Becoming a mother, whether it's your first time or not, is an exciting and beautiful time.  You have watched your body change and do amazing things during pregnancy and birth.  Now more than ever you deserve all the loving care your body needs.  Blossumz breast therapy packs pamper, soothe and comfort your most tender areas. Allowing you to enjoy each special moment with your new arrival. Your baby deserves nothing but the best and so do you!

*Please see Common Misconceptions & Myths About Breastfeeding Below

*Blossumz warm/cool breast therapy packs can be used to treat sore and swollen breasts associated with these common breast feeding conditions:

Engorgement

Your body began producing colostrum, the first milk, late in pregnancy. After you have given birth, more colostrum is produced, stimulated by your newborn breastfeeding.  Two to four days postpartum, hormones start to change, your milk production and blood flow to the breasts start to increase. Mothers may notice their breasts become fuller and much bigger. It is common to say that a mother's milk has "come in".  The milk ducts begin to fill up faster than your baby can empty them. When the milk ducts are not completely emptied, milk starts to build up in the ducts causing more swelling. Due to the swelling and engorgement, breasts become extremely tender and painful. Some mothers may even run a slight fever. Once you and your baby settle into a comfortable balance of milk production-the supply equals the demand-the discomfort and swelling will pass.  

Treatment

Because engorgement is uncomfortable and can lead to other problems, it is important to treat it promptly. Use Blossumz breast therapy packs as both a cold and warm compress to effectively relieve engorgement symptoms.  Apply as a cold compress for 15-20 min to reduce swelling and decrease tenderness and pain. Apply as a warm compress for 20-30 min before feedings to trigger the "let down" reflex, which allows the milk to flow quickly and efficiently from the ducts when you pump or breastfeed.

Other suggestion to relieve engorgement:

• Make sure that your baby is latched on correctly at the beginning of feedings
• Nurse often during the night as well as during the day
• Do not limit the length of feedings, allowing baby to adequately empty the breast
• Use a hospital-grade electric breast pump to release and empty some of the extra milk
• Wear a loose fitting bra, bras that are too tight can compress the breast and "trap" milk in the ducts which can lead to further swelling and engorgement
• Rest, Rest, Rest! Allowing your body to rest gives it a chance to do the necessary work needed to help you recover during the post-partum phase

Plugged Milk Ducts

Plugged milk ducts are ducts that have become blocked and/or inflamed due to insufficient draining of milk. Incomplete or skipped feedings, wearing a tight fitting bra or using an inadequate pump can cause the failure of milk to drain completely. Once plugged, the milk begins to build up behind the block, leaving the surrounding tissue to become swollen and tender.  You may notice a small hard lump on your breast that is sore to touch or a very tender spot on your breast. Unlike mastitis, the pain comes and goes and unless the duct becomes infected you will not feel generally ill.

Treatment  

A plugged duct that is left untreated can evolve into a breast infection known as mastitis, so it is important not to ignore the symptoms. Use Blossumz breast therapy packs to relieve symptoms of a plugged milk duct. Apply as a warm compress for 15 min before feedings to increase milk flow, which will help to unplug the duct

Other suggestions to help unplug the duct:

• Breastfeed frequently and often, letting baby empty the breast completely
• Continue to breastfeed or pump on the affected side to allow milk to drain completely from the duct
• Massage the area of your breast that is swollen or painful to help loosen the plug and encourage milk flow through the area

Mastitis

Mastitis refers to any inflammation of the breast and breast tissue. Events that lead up to developing mastitis include cracked/bleeding nipples, missed feedings or longer periods between feedings, stress or letting yourself get run down. You may feel that all or part of the breast is extremely painful, hot and tender to touch. Other symptoms of mastitis include general body aches, flu like symptoms and/or fever over 101 degrees. If you suspect an infection you should consult your health care provider as soon as possible.

