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Some women suffer from pain and swelling in their breasts. This problem is also called Mastitis. It is an infection of the breast caused by poor or delayed emptying of a blocked duct. As a result of the blockage the milk leaks out into the breast tissues and causes infection. The infected area is usually painful, red, swollen and shiny because of stretching and may feel hot. The patient may also feel feverish.

Let?”‘”"s discuss mastitis in another simpler way. In mastitis, the tubes through which the breast milk flows are blocked and the milk leaks into an area of the breast which becomes infected. The breast feels hot, shiny and the patient might even develop fever. The reason of this breast disorder is not clear, but usually this occurs several weeks after child-birth.

It is advised that a mother with this infection should continue breastfeeding her baby. Though a woman may have this infection, the germs do not pass into the breast milk and the baby does not suffer. The problem, if not treated quickly, will turn into an abscess. The patient suffering from mastitis should consult a doctor who usually prescribes antibiotics. The best way to treat Mastitis is to encourage the drainage of milk and to use antibiotics as advised by the doctor.

When the condition is very painful and breasts get too swollen, the problem is called Epidemic Mastitis. Apart from the painful swelling of the breasts, the patient usually has fever. Since the infection involves the milk tubes, it is possible that pus mixed with milk may be oozing from the nipples at the time of breastfeeding. Doctors often recommend antibiotics for killing infectious germs and Aspirin to bring down the fever.

The women suffering from this problem should frequently express breast milk; otherwise the blockage of the tubes will worsen. The expression of milk will not only relieve the tension and pain, but will help the patient to recover faster also to maintain breast milk supply. As there is every possibility that pus is mixed with the breast milk it is wise to consult a doctor.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Copyright ?’© Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

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Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Mastitis—Pain-and-Swelling-in-the-Breasts/616749

by Fran Harris of articlesnatch.com

From the first moment the infant is applied to the breast, it must be nursed upon a certain plan. This is necessary to the well-doing of the child, and will contribute essentially to preserve the health of the parent, who will thus be rendered a good nurse, and her duty at the same time will become a pleasure.

This implies, however, a careful attention on the part of the mother to her own health; for that of her child is essentially dependent upon it. Healthy, nourishing, and digestible milk can be procured only from a healthy parent; and it is against common sense to expect that, if a mother impairs her health and digestion by improper diet, neglect of exercise, and impure air, she can, nevertheless, provide as wholesome and uncontaminated a fluid for her child, as if she were diligently attentive to these important points. Every instance of indisposition in the nurse is liable to affect the infant.

And this leads me to observe, that it is a common mistake to suppose that, because a woman is nursing, she ought therefore to live very fully, and to add an allowance of wine, porter, or other fermented liquor, to her usual diet. The only result of this plan is, to cause an unnatural degree of fulness in the system, which places the nurse on the brink of disease, and which of itself frequently puts a stop to the secretion of the milk, instead of increasing it. The right plan of proceeding is plain enough; only let attention be paid to the ordinary laws of health, and the mother, if she have a sound constitution, will make a better nurse than by any foolish deviation founded on ignorance and caprice.

The following case proves the correctness of this statement:

A young lady, confined with her first child, left the lying-in room at the expiration of the third week, a good nurse, and in perfect health. She had had some slight trouble with her nipples, but this was soon overcome.

The porter system was now commenced, and from a pint to a pint and a half of this beverage was taken in the four and twenty hours. This was resorted to, not because there was any deficiency in the supply of milk, for it was ample, and the infant thriving upon it; but because, having become a nurse, she was told that it was usual and necessary, and that without it her milk and strength would ere long fail.

After this plan had been followed for a few days, the mother became drowsy and disposed to sleep in the daytime; and headach, thirst, a hot skin, in fact, fever supervened; the milk diminished in quantity, and, for the first time, the stomach and bowels of the infant became disordered. The porter was ordered to be left off; remedial measures were prescribed; and all symptoms, both in parent and child, were after a while removed, and health restored.

