It is a form of breast health for a mother to breastfeed her baby with her own milk. Some women who had breast nodules or poor nipple development (such as short nipples or poor nipple elasticity) before pregnancy, insist on breastfeeding for a long time, not only benefiting the baby, but also benefiting the mother herself. Many young mothers also worry that breastfeeding will make their breasts unattractive. In order to both feed the baby well and protect the breasts, the following are some methods for breastfeeding breast health:
1. Before breastfeeding: massage or apply a warm towel to the breasts to stimulate milk discharge and avoid prolonged sucking by the baby; do not use soap, alcohol, or other strong irritants to wipe the nipples before breastfeeding to avoid nipple damage.
2. During breastfeeding: make sure to place most of the nipple and areola into the baby's mouth, so that sucking involves less pulling on the mother's breast and the baby can quickly get full.
3. Before ending breastfeeding: gently press the baby's chin with the index finger to let the baby naturally release the nipple, do not forcefully pull the nipple as repeated pulling can cause damage to the nipple or breast.
4. After breastfeeding: apply a small amount of your own milk to the nipple. Human milk has rich protein, which can protect the nipple.
In addition, the following should be noted:
1. Suck more on the affected breast: if one breast has breast nodules, the baby should suck more on the affected breast, which can promote the improvement of breast diseases.
2. Correct milk expression: learn the correct method of expressing milk to avoid breast damage.
3. About bras: during breastfeeding, mothers should wear appropriate cotton bras to lift the breasts and improve blood circulation, reducing breast sagging.
4. Breast exercise: during breastfeeding, it is best for mothers to bathe the breasts with warm water 1-2 times a day; do exercises for the chest muscles, such as push-ups and chest expansion, every day to strengthen the muscles in the front chest and enhance the support for the breasts.