Treatment

Treating mastitis is similar to treating engorgement only more urgent.  Use Blossumz breast therapy packs as a warm and cold compress to effectively relieve symptoms of mastitis.  Apply as a cold compress for 15-20 min to relieve swelling and pain.  Apply as a warm compress for 20-30 min to help increase blood and fluid circulation within the breast tissues, which mobilizes infection-fighters in the inflamed area.

Other suggestions to treat mastitis include:

• Continue to breastfeed on the affected side! It is important to completely empty the breast, as with other parts of the body, fluid that is trapped can become infected
• Gently massage the affected area to increase circulation and help loosen any plugged ducts. Try doing this while applying Blossumz gel pack as a warm compress
• Rest Your Body, mastitis can be an indication that you are doing too much and over working your tired and stressed body
• Take a pain reliever to decrease pain and reduce a fever
• Drink lots of fluids, fever and inflammation can cause your body to become dehydrated
• The best way to prevent mastitis is minimize the risks that lead to the development of mastitis

Weaning

Weaning is the term used to describe the phase when your baby begins to get more of his/her nutrition from sources other than your breast milk.  Your baby is considered completely weaned when breastfeeding ceases and all ofyour baby's nutrional needs are met by other food sources.  As you and your baby begin to reduce the number of feedings, your breast may become fuller and engorged.  Weaning your baby slowly is recommended to allow your body time to adjust to the new demand of less milk production.  If you wean your baby too quickly, you may find you have an excess of milk leading to engorgement, a plugged milk duct or even mastitis. 

Treatment

During the weaning phase you may develop engorged or swollen breasts and experience breast tenderness and discomfort.  Use Blossumz breast therapy packs as a warm and cold compress to relieve symptoms from weaning.  Apply as a cold compress for 15-20 min to relieve breast swelling and pain.  Apply as a warm compress for 20-30 min before feedings to stimulate the "let down" reflex and increase milk flow from the ducts to decrease fullness.

1.  Many women do not produce enough milk.

Not true! The vast majority of women produce more than enough milk. Indeed, an overabundance of milk is common. Most babies that gain too slowly, or lose weight, do so not because the mother does not have enough milk, but because the baby does not get the milk that the mother has. The usual reason that the baby does not get the milk that is available is that he is poorly latched onto the breast. This is why it is so important that the mother be shown, on the first day, how to latch a baby on properly, by someone who knows what they are doing.

2.  It is normal for breastfeeding to hurt.

Not true! Though some tenderness during the first few days is relatively common, this should be a temporary situation which lasts only a few days and should never be so bad that the mother dreads nursing. Any pain that is more than mild is abnormal and is almost always due to the baby latching on poorly. Any nipple pain that is not getting better by day 3 or 4 or lasts beyond 5 or 6 days should not be ignored. A new onset of pain when things have been going well for a while may be due to a yeast infection of the nipples. Limiting feeding time does not prevent soreness. (See topic #4 Sore Nipples).

3.  There is no (not enough) milk during the first 3 or 4 days after birth.

Not true! It often seems like that because the baby is not latched on properly and therefore is unable to get the milk. Once the mother's milk is abundant, a baby can latch on poorly and still may get plenty of milk. However, during the first few days, the baby who is latched on poorly cannot get milk. This accounts for "but he's been on the breast for 2 hours and is still hungry when I take him off". By not latching on well, the baby is unable to get the mother's first milk, called colostrum. Anyone who suggests you pump your milk to know how much colostrum there is, does not understand breastfeeding, and should be politely ignored.

4.  A baby should be on the breast 20 (10, 15, 7.6) minutes on each side.

Not true! However, a distinction needs to be made between "being on the breast" and "breastfeeding". If a baby is actually drinking for most of 15-20 minutes on the first side, he may not want to take the second side at all. If he drinks only a minute on the first side, and then nibbles or sleeps, and does the same on the other, no amount of time will be enough. The baby will breastfeed better and longer if he is latched on properly. He can also be helped to breastfeed longer if the mother compresses the breast to keep the flow of milk going, once he no longer swallows on his own (Breast Compression). Thus it is obvious that the rule of thumb that "the baby gets 90% of the milk in the breast in the first 10 minutes" is equally hopelessly wrong.

