Breast Swelling or Lumps in Newborns

Newborn babies may do some funny things that may startle their parents; however, sometimes babies may experience certain physical changes that may get the parents concerned too. Can you relate to what we are talking about here? We are talking about breast buds in newborns. Although lumps on a baby’s breast might sound unusual, it’s actually a normal and temporary part of infancy. In this article, we’ll unravel the mysteries behind this. So, let’s discuss in detail why this happens and whether you should worry about it or take a chill pill.

Is It Normal for Newborns to Have Swollen Breasts or Lumps?

Whether it is your baby boy or baby girl’s breast lumps, any kind of lump on infant breast may become a cause of worry for the parents. It is very normal for newborn babies to have swollen breasts or lumps, and it may subside in a few days time.

• The swelling may be present in babies because the mother’s hormones may get into the baby’s bloodstream before the baby is born.
• Sometimes swollen breasts or lumps may ooze some liquid – this is normal, and you need not worry about it.
• The swelling may become noticeable around the third day after birth, and in most cases, it may gradually start reducing after a month.

What Causes Swollen Breasts in Newborn Babies?

Parents may get super worried about seeing their baby’s breasts all swollen and may think what could be the possible reasons for this, well, here are some of the reasons for the same:

1. Chemical Changes

Sometimes a baby may absorb some chemicals that may be present in the mother’s bloodstream. However, after your baby is born, the chemical supply to your baby’s blood may stop, which may lead to certain hormonal changes and thus may lead to infant breast lumps.

2. Hormonal Changes

A mommy goes through a lot of hormonal changes during pregnancy, and the same hormones may sometimes affect your baby too. Sometimes these changing hormones may lead to swollen nipples in babies.

3. Changes in the Mother’s Body

As you get closer to your due date, your body starts prepping up for the upcoming breastfeeding. These changes may impact your unborn baby, and your baby’s breasts may even secrete milk, which is also known as Witch’s Milk.

4. Bodily Changes

There are many physical and mental changes that a pregnant woman may undergo. These changes may affect your baby too and thus may lead to breast buds in your baby.

5. Inflammation or Infection

A rare cause of breast swelling might be due to infection or inflammation, known as mastitis. However, this is more common in older infants and breastfeeding mothers.

6. Cyst Formation

Sometimes, small fluid-filled cysts might form in the breast tissue. These cysts can lead to temporary swelling until they naturally resolve.

When Do Swollen Breasts in a Baby Go Away?

Breast lumps resulting from maternal hormones typically resolve within a fortnight. The timeline for reduction in breast lumps from different origins varies, contingent upon factors like the nature and intensity of the cause, as well as the necessity for treatment. Generally, suitable treatment or measures lead to the disappearance of breast lumps in a span of days to weeks.

In specific instances, like congenital abnormalities and significant endocrine disorders, more extensive and prolonged treatment might be essential. It’s advisable to consult a paediatrician to ascertain the treatment plan and prognosis of the condition.

Tips for Parents

Whenever you notice something unusual in your baby, it does not necessarily mean that your baby has some problem or that it may be serious. Some issues are not even worth worrying, and swollen breasts in your baby may be one such issue. Here are some tips that may help worried parents:

• Refrain from fiddling with your baby’s breasts. However, you may clean them gently but make sure you do not massage them at all as it may lead to infections.
• Many parents may be tempted to pinch their baby’s tiny boobies thinking that it may help in reducing the swelling. Well, it rather increases the swelling and may even cause irritation to your baby’s sensitive skin.
• Exercise patience because it is a temporary physical condition, and it may slowly go away as your baby enters his second month.
• Maintain cleanliness around the nipple and its adjacent skin.

When to Consult a Doctor?

As we have discussed a few times in the article that you need not be worried about your baby’s breasts because with time they may get better. However, anything unusual or abnormal may require your attention and your doctor’s intervention, which may be required under the following conditions:

• In case the swelling does not start to subside, or it may begin increasing, this means there may be something wrong, which your doctor should immediately check.
• In case your baby may be running a high fever and also has swollen breasts for a few days. This is required to be reported to your doctor without any delay on your part.
• In case you notice that your baby’s breasts have any kind of redness or excessive swelling or your infant has a breast lump on one side, this may be alarming, and you must head to the hospital at once.

FAQs

1. Can a Baby’s Breast Lumps Cause Pain or Discomfort?

Breast lumps triggered by reasons apart from maternal hormones, like infections, can lead to discomfort and pain in infants.

2. Are There Any Home Remedies for Baby Breast Lumps?

No, as such, there are no home remedies for swollen breasts in newborns. You must seek medical advice in such a case.

3. How Frequently Should I Check My Baby’s Breasts for Lumps?

You should casually check for infant breast buds while bathing or dressing your baby.

Parents get worried over small issues too, and it is absolutely okay. This is what bringing up a baby is all about, to be worried and concerned over trivial matters. Whenever doubts and worries may cloud your mind, you may reach out to your doctor and discuss your baby’s condition. We hope this article helps in dealing with the issue of your baby’s swollen breasts.

References/Resources:

1. Hormonal effects in newborns; medlineplus.gov; https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001911.htm

2. Breast lump; medlineplus.gov; https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003155.htm

3. Breast Symptoms-Child; seattlechildrens.org; https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/breast-symptoms-child/

4. Physiological neonatal breast enlargement; radiopaedia.org; https://radiopaedia.org/cases/physiological-neonatal-breast-enlargement-1

5. Breast Lumps in Girls and Teens; massgeneral.org; https://www.massgeneral.org/children/gynecology/breast-lumps-in-children

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Epstein Pearls in Infants