Having been accustomed, prior to becoming a mother, to take a glass or two of wine, and occasionally a tumbler of table beer, she was advised to follow precisely her former dietetic plan, but with the addition of half a pint of barley-milk morning and night. Both parent and child continued in excellent health during the remaining period of suckling, and the latter did not taste artificial food until the ninth month, the parent’s milk being all-sufficient for its wants.

No one can doubt that the porter was in this case the source of the mischief. The patient had gone into the lying-in-room in full health, had had a good time, and came out from her chamber (comparatively) as strong as she entered it. Her constitution had not been previously worn down by repeated child-bearing and nursing, she had an ample supply of milk, and was fully capable, therefore, of performing the duties which now devolved upon her, without resorting to any unusual stimulant or support. Her previous habits were totally at variance with the plan which was adopted; her system became too full, disease was produced, and the result experienced was nothing more than what might be expected.

The plan to be followed for the first six months. Until the breast- milk is fully established, which may not be until the second or third day subsequent to delivery (almost invariably so in a first confinement), the infant must be fed upon a little thin gruel, or upon one third water and two thirds milk, sweetened with loaf sugar.

After this time it must obtain its nourishment from the breast alone, and for a week or ten days the appetite of the infant must be the mother’s guide, as to the frequency in offering the breast. The stomach at birth is feeble, and as yet unaccustomed to food; its wants, therefore, are easily satisfied, but they are frequently renewed. An interval, however, sufficient for digesting the little swallowed, is obtained before the appetite again revives, and a fresh supply is demanded.

At the expiration of a week or so it is essentially necessary, and with some children this may be done with safety from the first day of suckling, to nurse the infant at regular intervals of three or four hours, day and night. This allows sufficient time for each meal to be digested, and tends to keep the bowels of the child in order. Such regularity, moreover, will do much to obviate fretfulness, and that constant cry, which seems as if it could be allayed only by constantly putting the child to the breast. A young mother very frequently runs into a serious error in this particular, considering every expression of uneasiness as an indication of appetite, and whenever the infant cries offering it the breast, although ten minutes may not have elapsed since its last meal. This is an injurious and even dangerous practice, for, by overloading the stomach, the food remains undigested, the child’s bowels are always out of order, it soon becomes restless and feverish, and is, perhaps, eventually lost; when, by simply attending to the above rules of nursing, the infant might have become healthy and vigorous.

For the same reason, the infant that sleeps with its parent must not be allowed to have the nipple remaining in its mouth all night. If nursed as suggested, it will be found to awaken, as the hour for its meal approaches, with great regularity. In reference to night-nursing, I would suggest suckling the babe as late as ten o’clock p. m., and not putting it to the breast again until five o’clock the next morning. Many mothers have adopted this hint, with great advantage to their own health, and without the slightest detriment to that of the child. With the latter it soon becomes a habit; to induce it, however, it must be taught early.

The foregoing plan, and without variation, must be pursued to the sixth month.

After the sixth month to the time of weaning, if the parent has a large supply of good and nourishing milk, and her child is healthy and evidently flourishing upon it, no change in its diet ought to be made. If otherwise, however, (and this will but too frequently be the case, even before the sixth month) the child may be fed twice in the course of the day, and that kind of food chosen which, after a little trial, is found to agree best.

Fran Harris is a TV host, former ESPN, FOX Sports & Lifetime Television announcer. An international speaker, trainer, coach, author and business expert, she’s been featured on CNBC, CNN, FOX Business Channel, Today Show, Tavis Smiley, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Oprah’s Radio Network and many more media outlets.
She’s so passionate about helping people achieve their personal and business goals, that for a limited time she’s giving away over 50 free business CDs at http://FreeBusinessCDs.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/ABC-OF-BREASTFEEDING/746597

by romy

Many premature babies are not routinely fed their mother’s milk and are instead fed infant formula. However, a recent study now stresses the importance of breast milk for preterm babies and urges that all premature babies should be fed theirs mother’s milk when at all possible.

