Relieving Mother's Postpartum Milk Obstruction Postpartum

Milk blockage is a condition in which an amount of milk is trapped inside the breast at the milk ducts, making it difficult to breastfeed.  If left untreated, blocked milk can lead to more serious health problems such as mastitis and breast abscess. So, let’s learn about lactation with AIH Clinic to know how to treat it and when to see a doctor! 

COMMON SYMPTOMS:  

• Swollen breast tissue.  
• When touching the breast, the mother feels one or more hard masses with clear margins.  
• Chest tightness with increasing degree of pain.  
• Pain at the site of the hard mass especially when the baby sucks.  
• The amount of milk pumped out is very little or not able to be pumped out even though the mother actively expresses milk. 
•  Pumped milk may see milk ducts or lumps. 
• There are some small nodules around the chest.  
• In a few cases, mothers had mild fever below 38.5 degrees, fatigue.  
• There may be axillary lymph nodes on the side of the breast that are blocked with milk. 

CAUSE: 

• Baby does not latch on properly, sucking on only one breast.  
• The mother overslept, did not breastfeed often or did not express milk on time. 
• If the mother does not express all the milk, the amount of milk that remains for a long time will cause blockage of the milk ducts.  
• Mom wears a bra that’s too tight. 
• History of mastitis while breastfeeding.  
• Cracked skin on the nipple.  
• Expressing milk or massaging the breasts too forcefully causes the milk duct system to be pinched – Insufficient nutrition. 
• Smoke.  
• Insomnia, stress and fatigue. 

TREATMENT:  

• Massage: Start massaging from the outside of the breast and apply pressure with your fingers as it moves towards the nipple.  
• Continue breastfeeding: You should breastfeed starting with the blocked breast and try changing positions while breastfeeding.  
• Hot compress: You can apply heat to the blocked breast with a hot pack. When applying, mothers need to combine massage and support breast pump to clear the blocked milk area faster and more effectively. 

If you have followed the instructions above, but the condition of your milk ducts still does not improve, you should immediately go to a medical facility for examination and advice on appropriate treatment, including physical therapy. mammary glands, in order to avoid serious complications. 

At the American International Clinic (AIH Clinic), doctors and nutritionists will monitor and advise specifically for each case so that pregnant women have the most reasonable care plan for the health of mother and baby.  

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Consultation And Appointment 
Hotline: 028.3910.9888 
Register for the exam by email: info-clinic@aih.com.vn 
Website: aihclinic.vn 
Or go directly to AIH Clinic: No. 79, Dien Bien Phu, DaKao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam