Proper feeding of the child, as the prevention of mastitis

Since mastitis (inflammation of the breast) often occurs in women after giving birth on a background of stagnation of milk in the mammary glands, the main way to prevent this disease is breast-feeding the child the proper and timely elimination of stagnation in the mammary glands.

The anatomical features of the structure of the breast woman

The mammary gland is composed of cells that produce milk. These cells are combined in a first small segments which are then combined to form larger, and so on. As a result, the breast is large enough for about twenty shares. And a large share of the smallest segments separated by connective tissue, which is the frame of the breast. The muscles in the breast is not, and so after the birth, she often loses its shape, which is to recover with the help of exercise can not be - the connective tissue is not able to contract. Connective ligaments also attach the breast to the chest.

Between the slices are breast ducts, which are becoming wider as you move toward the center. To fit the nipple about twenty channels. The skin of the breast is very thin, easily traumatized. The nipple surrounded by areola - the pigmented circle of skin.

The mammary gland is functioning under the influence of hormones. Female sex hormones estrogen contribute to its growth and development during adolescence, and the hormone is the main endocrine glands pituitary prolactin promotes the production of milk.

How to feed your baby

After giving birth, female mammary gland under the influence of the hormone prolactin Prolactin - effect on the body is not fully known   begins to operate and produce a first crude milk (colostrum) and then mature milk. A healthy child is usually immediately after birth is applied to the chest. Later on in the maternity ward feeding children bring to three hours with a six-hour night break. And this regime is often caused by stagnation of milk in the breast in women.

Far better for the baby and for the mother's breast "on demand", that is when the child begins to worry and to ask his chest. Breastfeeding not only provides the child's diet, but also calms, which is the prevention of disorders of the central nervous system.

For the mother breast "on demand" is useful that the child is regularly sucking as much milk as he needs, and the breasts of women are gradually getting used to such a regime, and do not produce too much milk. Therefore, usually in the first weeks after birth when feeding "on demand" breast is soft, without any signs of stagnation.

But in some cases, feeding is only possible on the clock. For example, if a mother and child are alone and the child receives expressed breast milk. Such a situation may arise, for example, diseases of the mother or the child, which require placing them in the hospital. In this case, a woman needs to carefully monitor their breast and carefully decant (by hand or using special breast pumps) all milk residues.

When the stagnation of milk (lactostasis) breasts are dense, tense, painful. In this case, you can express extra milk under a warm shower in order to expand the ducts, and milk more freely received in the nipple. Lactostasis dangerous because if you accidentally hit in the breast tissue infections, it immediately begins the inflammatory process.

Prevention of contact with the mammary gland infection

Infectious agents (usually Staphylococcus aureus) can get into the breast in two ways: with the blood flow from some source of infection present in a woman's body or through microtrauma (cracks and abrasions) nipples. The most common route of infection last.

Prevention of microtraumas nipple is the correct breastfeeding a child: he must capture not only the nipple and surrounding areola, then abrasions in the nipple is not. But there are women with flat and even with inverted nipples Inverted nipples - if a problem is when breast-feeding? Who suffer most from microtraumas nipples. These women feed the baby from birth (until cracks and abrasions) recommended through special pads that have the shape of the nipple.

If the cracks and scratches on the nipple is still there, they need to be treated urgently. For small cracks and scratches to stop breast-feeding is not recommended, it is better to try to feed the baby through a special cover made of thin silicone, which creates a separation layer between the lips of the child and the nipple. For large injuries nipples that are very painful to the child's chest is temporarily applied, and milk gently without damaging the nipple, decant. After healing of cracks breastfeeding renew.

Injured nipples washed pink solution of potassium permanganate, smeared with green paint, and then, if crust is dry, apply gauze with ointment (eg bepentenom or solkoserilom) or fish oil Fish oil - so whether it is useful to think? . If there are scratches on the surface of Moisture, then fit the gel solkoseril.

The prevention of infection in the mammary gland is also a careful care of them: wash the breast with boiled water before and after feeding (without soap), wearing properly selected cotton bras, air baths (to keep the chest open for a few minutes before each feeding).

Galina Romanenko

What follow-up of women with fibrocystic mastopathy?

As a rule, women with fibrocystic mastopathy following actions are recommended:

• acquire the necessary self-examination techniques

Self-breast examination - the best option when there is a minimal hormonal stimulation of breast cancer. It occurs 7-10 days after the onset of menstruation (or 3 days after the end of menstruation). At this time, fluid retention and breast cell growth activity low.

The ideal place where you can conduct your own survey is the bathroom or shower. First, a woman must be wet and lather his chest, join the fingers together and start moving from the outer part of the breast to the center. It helps to mentally divide the breast into four sections (quadrants) and examine each of them in turn. The upper outer quadrant reaches the axillary area.

Second, the survey process continues in the same direction, but now must make affectionate fingers motion. This difference of movements of the fingers joined together to endearment, reveals the different kinds of abnormalities. This examination of the breast by hand (palpation) should be carried out, along with visual inspection. To do this, put your hands down at his sides, and look in the mirror. A woman should see whether the breasts are symmetrical to each other. Then the woman must raise their hands up and make them his head, checking any depression in the skin, or any other visible tumors or deformed areas. The whole procedure of self-examination may take a few minutes.

• constantly observed by a doctor-specialist

The examination should be carried out every four months to patients belonging to high risk, as well as for patients with hyperplasia Hyperplasia - do not be afraid   and a bad heredity (cases of cancer among blood relatives - breast cancer, ovarian cancer Ovarian cancer: do not miss the professional examinations!   or prostate).

• stick to the selected screening program

This process usually involves an annual mammogram, sometimes in conjunction with ultrasound. Ideally mammography be carried out in the same conditions (e.g., in the same day of the menstrual cycle The days of the menstrual cycle: Four phases   women) to the previous mammogram can be compared followed. In some cases, it may be used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

• all women are recommended x-rays of the breast

It includes a base mammogram aged 35-40 years, respectively, every year after the age of 40 years.

to understand the statistical risk of developing breast cancer, based on all possible and available information

This woman can help professionals. Many patients overestimate the risk of developing the disease. There must be the conviction that, despite the fact that you need to constantly be very careful about their health, most women with fibrocystic mastopathy never have breast cancer Breast cancer: what every woman needs to know . There should be a balance between control and quality of life.

How is the risk of cancer in patients with fibrocystic mastopathy?

In determining the statistical risks for each individual woman, you need a thorough examination of all aspects of its health. The best way to assess the risk of cancer is a microscopic examination of tissue samples when fibrocystic breast. Other factors, such as family history and the presence of a gene that increases the risk of breast tumors, is also taken into account. However, as long as a woman with fibrocystic mastopathy not do a biopsy, it is impossible to calculate the risk of developing breast cancer.

Only 5% of women with fibrocystic mastopathy cellular changes occur, in particular, cellular hyperplasia, which is a risk of developing breast cancer. When compared with healthy women, women with fibrocystic mastopathy, the latter are at risk of breast cancer is 2-6 times more. In fact, the risk of the disease depends on the stage and hyperplasia of the presence of abnormal cells in the body. Potentially increased risk of breast cancer in women with fibrocystic mastopathy at any age is quite low.

Assessment of the risk of breast cancer can also be made using the method Gale. This system takes into account the following factors in the calculation of the possible risk of breast cancer every single woman's age (for women over 35 years), age at menarche (the beginning of the first menstrual period), the age when a woman had her first live birth, number of (the presence of) first- line with breast cancer, number of previous biopsies, presence of atypical hyperplasia in any previous biopsy of breast tissue, as well as race.