Without preparing the breasts for feeding, negative consequences such as cracked skin on the nipples can appear. This is accompanied by pain, bloody discharge, and the baby has difficulty gripping the nipple. To avoid such situations, you need to take care of some important points even during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, the shape and size of the breast changes. This is due to hormonal changes that occur so that the expectant mother can provide the child with all the necessary nutrients.
Getting ready before childbirth can help avoid problems such as cracked nipples, pain, and milk supply problems. Preparation will simplify the process from the first day of feeding, and it is better to start it from the fifth month of pregnancy.
Several techniques can be proposed:
· Physical exercises. Yes, even expectant mothers are shown sports, but absolutely not heavy. Breeding straight or bent arms to the side, alternating them up and down will help strengthen the chest. And despite the fact that during work only the muscles are strained, the glands will also develop better, the nipples will become a little softer due to the more active rush of blood.
· Nipple massage. The areola needs to be stretched, massaged, compressed to the best of reason, without causing pain. It is also twisted. The duration of one approach is 1 minute. Each type of exercise is assigned one approach. This will help make the fabric more elastic. After the baby is born, the nipples will not crack.
· Use a rough cloth to massage your breasts. This will help maintain the elasticity of the skin and also prepare it for safe stretching.
· To prevent the delicate skin of the nipples from being overdried, do not soap them at all during pregnancy in the last months. Soap contains a large amount of sulfates, which are responsible for foaming. These substances are found in all foamy cosmetics - shower gels, shampoos, scrubs.
· To remove sensitivity from the nipples, lotions can be applied. To do this, it is enough to use a regular paper napkin soaked in herbal tea. Lotions do not last more than five minutes. For this purpose, oak bark is suitable. It can be used several times a day before childbirth.
· Dousing with cool water is a very risky method, but if the expectant mother has a strong immune system, then it will come in handy. You can alternate cool water with cold, warm water, then repeat the temperature change again.
It is recommended to check the shape of the nipple during pregnancy. In order for the baby to comfortably grip the breast, it must be elongated. If it turns out to be flat, the baby can feel discomfort and hurt mom. The problem may be that the shape of the nipples changes at different stages of pregnancy.
To achieve an elongated shape, buy special adjustments from the pharmacy. They are inexpensive and easy to use. After the baby is born, spotters do not need to be thrown away - they are put on the breast for 15 minutes before feeding.
