Painful breasts & nipples are among the highly pervasive lactation-related issues encountered. Many a breastfeeding mom would require assistance for this matter on at least one instant. Breast & nipple soreness could dampen or thwart breastfeeding, leading to decreased milk flow & interfering with maternal-infant bonding.
Poultice & Soak Tips for Painful Breasts
The superlative first-aid for treating painful breasts is compress, soak & poultice. Poultices consist of freshly picked or post-cooking herb forms that are topically applied over the breast. Compresses are made by steeping washcloths & applying it. Soaks are basically soaks in warm water.
Searing water single-handedly has favourable effects on breast tenderness, irrespective of the reason. The heated water helps in stimulating blood supply & relieves strain in breast tissue having tautness & swelling. Herb infusion in water tends to enhance the efficacy of soaks or compresses.
One needs to bear in mind that during applications of such topical cures frequency, consistency & succinctness of use proffers greater benefits as compared to intermittent, drawn-out therapies, i.e., 6-7 therapies of 5 minutes each spreading out throughout the day would have greater efficacy as compared to a single therapy that lasts for half an hour. In case infection exists then throw away any plants matter & all the substances in the poultices be washed following every usage to avert spreading infection.
The breasts must be soaked in a basin filled with tepid water, filling the basin, leaning over & immersing one’s chest breast-deep into it. The milk could be massaged out when one soaks for additionally relieving any engorged feeling & allaying pains.
Placing a fistful of freshly picked or desiccated parsley foliage into a diaper & tying it shut using rubber-bands and then put in a vessel full of water & simmering for ten to fifteen minutes. Applying the searing (freshly picked) parsley as poultices or using the arid herb yet bundled together into the diaper as compresses for easing swelling & pains in breasts.
Preparing freshly selected or dry comfrey foliage in the analogous manner alike parsley. Heated poultices or compresses made by using comfrey helps in soothing nipple soreness, softening tissue engorgement, allays pains due to swelling in breasts & aids in unblocking any milk duct or tube. Usually, it could be safely used in case of external application, however breastfeeding moms might be justifiably distrustful of using them due to concerns about it harming their baby’s liver.
A cooled poultice comprising of raw potatoes post-grating could help in mopping up heat due to inflamed condition, localizing infections & unblocks any clogging in milk ducts. Direct application of the potato grate is to be done on the breast & then a cleansed washcloth placed over it. Once dried, remove & replace it with freshly prepared batch of potato grate.