Patient's question:
I am currently breastfeeding and have not yet finished the postpartum period. There are hard lumps on both sides of my breasts, which have been present for over a week. I don't have a fever, but my baby has been having diarrhea after drinking my breast milk recently. Sometimes she feels nauseous while breastfeeding. She has bowel movements more than ten times a day, and her buttocks are red, swollen, and slightly cracked. Is this related to the breast milk I am feeding her?Doctor's answer:
Breast hardness during lactation, if there is no redness, swelling, pain, or fever, is generally considered to be milk stasis caused by insufficient baby suckling. It is recommended that you encourage the baby to suckle the breasts more often. Newborns typically have more frequent bowel movements, as long as the baby is not crying, in good spirits, and not interfering with growth and development, it will usually improve gradually after the postpartum period. The baby's buttocks may be chafed due to excessive bowel movements, resulting in eczema. Recently, it is important to pay attention to frequent feeding and promptly clean the baby's buttocks with warm water after bowel movements. Then, apply some baby eczema cream. If it does not improve, seek medical attention promptly. Wishing the baby a healthy growth.