LACTATION AND ITS CHALLENGES

Inconsolable burning tears rolled down her eyes like a child chased down the street with a cane. In her tears were blue prints of the inexpressible agony she was feeling. Her eyes, like the red moon marking the feast of martyrs. She cried louder than her baby. Her joy had been stolen away by her favorite part and replaced with pain, her laughter disappeared like a ship in the Bermuda triangle . Her very natural asset which was well formed at her tender age and which she flaunts ridiculously to the attraction and admiration of the opposite sex both young and old and to the envy of her pearls , her breast, had now become a torn in her flesh.

The breast development orchestrated by the pregnancy hormones added color to the picture. Her breast had become full, more prominent, succulent and desirable. She wished this state would last forever, so like a virgin land ready to grow any crop, she quickly took to the ill-advice of her friends who told her that breastfeeding facilitates breast sagging. She decided to go on complementary feed for her new baby.

One week after her delivery, hell was let loose, nature had mobilised her armoury against her breasts for civil disobedience and denying her baby HIS BIRTHRIGHT. The war was so fierce that she wished her breasts off. The breasts had become very painful and unbearable with fever and chills which made her shake like men dancing the 'Ohafia war dance'. She was adviced again by same friends to take antimalaria, but, to no avail.
Her right reasoning returned from exile and like the prodigal son she decided to visit the clinic for expert management.

Breast Engorgement with mastitis

This is the diagnosis of the story above and therefore does not require any more emphasis.
The following should be done to prevent or alleviate the pain for breast engorgement.

• Place an ice park or warm water in a satchet/towel on the breast(s). This will take care of the pain.
• Express the breast and ensure the baby suckles to prevent reocurrance.
• Wear tight fitted bra. 
• Simple pain relief medications like NSAIDs can suffice.

Mastitis and Sour breastmilk

Mastitis is the inflammation of the breast tissue with or without infection(i.e Acute Inflammatory Mastitis and Infective Mastitis respectively).
When the infection/inflammation occurs within the duct system (Epidemic Adenitis), it produces pus which is expressed together with breastmilk. Babies generally avoid the affected breast and mothers interpret it as soured breastmilk but in reality there is no such thing as soured breastmilk.
This case should be managed by a physician.

Stopping lactation

 If you are desirous to stop the breast from further production of milk;

• Stop breastfeeding or expression and all forms of nipple stimulation.
• Wear tight fitted bra.

When this fails, consult your physician for expert management.

Nipple crack
This usually occurs due to inexperience in breastfeeding especially wrong positioning. Abnormal nipples,flat or inverted also contribute. A crack permits germs into the breast tissue with resultant mastitis and breast abscess. It's therefore adviced that it be managed by a qualified health personnel.

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