Written by Editorial Team
Breastfeeding develops a strong connection between the mother and the baby. It is a clasped thread of love, closeness, bonding, and healthy growth and development. First-time mothers experience many issues when they start nursing, the itching in the nipples, or itchy breasts while breastfeeding is one among them. This, however, is not the real problem, though, but it does hinder the process of breastfeeding.
The mother’s milk is significant for the nourishment of the baby. You have to make sure your baby is getting enough breastmilk. Therefore, any interferences with breastfeeding should be solved instantly. Going ahead, we will get an insight into the real causes behind itchy breasts when to consult a doctor for the same, its treatment, and prevention.
In This Article
Itchy breasts are one of the common and disturbing problems that can hamper the breastfeeding flow. It causes problems both for the mother and the baby. Few reasons for the breasts to get itchy while nursing is listed as under:
Thrust (nipples getting affected by a specific fungus and referred to as Candida), does no harm. Thrust can be found in any part of the body, yet this fungus can thrive in the damp body parts, especially around the nipples. It is a major cause of itchy breasts in nursing mothers. The following symptoms characterize it:
Mastitis which is also referred to as breast engorgement, cause when the milk gets retained as the bacteria enter these ducts due to the nipple being cracked infecting the ducts as well as the tissues. The following symptoms characterize it:
Eczema, which tends to cause burning or redness in the skin, also affects the nipples and the breast skin. A class of eczema, also known as dermatitis, happens due to persistent skin chafing that can greatly impact the breasts as well due to repetitive sessions of breastfeeding. The following symptoms can characterize it:
Since the breasts are loaded with milk while breastfeeding, the skin surrounding these parts starts to expand and results in stretch marks, which cause itchiness. The following symptoms can characterize it:
Skin infections can even cause itchiness. Some examples of skin infections that cause itchy breasts are ringworms and scabies. It can be characterized by the following symptoms:
Itchy breasts are the common issues that are faced by most pregnant women. There are several tips to soothe the itchy breast during pregnancy. Most of the time, itchy breasts get cured with time, but in some instances, proper treatment or diagnosis is essential. Some situations which need medical intervention are as below:
The baby needs nourishment, and that should not come with any hindrances, so it is important to treat the itchy breast on time. The itchy breasts can be treated depending on the condition they are in. In most cases, there is very little interference, and can heal on its own.
Though, some cases would need medical consultation and some options for treatment of itchy breasts comprise:
The medical experts propose some safe medicines that are anti-fungal and do not harm breastfeeding mothers. These medicines also help in treating ringworms, thrush, scabies, etc.
In case one has any bacterial infection, antibiotics will be recommended that go well with nursing and do not have any negative effects on the baby as well.
The doctor will prescribe lotions and creams that can soothe and control the situation if one experiences eczema.
Eczema can be treated without any medicines, and it is non-communicable, so there are no threats to the baby.
Itchy breasts are a cause of concern for the mother. It makes them irritated, helpless, and, at times, not able to feed as well. There are, however, ways and means for the prevention of itchy breasts.
Some of the measures to prevent itchy breasts are as follows:
Following the above steps can help to reduce threats of catching breast infection leading to breast itchiness that results due to skin marks that happen due to stretching of the skin.
Thus, the itchy breasts at the time of lactation could be a botheration which could be caused by parasites or fungal though these circumstances can be treated. Apart from these, the causes behind the itchiness of breasts can easily be cured with appropriate treatment.
With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting.Read more.
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