Preventing clogged milk after giving birth

Posted by Specialist I Tran Thi Thu Huong - Head of Rehabilitation Unit - Department of General Surgery - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital

Milk blockage is a common condition in postpartum women with symptoms such as breast tenderness, danger, fever, and extremely dangerous breast abscess. Therefore, every mother needs to equip herself with additional knowledge to prevent blocked milk after giving birth.

Milk congestion is a fairly common condition after giving birth, with signs such as breast tenderness, little milk, large and small blockages scattered across both breasts, there may be red patches on the skin and a lot of pain, in some cases in case of fever. If not treated in time, it will lead to a breast abscess and will require surgery. Preventing blocked milk ducts is very important that women should know to avoid complications and discomforts that occur during breastfeeding.

To prevent clogged milk ducts, mothers can use one of the following ways:
Breast massage: After giving birth, mothers often gently massage both breasts, in a clockwise circular motion. and at the same time gently rub the nipple to stimulate milk production. You can also use a warm towel to massage your breasts when you see that the breasts are tight. Breastfeeding: Mothers need to breastfeed on demand in the first 1 month, then feed every 2-3 hours and should keep a regular interval between sucking and pumping. Should not leave too long a distance, it will easily cause milk stasis due to stagnation of milk for too long. Pumping: After breastfeeding, if the breast is still full, use a breast pump to suck out the remaining milk to avoid stagnation of milk causing blockage. Until you see the breasts soften, you can stop.

Nipple hygiene: This is a very important issue and also the cause of mastitis and breast abscesses, so mothers should pay attention to this issue. It is necessary to clean the nipples and udder before and after breastfeeding. You can use sterile gauze and physiological saline to clean the nipples before and after breastfeeding. Limit the use of breast milk wipes many times a day. When cleaning the nipple, it is necessary to wipe the breast from the inside to the outside, clean between the nipples, after the baby finishes feeding, dry and clean the nipple.

When you see that the breast is tight and painful, massage the breast, and at the same time use your hand to press the breast against the chest wall, both pressing and rubbing to create force to melt the curdled milk and clot inside. Squeeze gently as much as the mother can tolerate, slowly clockwise, about 20-30 times, then do the opposite. Repeat several times until you feel comfortable, less tightness in the chest. After squeezing and massaging the breast, feed the baby, then use a breast pump to empty the remaining milk. If after doing so, there is still pain, the pregnant woman should go to the clinic or hospital to check the breast because there are cases where the occlusion is too deep, the massage is not effective, then the machine must be used to dissolve the blockage. Mothers should not leave the blockage for too long because it can cause breast abscesses and have to have a very dangerous surgery

If the mother feels sharp pain in both breasts, but the breasts are still not stretched much, and there is fever, chills, and axillary lymph nodes, the possibility of mastitis is likely. Therefore, in this case, we should not massage or squeeze the breasts, but should go to medical facilities to check, if the more breast massage, the more severe the inflammation will be.
Milk congestion is common and can be treated at home. However, if you feel a lot of pain with fever, unusual yellow milk, chills, and axillary lymph nodes, you should go to a medical facility to find the cause and get timely treatment to avoid causing breast abscess. In addition, the mother should not arbitrarily buy treatment drugs to avoid affecting lactation and milk quality for the baby.

Currently, at Vinmec International General Hospital, spinal manipulation method is applied to treat blocked milk ducts after giving birth without using drugs. With the Spinal Impact Method, the treatment technician mainly uses the fingertip software to work on the patient's back spine to adjust and open the milk glands, help clear the rays, and soften the breasts. Therefore, in urgent cases, pregnant women should go to the hospital for timely examination and treatment, to avoid unnecessary complications.