Benefits of Breast Massage After Childbirth

If a nursing mother is worried about a small amount of milk coming out of the breast, try doing a breast massage. There are many benefits of breast massage after childbirth that have been proven through various medical studies.

Childbirth can be a laborious process. Body massage, including breast massage, can stimulate the body to release endorphins that make the body feel good. Not only that, breast massage after giving birth can trigger the body to release the hormone oxytocin which stimulates the release of breast milk. Breast massage can also make the mother feel more comfortable when breastfeeding the baby.

Various Benefits of Breast Massage After Childbirth

Here are some of the benefits of breast massage for those of you who have just given birth:

• Smooths clogged milk ducts

  The milk ducts can become blocked when the milk builds up, causing the tissue around the ducts to swell and become inflamed. This blockage is caused by the production of breast milk that is faster than the frequency of the baby suckling or the frequency of the mother expressing breast milk. To overcome blockages and launch breast milk, do breast massage after giving birth. The trick, massage the outside of the breast, slowly up to the middle or nipple. In addition, you can try compressing the breast with a cloth dampened in warm water.

• Prevents sore breasts when breastfeeding

  According to research, doing breast massage after giving birth can reduce pain while breastfeeding. The massage can be done twice a day, each for 30 minutes. Breast massage can also be done as a step in breast care during pregnancy to reduce breast pain for pregnant women.

• Improve the quality of breast milk

  Breast massage after delivery is also able to increase the amount of nutritional content in breast milk, especially if it is done from the first day of delivery until 11 months later. Fat, casein, and energy are some of the substances that increase in number with breast massage. While the amount of sodium (sodium) in breast milk will decrease.

• Increase milk production

  Want smooth and abundant milk production? Do not hesitate to do breast massage after delivery. To be more relaxed, you can try massaging your breasts while listening to music.

• Other benefits

  Breast massage after delivery can also help prevent and treat breastfeeding problems, such as swollen breasts or mastitis (an infection of the breast tissue). Not only that, the baby will also breastfeed more.

How to do breast massage after childbirth

Breast massage after delivery is very easy to do for nursing mothers. Here are the steps:

• Wash your hands with warm water and soap first.
• Place the four fingers of the right hand on top of one breast and the four fingers of the left hand on the bottom. Massage in a circular pattern.
• Also massage the sides of your breasts in a circular manner. You can also squeeze the breasts.
• After that, try to pat and massage the entire breast with fingertips,
• If you want to express milk, place your index finger and thumb around the nipple (in a C shape). Gently move both fingers until they press the nipple and the milk comes out. Squeeze your breasts according to your heart rate.
• Do massage on the other breast.

Basically breast massage after giving birth can be done by nursing mothers themselves. Make sure the massage is done gently and lightly to get the maximum benefit. However, you should consult a doctor first before doing breast massage, especially if you suffer from certain medical conditions. Similarly, if there are lumps or changes in the breast.