Breast Lumps in Breastfeeding Women: Here's How To Deal With It

Persistent breast lumps may be caused by engorgement, overfilling of the breasts with milk. Here are some tips for relieving engorgement.

Breastfeeding is good for both the mother and the baby. While breast milk provides essential nutrients for the growth of the baby, lactation reduces the mother's risk of developing various diseases. However, there are also some side effects of breastfeeding such as changes in the size and shape, breast lumps, and lumps in the armpit.

Your breast size is determined by how much fatty tissue it has. When you breastfeed your baby, the flow of milk can stretch your breast skin and tissue. As a result, your breasts may become large or shrink. Many women are also worried that breastfeeding will make their breasts sag. But more than breastfeeding, factors like genetics, weight gain during pregnancy, number of pregnancies you've had, larger pre-pregnancy breast size, age and history of smoking can affect your breast appearance.

Some nursing mothers may experience breast engorgement (painful overfilling of the breasts with milk). This condition may leave your breasts slightly misshapen afterward. In some cases, one breast may produce more milk than the other, which can result in asymmetry of the breasts.

Causes of breast lumps

Appearance of a breast lump is very common when breastfeeding. It may appear on one side or both breasts. Lumps that come and go are not a cause for any concern, but persistent ones may require some investigation. If the lump doesn't disappear after a week or so or the size increases, check with your health professional.

Persistent lumps may be caused by engorgement, a blocked duct, and mastitis (an infection in the tissue of the mammary glands inside the breasts). If are not treated promptly, engorgement or mastitis could lead to a breast abscess.

Other possible causes of breast lumps include milk-filled cysts (galactoceles), benign cysts and tumours (fibroadenomas), and rarely, breast cancer or inflammatory breast cancer.

This can also be associated with breastfeeding because breast tissue extends into the armpit. Some may also have extra breast tissue in other areas of the body. Lumps in the armpit also resolve after a week or two.

Tips for relieving breast engorgement

Engorged breasts may feel swollen, hot, lumpy and painful. If the milk is not removed, engorged breasts can lead to mastitis (painful breast inflammation). It's normal to have some engorgement in the early days or weeks after birth. But can also happen unexpectedly at other times, even during weaning.

Neglecting painfully engorged breasts can put a mother at risk of having blocked ducts or mastitis. So, it is important to empty engorged breasts. Here are some tips for relieving engorgement:

Breastfeed frequently: Breastfeed your baby every couple of hours or at least 8 to 12 times in 24 hours. This was your baby will help remove the milk that is building up.

Try different breastfeeding positions: The way your baby attaches to the breast to how they are held to breastfeed can help or hinder milk removal. Your baby will drain the breast more thoroughly, if he/she has a big mouthful of breast tissue as well as the nipple. Change the breastfeeding positions to make your baby to latch comfortably. This may help relieve areas of the breast that are engorged and seem difficult to drain.

Breast massage: Massage engorged areas of the breast before and during breastfeeding. This can help release more milk from that area.

Breast compression: This involves applying pressure to the milk-making tissue in the breast to help improve milk flow. Applying a little pressure to the engorged areas with a free hand during breastfeeding can also help milk to flow.