A lot of women think their milk supply is low when it actually isn’t. Thinking this can happen if you lose the feeling of fullness in your breasts or if the milk stops leaking from your nipples. Babies that go through growth spurts may want more milk than usual, and these more frequent feedings may leave your breasts less than full.

According to experts the top tip for increasing the supply of breast milk is more frequent baby feeding. There are two ways of doing this. Firstly you could offer a quick top up feed of 5-10 minutes around 20-30 minutes after the baby’s normal feeds. Secondly, offer the baby feeds every two to three hours for just one or two days.

Wear two-piece outfits with easy access to your breasts. A loose top that can be pulled up from the bottom makes breast feeding and breast pumping more convenient. Another choice would be a dress or shirt that buttons all the way down the front. Buttons that go down only to the waist are not usually sufficient for double pumping because you need to be able to open the shirt wide. Also you could buy nursing tops or dresses with discreet slits at the breast for convenience when nursing or pumping.

Observing how a baby suckles his/her mother’s milk, Dr. Hartman has confirmed that the method happens in two successive steps. Initially, the baby pulls in the milk rapidly, which augments the flow of breast milk, whereas in the second step the suction slows down but it is still intense, allowing more milk to pour out per suckle. The Twin-Phase Expression technology of Medela pumps acts on this principle.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-To-Keep-Breast-Milk/717565

Sep 11, ‘09 2:03 AM
By Justine C. Tajonera

(re-posted from mommassage.multiply.cm)

When I took childbirth classes, someone asked me if I already took breastfeeding classes or if I’d already gotten some breastfeeding counseling. I laughed and thought to myself that it might be “over-preparing” and that breastfeeding must be natural. Boy, was I mistaken.

Breastfeeding is natural activity but it needs to be taught

When I finally had Badger to myself in the nursery (my ordeal over rooming in is for another blog entry), we just looked at each other. I was hurting from my C.S. section stitches and I couldn’t properly sit down. No one was there to help me latch and I just had a poster to guide me. That was when I realized that breastfeeding is a natural activity but it needs to be taught. Mothers used to teach it to their daughters and close-knit communities used to make it part of their rituals and customs. But there I was just looking at Badger without a clue.

Breastfeeding didn’t start out easy for me. I had the support of my husband and family but I suffered through sore nipples and getting back aches from not being positioned properly. That was all because I didn’t call up another breastfeeding mom and get her advice.

You Need a Breastfeeding Support System

I got to call some breastfeeding peer counselors from the La Leche League chapter in Manila and finally got to talk to a mom who had been through it all. She even came to my house. I wanted to cry when I saw how much support I was getting. I was surprised to find out that it was easy to join a breastfeeding meeting in Greenhills (Mary the Queen Parish Church). I got to meet other breastfeeding moms and got mom-to-mom guidance on how to properly latch my baby.

Breastfeeding is a culturally shared experience. A support network will greatly enhance your chances of breastfeeding longer and avoiding the common problems encountered with breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding help is just a phone call away. Please check out the following resources to get peer counseling for breastfeeding:

LATCH, Inc. (Lactation, Attachment, Training, Counseling, Help)
http://theperfectlatch.com
Call up: Buding (09178920195) or Jen (09175325643)

La Leche League of the Philippines
http://www.llli.org/Philippines.html
Call up: Chris Rosenthal (09178941099)