5.  A breastfeeding baby needs extra water in hot weather.

Not true! Breastmilk contains all the water a baby needs.

6.  Breastfeeding babies need extra vitamin D.

Not true! Except in extraordinary circumstances (for example, if the mother herself was vitamin D deficient during the pregnancy). The baby stores vitamin D during the pregnancy, and a little outside exposure, on a regular basis, gives the baby all the vitamin D he needs.

[Note from your Pediatrics Guide: The AAP now recommends that all exclusively breastfeeding infants be given 200 IU of Vitamin D beginning in the first 2 months of life. Since it is now often recommended that kids not be exposed to much sun (especially in the first 6 months of life), the frequent use of sunscreen decreases the synthesis of Vitamin D in the skin, and rickets is a serious and easily preventable disorder, the recommendation to supplement with Vitamin D was made.]

7.  A mother should wash her nipples each time before feeding the baby.

Not true! Formula feeding requires careful attention to cleanliness because formula not only does not protect the baby against infection, but also is actually a good breeding ground for bacteria and can also be easily contaminated. On the other hand, breastmilk protects the baby against infection. Washing nipples before each feeding makes breastfeeding unnecessarily complicated and washes away protective oils from the nipple.

8.  Pumping is a good way of knowing how much milk the mother has.

Not true! How much milk can be pumped depends on many factors, including the mother's stress level. The baby who nurses well can get much more milk than his mother can pump. Pumping only tells you have much you can pump.

9.  Breastmilk does not contain enough iron for the baby's needs.

Not true! Breastmilk contains just enough iron for the baby's needs. If the baby is full term he will get enough iron from breastmilk to last him at least the first 6 months. Formulas contain too much iron, but this quantity may be necessary to ensure the baby absorbs enough to prevent iron deficiency. The iron in formula is poorly absorbed, and most of it, the baby poops out. Generally, there is no need to add other foods to breastmilk before about 6 months of age.

10.  It is easier to bottle feed than to breastfeed.

Not true! Or, this should not be true. However, breastfeeding is made difficult because women often do not receive the help they should to get started properly. A poor start can indeed make breastfeeding difficult. But a poor start can also be overcome. Breastfeeding is often more difficult at first, due to a poor start, but usually becomes easier later.

11.  Breastfeeding ties the mother down.

Not true! But it depends how you look at it. A baby can be nursed anywhere, anytime, and thus breastfeeding is liberating for the mother. No need to drag around bottles or formula. No need to worry about where to warm up the milk. No need to worry about sterility. No need to worry about how your baby is, because he is with you.

12.  There is no way to know how much breastmilk the baby is getting.

Not true! There is no easy way to measure how much the baby is getting, but this does not mean that you cannot know if the baby is getting enough. Once mother's milk comes in, usually on the third or fourth day, the baby should begin to have 6-8 wet cloth diapers (5-6 wet disposable diapers) per day. (An easy way to feel the weight of a wet disposable diaper is to pour 2-4 tablespoons of water in a dry diaper.)

In addition, most young babies will have at least two to five bowel movements every 24 hours for the first several months, although some babies will switch to less frequent but large bowel movements at about 6 weeks.

A baby that is sleeping rather than feeding every 2-3 hours or is generally lethargic may need to be assessed by a health care provider to make sure that he is adequately hydrated.

These are additional important signs that indicate your baby is receiving enough milk:

• The baby nurses frequently averaging at least 8-12 feedings per 24-hour period.
• The baby is allowed to determine the length of the feeding, which may be 10 to 20 minutes per breast or longer.
• Baby's swallowing sounds are audible as he is breastfeeding.
• The baby should gain at least 4-7 ounces per week after the fourth day of life.
• The baby will be alert and active, appear healthy, have good color, firm skin, and will be growing in length and head circumference.