What Are Milk Pearls?
When we are going to be mothers we have many questions. Some very frequent ones are related to everything that has to do with Breastfeeding.
Knowing in detail the changes that the organism presents is elementary. AND This will allow to have tools to face such changes and to take with happiness the path of motherhood.
Milk pearls
All women who are in sweet waiting, must know about milk pearls or white dots on the nipple. These are small, shiny and with a pearly undertone. In general, they become inflamed if the little one drinks without pausing, and then deflates without further complication.
Once the breastfeeding process is complete, the nipple appears whitish in color and this is normal.
The ducts through which the liquid exits, form what is known as pearls of breastmilk that have become clogged and their size varies throughout the day. They can originate if the baby closes his mouth tightly and pulls his head back, pulling on the breast.
Causes of milk pearls
Pearls can appear spontaneously or be caused by a breast infection or obstruction. What to do before these annoyances?
- Breastfeed in a position that you are both comfortable with.
- The mother can take oral anti-inflammatories, indicated by the doctor, if necessary.
- The treatment is the same as that of engorgement and obstruction of the breasts.
- They are usually handled with local heat.
Keep in mind that breast milk has proven to be the best food for little ones. In this sense, it is always good to look for solutions that allow breastfeeding.
The constant action of breastfeeding and the experience of observing the milk pearls really show us what they are about
What symptoms should we worry about
In some cases, we present alarm symptoms such as: fever or severe inflammation, if it is persistent or the milk pearls appear frequently. These symptoms will require an immediate laboratory test (culture). Given these scenarios, specialists will indicate some treatment with antibiotics.
These whiteheads are usually painful, itchy, and impart a burning sensation. Despite these signs of discomfort, they are not considered serious, however, if they are not treated by doctors and taken care of in time, they will bring severe problems.
Mostly these holes are altered or inflamed by a microbial affection of the breast, producing subacute mastitis. These translate into a type of mastitis that do not give typical symptoms: fever, pain in one quadrant of the breast, redness or inflammation of the entire breast.
Pathogenic bacteria have the ability to form biofilms, that is, adhere to the ducts and, together with calcium residues, cover them, where the liquid is secreted. All the aspects related to mastitis appear collected in an investigation published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
Tips to follow
We recommend that you follow the following tips:
- Normally, since the milk pearls appear on our nipples, a crust forms that will come off after 5 to 7 days. It will be the baby through suction, who makes these pearls disappear in a magical way.
- It is very important that they never fall asleep while breastfeeding the child, it can choke or fill with air, suck the nipple poorly and immediately cause acute mastitis.
- If the point is very thick and visible, it is ideal to apply a little heat to the area, allowing the hard texture (scab) to soften, lifting it more easily.
- One way to drain the breast is by pressing on the nipple so that the blocked duct is released of fluid. Next, you should place the little one on your chest, letting him be the one who sucks to finish emptying the duct.
- There are cases of pearls that are bacterial in origin and are usually deep. They generally affect the entire breast duct. Faced with this ailment, it is advisable to attend the doctor immediately. Who will indicate to stop or continue breastfeeding and will indicate treatment with antibiotics . Follow-up is necessary for other complications.
- When breastfeeding, you have to take very special care with the hygiene of the hands and the nipples, this will avoid contracting infections.
- Try to breastfeed in a quiet place, where you and the baby are as relaxed and comfortable as possible.
Breastfeeding is love for your baby
It is necessary for our children to be exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then up to 2 years of age, combining it with conventional feeding. This will provide the necessary nutrients for healthy growth and development.
From the moment they are born, when they are fed for the first time with colostrum, an affective relationship of dependency begins between mother and baby.
Breastfeeding is a wonderful experience and more when it is done with love as well as dedication.
