One of the best home remedies for easing discomfort is hot and cold therapy. Depending on the situation, one may be better than the other. Sometimes alternating between the two brings the most relief. Having a product like Breast-Ease Support Pack that can be used hot or cold can help when you are experiencing discomfort for a variety of situations.
Breast-Ease Support Pack comes with two reusable gel packs which is really convenient to have one in use and one in the ready or be able to use one for heat and the other for cold for when it is better to alternate between the two. Most cold packs are stiff when they are frozen, but with Legendairy Milk’s packs, you can mold them to your breast for more contact of heat or cold from the pack with your body. It is very flexible and conforms to your breast comfortably and around your nipple rather than over top of it.
Using heat
Beforehand expression and pumping - The truth is, when we are stressed out, cortisol levels rise and oxytocin decreases. Oxytocin is the hormone released signaling milk to flow and the let down reflex. It is the hormone that is triggered when we hear our baby cry and we leak milk. Heat can help you relax, release oxytocin and remove more milk during hand expression and pumping.(1)
During pumping - No need to take the Breast-Ease pack off while you pump. Because it wraps around your flange, you can keep it on while you pump. This will help encourage more let downs while you pump which can help you get more milk out during your pump session. Using hands on massage and compressions on your breast while pumping in addition to heat boosts milk output.
Increase milk supply - Using the Breast-Ease pack warm during nursing or pumping which can help elicit more let downs means you are able to refill with milk more often and your milk supply may increase.(2)
Milk bleb - Gently rubbing a food safe oil on a bleb and putting on a heat pack can help soften the tissue and make your bleb a thing of the past. Blebs can be painful and usually are seen on the nipple or areola. It may appear as a white spot. It is a small area of trapped milk under the skin’s surface.
Plugged ducts - When milk gets backed up and is unable to flow, the result is a plugged duct. You may need to alternate this with cold for reducing inflammation which is what makes the duct more narrow and the milk unable to flow as easily. Heat can help encourage the flow of milk. Combine gentle tapping and stroking of the chest area above and in front of where the plugged ducts is to help the milk move. Heat can relieve the pain that is accompanied by plugged ducts. Find even more relief by applying castor oil to a clean cotton flannel cloth and placing it over the plugged duct. Cover that with another cloth or piece of plastic wrap and your heated Breast-Ease support pack over top. The heat will help dilate the ducts so milk can flow as the castor oil reduces the inflammation.
Using cold
Weaning - It is best to wean slowly so your body has time to adjust and reduce your supply very gradually. Sometimes, there are reasons we need to help the process along faster or find ourselves with some mild engorgement during the process. Using a cold pack to reduce engorgement can help reduce pain and discomfort if your breasts are feeling full during the weaning process.(3) Use a towel or the plush cover of the Breast-Ease support pack to prevent direct contact and prevent your skin from being too cold.
When it feels good to you - there are no set in stone rules. What works for one person may be different for another. With the Breast-Ease support packs, you are able to have one for heat and the other for cold applications so you can determine which feels best for you or to alternate between heat and cold.
Alternating hot and cold
Mastitis - A breast infection can be caused by unresolved plugged ducts, milk removal not being frequent enough or seem to come out of nowhere. One thing is for sure, mastitis is painful and often is accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Using your heated Breast-Ease support pack before nursing or pumping will widen the ducts and encourage milk to flow. After you nurse or pump, apply your chilled Breast-Ease support pack in the cloth cover to help reduce swelling, inflammation and ease pain. Consider taking Lacta-Biotic which contains a strain of probiotics that can be used for mastitis and overall breast health and reduce the chances of recurrence of mastitis or plugged ducts.
Engorgement -Heat on your breasts before nursing or pumping can widen the ducts and let milk flow more easily helping to remove more milk giving you more relief and of course protecting your milk supply. Alternate this with a cold pack after feeding or pumping to help reduce swelling, inflammation and soothe discomfort.
Plugged ducts - while some people prefer only the application of heat for a plugged duct, some like alternating heat with a cold compress. It may feel good if you are experiencing pain from the plugged duct and can help decrease swelling. Using Choline or Sunflower lecithin in addition to heat encourages clogs to move.
Breast-Ease Support Packs were created with comfort and effectiveness for mom’s. It is a must have tool in your breastfeeding toolbox. It is easy to pack for on the go in your pump bag for work or in your bag when going on a trip.
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Footnotes:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4290532/#:~:text=The%20maternal%20release%20of%20oxytocin,movements%20 performed%20by%20the%20baby
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221712891_Does_Warming_the_Breasts_Affect_the_Amount_of_Breastmilk_Production
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763679/
Other Resources:
https://www.legendairymilk.com/blogs/news/the-benefits-of-using-heat-for-milk-supply
