- 1. Place warm compresses on the breasts
- 2. Do circular massage on the breast
- 3. Use breast pumps to express milk
- 4. Apply cold compresses after feeding
Stone milk, scientifically known as breast engorgement, usually occurs when there is incomplete emptying of the breasts and, therefore, a good home treatment for the stone breast is to put the baby to breastfeed every two or three hours. Thus, it is possible to remove the excess milk that is produced, making the breasts less hard, full and heavy. Another option is to use the breast pump after the baby is breastfed, if you do not have enough to empty the breast.
However, if it is not possible to breastfeed because of the pain, there are other home treatments that can be done first:
1. Place warm compresses on the breasts
The warm compresses help to dilate the mammary glands, which are swollen, to facilitate the withdrawal of the milk that is being produced in excess. Thus, the compresses can be placed 10 to 20 minutes before breastfeeding, for example, facilitating the release of milk and relieving pain during breastfeeding.
In pharmacies, there are even thermal discs like those from Nuk or Philips Avent that help stimulate the flow of milk before breastfeeding, but warm compresses also help a lot.
2. Do circular massage on the breast
Massages on the breast help guide the milk through the channels of the breasts and therefore also ensure that it is easier for the baby to remove excess milk from the breast. The massage should be done with circular movements, vertically and towards the nipple. See better the technique to massage the breasts.
This technique can even be used together with warm compresses, as it will be easier to massage the area. So, when the compress starts to cool, you must remove it from the breast and massage it. Then, you can put a new warm compress, if the breast is still very hard.
3. Use breast pumps to express milk
Using breast pumps or hands to remove excess milk after the baby feeds helps to ensure that the milk does not end up getting hard inside the breast ducts. However, milk should not be milked at all feeds, as greater milk production may occur.
If the baby has difficulty grasping the nipple due to swelling and hardening of the breasts, a little milk can also be removed beforehand to facilitate the baby's holding and to avoid hurting the nipples.
4. Apply cold compresses after feeding
After the baby sucks and after the excess milk is removed, cold compresses can be applied to the breasts to reduce inflammation and swelling.
As breastfeeding continues, breast engorgement usually disappears naturally. See also how to prevent breast engorgement from arising.
