Question
It’s been over a month since I gave birth, and I’ve been experiencing chest pain when I sleep during my afternoon nap. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the pain is in the right breast root closest to the chest, which is very painful when pressed but not when left alone. The right breast is also visibly harder than the left one. The milk supply isn’t abundant, just enough to get by. What could be causing this?
Answer
You may be experiencing this due to the compression of your breasts while sleeping, leading to blocked milk ducts. I suggest changing your sleeping position to avoid pressing on your breasts and allowing your baby to suckle more frequently to promote milk ducts. If your baby struggles to suck effectively, you can try having an adult help with the suction or seek assistance from a professional lactation consultant to prevent mastitis. When breastfeeding, alternate between both breasts and use a breast pump to extract any remaining milk.