by Bev Alarcon

BENEFITS FOR BABIES AND MOMS

1. Breastmilk is widely accepted by scientists and health organizations across the world as optimal nourishment for infants
2. Breastfeeding provides the physical touch and affection newborns need. Babies thrive on being held. Health professionals agree that premature infants might have difficulty developing if they are not held or given affection
3. Breastfeeding releases a chemical, oxytocin, in the mother’s body. Oxytocin reduces stress and ejects human milk that provides the ultimate nutrition.
4. Breast milk is easier to digest than powdered formula milk. It also contains natural antibodies that gives immunity against bacteria and viruses responsible for newborns’ gastrointestinal distress. Those antibodies may lower incidences of diarrhea, intestinal diseases , as welln other illnesses in young children.
5. Breastfeeding leads to smarter babies. There are studies showing that breast-fed children have an enhanced brain development. A study showed that the average IQ score of breast-fed children is higher than formula-fed children. Another study showed that the longer a child is breast-fed, the greater the development of his or her cognitive ability.
6. Mothers who breastfeed for at least six months regain their figure more quickly. Breastfeeding burns 500 extra calories a day. A breastfeeding mom who has a normal diet loses the weight gained during pregnancy than those who choose to bottle feed. Additional studies show that breastfeeding women claim to be calmer and fas lower blood pressure.

GIVE YOUR BABY THE BEST IN NUTRITION AND THE STRONGEST IMMUNITY
WHILE YOU WORK.

Yes, you can still breastfeed even after returning to work!

Jacob, my 5 month old baby has not caught a fever since birth! My pedia said his health is so excellent! Thanks to breastmilk. I give him 100% human milk even after returning to work.

I can also wear my pre-pregnancy clothes now after
breastfeeding for 5 months. .

For support you can email me at breastfeedingworkingmom@gmail.com.

There are many differences between breast milk and cow’s milk / formula. Cow’s milk is not recommended for babies until they are at least 10 to 12 months of age or older (ask your doctor). Cow’s milk is much more difficult for an infants digestive system to break down and is not nutritionally equal to breast milk. This goes for all types of cow’s milk, regardless of whether it’s whole, low fat, skim, powdered or any other form. The differences between breast milk and cows milk are explained below.

Breast Milk

*Antibodies – Helps your baby’s immune system gain strength, fighting off bacteria and viruses. When you or your baby is exposed to a virus or bacteria, your breast milk “fights back” by producing antibodies specific to that virus or bacteria. Formula is exactly the same, time after time, regardless of what your baby is exposed to.

*Water – Your breast milk contains the perfect amount of water to satisfy your baby’s thirst and adjusts to your baby’s needs.

*Fat – Breast milk contains more fat than cow’s milk and is more easily absorbed by your baby. This is one of the reasons that breast fed babies have different stools than bottle (formula) fed babies. Since the baby is not excreting any wasted fats the stool will be a yellow mustard color with a mildly sweet smell.

*Protein – Protein that is used to help your baby’s body grow and develop is in just the right amount and in a form most readily absorbed.

*Carbohydrates – Breast milk contains more carbohydrates than cow’s milk. These carbohydrates provide a very important source of energy.

*Vitamins and minerals – As long as you, the mother, eat a reasonably well balanced diet, your breast milk will contain all of your baby’s vitamin and mineral requirements, until about age 6 months.

*Taste – Breast milk changes in taste, depending on the different foods the mother eats. Breastfed babies are more likely to accept new and different foods once they start on solids (not recommended until age 6 months) than their formula-fed peers, because formula tastes the same every single time, while breastmilk takes on a taste similar to the different foods a mother eats.

Cow’s Milk

*No antibodies – Antibodies that are in breast milk are not in cow’s milk / formula and cannot be artificially produced.

*Water – The amount of water in cow’s milk / formula can’t change to suit your baby’s need the way breast milk can.

*Fat – The fat in cow’s milk / formula is very different than the fat in breast milk and your baby can’t absorb it as easily.

*Protein – The amount of protein in cow’s milk / formula is at least double the amount in breast milk and is also a different and less digestible type.

*Carbohydrates – Cow’s milk / formula has smaller amounts of carbohydrates than breast milk.

*Vitamins and minerals – Cow’s milk / formula has more of some vitamins and minerals and less of others than breast milk; it’s not the right amount for your baby.

*There are over 100 ingredients in breast milk which ARE NOT in formula, even the new “DHA added” formulas. Formula is intended as a replacement for breastmilk when breastmilk is not available, but sadly, it does not even come close to it!

from: http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/breastfeeding-diff-breast-cow-milk.htm