Breast Oil: How to Use, Benefits, and Precautions
During pregnancy, a woman’s body goes through a lot of changes due to the hormonal changes. Your breasts grow during pregnancy and this is due to the hormone estrogen. This stimulates the growth of the breast duct cells and generates the secretion of another hormone called prolactin. Prolactin stimulates milk production and enlargement of breasts. Another hormone progesterone supports the growth and formation of milk-producing cells within the glands of the breasts.
Due to these hormonal changes during pregnancy, your body, especially your breasts, need special care and pamper. For that, you can use a breast firming oil that comes with a dozen benefits. Read on to know how a breast firming oil can help you.
Why do women massage their breasts?
Research suggests that breast massage may have many benefits for pregnant and lactating women. Studies proved that breast massage increases the quality of breast milk when performed in the first year after delivery. Massage also improves the flow of milk. A good breast massage helps to prevent and treat problems like engorgement and clogged milk ducts or infection of the breast tissue.
The parts of the milk that improves with breast massage is:
- solids
- lipids
- Casein concentration
Massaging your breasts can help with clogged ducts, stretch marks, and cracked nipples. You can massage your breasts by using some moisturizer or breast oil and rub gently around the nipples in a circular manner using your fingertips.
How to use massage breasts using breast firming oil:
There isn’t a right or wrong way to massage your breasts. The following steps will help you on how to do it.
- First and foremost, make sure the oil is at room temperature or warm and then focus on one breast at a time. Place four fingers of one hand on the top of your breast and four fingers of the other hand on the bottom. Massage in a circular pattern. This feels great if your hands are warm.
- Next, move your attention to the sides of your breasts, continuing in a circular pattern and gently roll or knead your breast.
- Try to tap and massage all over your breasts by using your fingertips. Bring your fingers together while gently applying pressure on the breast, pushing the milk toward the nipple, expressing or removing the breast milk. You can even squeeze rhythmically, at the rate of a heartbeat.
- Massage about 10–15 minutes daily for best results.
Benefits of breast massage:
A good breast massage is likely to improve a lot of things like:
- It boosts the supply of milk post-delivery and improves breastfeeding.
- It softens the breasts, smoothen the mammary glands, and improves the milk flow.
- It also softens the nipples and areola for easy sucking.
- It also makes your breast firm and breast skin look healthy and feel soft.
- Massaging your breasts often eliminates stretch marks.
What are the precautionary measures that need to be taken?
- Never put excessive pressure on the breasts.
- Use only your fingertips for massaging.
- Stop massaging if you experience any sort of pain.
- Do not excessively massage your nipple area when you are in the final stages of pregnancy.
Follow these simple steps to make sure you aren’t taking any wrong step in breast massaging. These tips will definitely make you feel better and help you to feed your little one in a better way.
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