Can a newborn baby have nipples squeezed?

Many families have the habit of squeezing the nipples of newborn babies, because people believe that there are some substances in the breasts of newborns that must be squeezed out so that the baby's chest can develop normally in the future. In fact, the lumps in the breasts of newborn babies do not need to be squeezed. After a period of time, these lumps will gradually dissipate. If you squeeze them with your hands, if you are not careful and use too much force, it may cause nipple inflammation. So, can newborns have their nipples squeezed?

What does daily care entail?

Baby boy

It is said that boys must squeeze their breasts, otherwise their breasts will grow very big.

Baby girl

Excessive squeezing of the baby's breasts can cause mastitis

It is normal for newborns to have swollen breasts, and parents do not need to worry too much.

"Newborn babies, regardless of gender, will have bilateral breast swelling about a week after birth. Some may be as large as half a walnut or as small as a broad bean. Some babies may even secrete milk. This is all very normal." This is because during the fetal period, the fetus's body contains a certain amount of estrogen, progesterone and prolactin from the mother. After the baby is born, the estrogen and progesterone from the mother are suddenly cut off, which releases prolactin and stimulates breast hyperplasia. It usually disappears on its own in about 2 to 3 weeks and does not require any treatment.

The claims that not squeezing a boy's nipples will cause his breasts to grow larger as he grows up, and that not squeezing a girl's nipples will cause her nipples to become inverted or her milk ducts to become blocked as she grows up are all unscientific. Here we would like to remind parents that excessive squeezing of the baby's breasts is very dangerous. This practice can easily injure the nipples, invade bacteria, cause mastitis, and even in severe cases cause abnormal breast development in the baby in the future.

Parents should not take neonatal mastitis lightly

Many parents wonder how such a young baby can get mastitis? In fact, babies are just like adults. As long as there is milk left in the breasts and they are infected by bacteria, they will develop mastitis.

The mammary glands of newborn babies generally secrete a small amount of milk. If parents squeeze the mammary glands excessively to discharge the secretions, it will cause nipple damage and cause bacterial infection, leading to mastitis. "In clinical practice, mastitis caused by squeezing is very common and can occur on one side or both sides. Generally, parents should pay attention when babies have symptoms such as redness and swelling of the breasts, crying, and fever."

However, some babies develop mastitis even without compression. Han Hongqin reminds that when a newborn's breasts show asymmetrical swelling or local redness, heat, and fluctuations when touched, parents should also be alert to the occurrence of neonatal mastitis and should seek medical treatment in time.

It is important to keep your breasts clean and dry

For newborns, breast care, like other care, should not be taken lightly.

First of all, you should pay attention to the cleanliness and dryness of your baby's breasts. When cleaning your baby's body, do not deliberately squeeze or scrub the baby's breasts hard.

Secondly, if the baby's nipples become red and swollen, you can gently wipe them with saline in the early stages, or carefully apply 0.5% active iodine to the nipples. However, Han Hongqin reminded that because babies' skin is too delicate and their resistance is poor, parents should try not to apply medications on their own and it is best to use medications according to the doctor's orders.

Finally, if the redness and swelling expands, the child's temperature rises, or the child refuses to eat, seek medical attention as soon as possible and do not delay the treatment.