Are you a mother who is breastfeeding? If so, it's essential to take care of your breasts. In this blog post, we'll give you tips on keeping your breasts healthy while breastfeeding.

Follow these Tips on How To Care For Your Breast When Breastfeeding, and you'll be sure to have happy and healthy breasts

Wash your hands before each feeding

Washing your hands before feeding is an important part of breast health. Whenever you handle breastmilk, nipples, or breast pumps, it's essential to keep your hands clean. Proper handwashing reduces the risk of contamination and irritation, protecting against mastitis and other breast-related infections.

For best practice, follow the CDC guidelines for proper handwashing: Start wetting your hands with warm water before lathering up with soap for at least 20 seconds. Rinse thoroughly and dry using a clean towel or air dryer. With this easy step done ahead of every feeding session, you can maintain excellent breast health.

Use a clean, dry cloth to support your breast

Support while breastfeeding is essential to promote healthy breastfeeding habits. Many breastfeeding mothers may find that using a clean, dry cloth as support can be helpful. Placing a folded cloth beneath the breast can provide comfortable and consistent support, making breastfeeding easier for both mother and baby.

When using a cloth for support, take caution to ensure the item is thoroughly washed and dried before use. Proper sanitization should be practised to prevent contaminants from entering the breastfeeding relationship. Reap the benefits that breastfeeding has to offer with the help of a clean, dry cloth!

Apply lotion to your nipples after each feeding

Applying lotion to your nipples after feeding can be important for skin health and comfort. The act of breastfeeding can cause dryness, irritation, and even cracking to the tender skin of the nipples - lotion is a great way to reduce any discomfort associated with these issues.

An array of specially formulated lotions are explicitly designed for use on the nipples, but regular non-scented moisturizers can also be used if that is not an option. Proper application technique is essential to maximize effectiveness - lightly dab the lotion onto your nipple rather than rubbing it together, ensuring deeper penetration into the skin layers. Taking proactive steps such as applying lotion regularly can make all the difference when retaining your comfort and enjoying motherhood.

Wear a supportive bra during the day and at night

Wearing a supportive bra is a key part of breast health and comfort. During the day, wearing a supportive bra helps to reduce breast pain caused by movement or postural changes. At night, a supportive yet comfortable sleep and a breastfeeding bra can help you get the restful sleep you need for overall health.

For best breast health, make sure that you wear a supportive yet comfortable bra both day and night. Supportive bras are essential for breastfeeding moms as they give added support while caring for their baby during the day and extra care at night. Regularly wearing a supportive and well-fitted bra can help maintain breast shape throughout life's weight, age, and hormone fluctuations.

Don't smoke or drink alcohol while breastfeeding

While breastfeeding is an important part of nourishing and caring for a newborn baby, it is important to note that anything you put into your body could be passed on to the baby via your breast milk. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that breastfeeding women do not use or consume tobacco products or alcohol, as this has been proven to be detrimental to a baby's growth and well-being. Smoking and consuming alcohol can interfere with the quality of the milk produced by moms, as well as lead to other serious health conditions in their babies over time. Breastfeeding women should focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle to ensure they provide the best nourishment possible to their little ones.

© The Natural Doctor

So, you’re doing your regular breast exam at home, and you suddenly feel a lump. What should you do?

In most cases, women who feel a lump in their breasts will start to worry and have several questions in mind. If you’re one of those who recently felt a lump in their breasts, here are a few things you need to know.

How does a breast lump feel?

A breast lump feels more solid than regular breast tissue. It varies in size; some are pea-sized, while others can be as big as a golf ball. It can be difficult to differentiate a breast lump from a normal breast tissue because they both feel spongy and lumpy.

Lumps may or may not be moveable, while normal breast tissue feels like fibrous mesh. Breast lumps are usually painless, but they may also be painful.

When should you worry?

Breast lumps are scary, even though some say it’s pretty common. You’ve probably heard some people say that most breast lumps are noncancerous. But some may indicate breast cancer. So when should you worry? When should you consult your doctor?

Keep in mind that breast lumps need to be checked by a doctor, whether or not it’s painful. You must have it checked by your doctor regardless of your age and where the lump is located.

You can’t determine on your own if the lump you’re feeling is benign or cancerous just by feeling it. Most lumps are harmless. But lumps may also indicate breast cancer.

So how would you know if the lump is concerning? Here are a few things you need to watch out for.

•   Skin over the lump changes
•   Bloody discharge on the nipples
•   Enlargement of the nipples
•   Family history of breast cancer
  
  

What should you do?

When you feel that you have a breast lump, you should schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor.

Be prepared to answer questions. The most common ones that your doctor will ask are the following:

•    How big is the breast lump?
•    Is the lump attached to your skin?
•    Does the lump move and slip under your fingers when you touch it?
•    Is the lump painful or painless?
•    Does the lump come with inflamed, itchy, or red skin?
•    Did the lump cause a nipple discharge or nipple inversion?
•    Is the size of the lump changing?
•     Is the lump more painful when you have your period?
•     Do you have lumps in both breasts?
  
  

Your doctor may or may not recommend you to undergo more tests so they can better evaluate the mass. These tests may include a biopsy or a mammogram.

As previously mentioned, a doctor should check any lump, regardless of age. You shouldn’t think twice about having yourself checked, especially if you’re at least 50. However, that doesn’t mean young women should take breast lumps lightly.

Although many lumps end up being benign, some are still not. You don’t want to miss out on getting yourself checked. It’s better to catch breast cancer early because it’ll most likely be treatable.

Don’t worry about the painful biopsy. Other ways, such as breast ultrasounds and mammograms, help your doctor evaluate your condition.

It’s never too late to take care of your body, including your breasts. Keeping your breasts healthy goes beyond self-examination and regular mammograms. You should also exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and reduce stress. Avoid eating processed food and consume more fruits and vegetables. You should also stop smoking and limit your alcohol intake. 

© The Natural Doctor