Dr. Narayana Prasad

After carrying the baby for nine months and delivering it, the next big step for the mother is to learn to breastfeed. For a woman who has had her first delivery, this could be a thing that can scare her and put her at discomfort. In addition, some mothers can also experience physical pain, which is even more worrisome.

In the initial stages of breastfeeding, it is normal to have pain as the baby and the mother have not yet identified the correct method i.e. the mother in terms of holding the baby, while the baby in terms of latch correctly to get milk. However, in most cases, the mother detaches and repositions the baby. This often helps in relieving the pain and after some repetition of this exercise, both the mother and the baby would know the correct position.

Let down reflex, also called milk ejection reflex, is set off by hormone oxitocin which is released whenever your baby feeds, it stimulates muscle cells in your breast to squeeze milk and may cause pain. Oral thrush, which is a yeast infection, in baby's mouth, can cause sore nipples and pain. The baby’s oral features like a short mouth, short tongue, small chin, high palate, etc., can lead to improper suction and cause pain. However, this pain from suctioning will disappear within a couple of days. Another cause for breast pain could be engorgement. When the breasts are engorged, due to feeding after a long break, there is too much milk, which can cause pain as soon as the baby latches on. Pressing out some milk before the baby latches on can help reduce the pain. lmproper size of bra, too tight or too loose, can be a cause of breast pain. 

Nipple pain, when exposed to cold weather, is another condition. This occurs due to constricted blood vessels and is known as Raynaud’s phenomenon. If required, pain medication can be taken, but this type of pain usually subsides.

Allergies such as poison ivy and eczema can also lead to nipple soreness. Even topical issues like use of creams, soaps and deodorants can cause soreness. These require no intervention and minute changes would usually suffice. It is important to remember that any medication taken can reach the baby during the breastfeeding and unless absolutely essential, it is best to avoid any medication for the mother. If a baby is being fed well after the 6th month of life, teething begins and this can be a cause for pain during breastfeeding.

Treatment:

In most cases, proper breastfeeding techniques usually take care of the issue. However, if there are other issues, for instance, the child’s oral features, they may require correction as they not only need to be addressed because of this problem, but also otherwise.

Using warm moist compresses is useful in soothing the pain. Empty the breast properly after feeding the baby. Try to avoid chemicals like Linolin, hydrogel, as far as possible, if applied to cracked nipples, clean it properly before feeding the baby. Applying freshly squeezed milk from the breast is another wonderful option, given its antibacterial properties. The warmth of wet tea bags may also give a soothing effect. Remember to avoid chemicals like lanolin or hydrogel, as this pain is a temporary issue and usually disappears over a period of time. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

When the sugar concentration in the blood increases suddenly and unreasonably, the resulting condition is known as diabetes. Sugar or glucose is generally used in order to provide much needed energy to our bodies. But when the pancreas dysfunctions, it leads to a problem in the insulin production. As a result, glucose or sugar gets directly absorbed into the blood, instead of getting absorbed by insulin. And this leads to the condition of diabetes.

Diabetes Treatment in Ayurveda
For Ayurvedic treatment of diabetes, the first step is usually dietary planning and lifestyle change. Adopting a more active lifestyle, and a healthy, balanced diet low on sugars and starches, is a must. You must begin by avoiding sugars in all forms. This means you will have to get rid of rice, potatoes, white bread, sugar coated cereals, bananas, colocasia and much more. Add a lot of green leafy vegetables to your diet to improve your nutritional status and metabolism. In addition to these, also add some herbs to your diet. Ayurvedic herbs that act as natural medicine for diabetes include turmeric, bitter gourd, gurmar leaves, bael, fenugreek and many more.

Apart from diabetes Ayurvedic treatment, you could also practice yoga, which can help you improve your health. Several yogic asanas help massage your internal organs so that they are healthier and can function much better. Some of the asanas are especially beneficial for the pancreas, which produces insulin. You may have to make some changes to your lifestyle as well. For starters, you will have to maintain a more active lifestyle. You will also have to avoid sleeping in the daytime. Avoid smoking and consuming alcohol and take extra care of your feet.

As an ancient science based on lifestyle related treatment methods that include herbs, massages and life changing tweaks, Ayurveda also provides various methods of managing this ailment. Here's how!

1. Bitter Gourd: Known as an ingredient that is rich in antioxidants, this can be consumed to take care of diabetes. You will need to first remove the peel of at least four to five bitter gourds before crushing them to create a paste. This paste has to be put through a sieve so that the juice of the gourds can be extracted. You will then have to drink this juice every morning, on an empty stomach.
2. Cinnamon: From treating coughs and colds to diabetes and other serious ailments, this is a wonder spice that can be found in most Indian kitchens. You can start by boiling a litre of water and letting it simmer on the gas for about twenty minutes. Thereafter, you can add three teaspoons of cinnamon powder to this simmering water. Strain this mixture and drink the entire batch every day to clear out the toxins.
3. Fenugreek Seeds: For this, you will need to take about four to five tablespoons of fenugreek seeds. These will have to be soaked in a glass of water or about 250ml of water, overnight. In the morning, the softened seeds will need to be crushed before the mixture is strained. The water that escapes should be collected and ingested every day for a period of two months.
4. Turmeric: Turmeric is a powerful and well-known ingredient that is used for curing and managing many ailments. You will need to mix about half a teaspoon of turmeric powder with one teaspoon of amla powder as well as half a tablespoon of methi seeds or fenugreek seeds powder. This concoction will have to mixed in half a glass of water and taken daily on an empty stomach. This can be used by patients suffering from heart ailments as well.
5. Diet: Cereals like ragi, corn, kulit, green millet, and barley are known to beneficial for patients suffering from diabetes. Leafy greens are also a must for such patients along with protein-rich foods like soya beans.

 In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!