colostrum is transformed into milk thanks to manual stimulation or suction by the newborn.

It is important to take care of the breasts in this period with exercises for muscle tone, follow a correct diet full of vegetables that contain vitamins A and C useful against stretch marks.

Absolutely no to the horsehair glove to prepare the nipple.

It is harmful and useless.

How do you take care of breastfeeding?

During breastfeeding it is essential to take care of the hygiene of the nipple because it can lead to infections. Always keep the nipple clean, just warm and boiled water once a day and then dab with a cloth to dry.

Cleaning the breast before and after feeding by washing it is useless and causes the breast to lose its natural odor which is very important for the baby.

Furthermore, it would be advisable to use soft, supportive and non-constricting bras that respect the natural position of the breast. Beware of t-shirts that must be made of cotton and natural. Avoid wearing shirts that are too tight and made of synthetic fabric that compress the breasts and make them sweat excessively.

There are many specific solutions for clothing during breastfeeding , which make feeding easier.

Breast milk as cream

After the regular feeding, the mother can spread a few drops of her milk on the nipple and let it dry with the breast uncovered.

Milk is fat and has moisturizing and antiseptic properties and therefore is the best product out there.

At home you must have:

• Natural and vegetable cleaners.
• Washable or silk and wool breast pads , even if some believe that they are not useful for preventing the classic breastfeeding problems
• Aloe vera

Do not use:

• Perfumes, the newborn must recognize the mother’s perfume.
• Anti-fissure creams (such as petroleum jelly) containing mineral paraffin, because they can be taken by the infant through mouth contact.

Dry the breast before covering it

It is very important to dry the breast before putting on the bra  because the skin is very delicate, especially the nipple and the remaining moisture can cause the skin to macerate.

During breastfeeding, the nipple is subjected to stresses and strains due to the non-constant sucking of the baby and its continuous attachment and detachment typical of the first weeks.

Don’t neglect irritations because these can cause lesions or fissures, which are very painful when breastfeeding.