The increased size and weight of your breasts will mean that you need a good quality, well-fitting cotton maternity bra both for convenience and comfort. Wear a clean one every day and, if you are using breast pads to prevent leaking milk from staining your clothes, avoid those that are backed with plastic.

Clean your breasts and nipples daily with cotton wool and baby lotion or water, but avoid using soap because it strips away the natural oils that protect the skin from drying and cracking, and it can aggravate a sore or cracked nipple. Always treat your breasts with care – don t rub them dry for example, but very gently pat them dry instead.

There is no need to wash your nipples before or after each feed but, before you fasten or put on your bra after feeding, let your nipples dry in the air, and always wash your hands before handling your breasts in order to prevent infection.

Engorgement

About three or four days after you have given birth, your breasts will fill with milk. They will become larger and heavier, and feel tender and warm when you touch them. If they overfill, the condition is known as engorgement. This usually only lasts a day or two, but it can be uncomfortable and may recur.

To ease engorged breasts, take off milk either by expressing manually or by feeding your baby (you may have to express a little milk first so that he can latch on). In addition, you may find that it helps to bathe them with warm water or cover them with warm towels, or to stroke them gently but firmly towards the nipple.

Engorgement can recur at any time while breastfeed­ing, particularly if your breasts are never’ properly emptied or if your baby misses a feed.

Blocked ducts

A blocked milk duct may occur in the early weeks of breastfeeding. It may result from engorgement, from a bra that is too tight, or from dried secretions on the nipple tip. Your breast will feel tender and lumpy and there may be a reddening of the skin.

To clear a blocked duct, start feeds with the affected breast and gently massage it just above the sore area while feeding to ease the milk gently towards the nipple. If the blockage will not clear, don’t offer that breast to your baby and consult your doctor immediately because it could become infected.

Sore nipples

When you begin breastfeeding, your nipples may feel slightly tender or very sore for the first minute or so of suckling. This tenderness is quite normal, and it usually disappears after a few days. Prolonged sore nipples, however, can turn what should be a pleasure into something of an ordeal. Take care when latching on and taking your baby off your breasts, to prevent these problems from arising. This is also essential if the nipples are to heal after they have become sore or cracked.

Cracked nipples

If a sore nipple becomes cracked, you may need to keep the baby off that breast for up to 72 hours and express milk from the breast to avoid engorge­ment. Cracked nipples can be very painful, and they can lead to breast infection (mastitis).