Proper massage helps to effectively cure clogged milk ducts

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was consulted with Doctor Bui Duc Hoan - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vinmec Nha Trang International Hospital.

Milk duct obstruction occurs due to an increased level of lactation in the first days after birth, especially for mothers who have given birth to their first child, inexperienced. Breast milk has an important role in providing nutrition for the baby, causing pain, ie the mother's breast, so it needs to be processed for circulation.

1. What is blocked milk duct?

Blocked milk ducts is a condition that often occurs in the first days of birth or during lactation because the milk ducts are not open so milk is produced but cannot escape. Since then, causing the mother's breasts to be tight, swollen, painful, if prolonged, it will cause high fever leading to dangerous complications that may require antibiotics or procedures to treat. When blocked milk ducts occur, milk can accumulate and form lumps in the breast.

2. Causes of blocked milk ducts

Do not breastfeed early and often: Milk secreted in the first days after birth is colostrum, rich in nutrients and has a high consistency, so it is easy to cause lactation. Do not express excess colostrum after feeding. Mothers who have breastfed their babies with colostrum in the first days but still have blocked milk because they do not express all the excess colostrum after breastfeeding or express milk improperly, leading to a residual amount of colostrum. milk clogging. Colds, flu, fever: Mother's illness leads to not feeding the baby regularly, making it difficult for milk to circulate and causing blocked milk. Bacterial infection: Bacteria can enter the body through the nipple and mammary duct system. When the milk duct system is infected, it will narrow, preventing milk from escaping. Stress: Pregnant women with mental stress during lactation or with inadequate nutrition... also increase the risk of blocked milk ducts (through decreased oxytocin secretion). The suckling movement: The baby does not catch and latch on to the breast well, sucking is not strong enough, causing excess milk in the breast, causing milk stasis. The bra size is too tight, causing the milk ducts to be compressed, causing milk blockage.

Sudden weaning of children. There is scarring in the breast from surgery.

3. Manifestations of blocked milk ducts

The breasts are engorged (in one or both breasts, or both), are more tender and painful, and progress to worsening. After breastfeeding, the symptoms subsided. The mother may feel tired, have a headache, and have a high fever. When touching the breast, feel the rough, hard surface of many different sizes, very painful to the touch. The most typical sign is when expressing or sucking or nursing, the milk does not come out from the breast.
Details of fetal development week by week, every parent should learn:

4. How effectively does massage help with blocked milk ducts?

Breast massage in blocked milk ducts is just one of many ways to help clear the blockage. Proper breast massage is a gentle massage but must create a relatively firm force on the place where it is clogged, massage from the place of the blockage towards the nipple.
Perform breast massage by using 2 palms to gently massage 2 breasts (about 30 seconds) and then use 5 fingers to pinch the areola. The time of massage is any time, be it before, during or after breastfeeding.

5. Some other methods to help cure blocked milk ducts

Warm compress: Helps to melt the blocked milk flow. Should pay attention to the temperature of the water used to apply, should not be too hot to avoid skin burns. You can use a towel dipped in warm water to cover it or soak your entire chest in a warm bath, while soaking and massaging the clogged chest. Change multiple breastfeeding positions: Each feeding position will exert the strongest suction on different milk ducts. In the case of mild milk occlusion, just changing the feeding position can clear the ducts. While breastfeeding continue to combine gentle massage on the clogged area.

Manual milking: Using your hands to massage the clogged breast, the clotted milk bags inside will gradually dissolve. This method is effective for mild cases of blocked milk ducts. It is done by pressing the breast with 1 hand or pressing it with 2 hands. Just squeeze and rub at the curd position. "Press" gently in the pain can bear, slowly in a circle, increasing gradually, about 20-30 times, then do the opposite and repeat many times. Treatment of blocked milk ducts after giving birth is not simple, depending on the case and the degree of blocked milk, the mother has improved results or not. However, when the situation is not positive after applying the above methods, mothers should look to the method of spinal manipulation 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 gland.
For inflammatory cases can have a mild effect on the part that inhibits the milk gland.
Massage in a spiral or fan-shaped method towards the nipple to help improve the condition of the milk jet. When having pain, breast engorgement causing fever should be examined to avoid leading to a very dangerous breast abscess. Currently, Vinmec has the service of lasing milk with laser waves.
Spinal impact treatment to restore breast milk supply, blocked milk ducts, lack of milk, milk loss are one of 17 diseases that the Spine Impact Department at Vinmec Times City is recognized for effective examination and treatment.
In order to prevent blocked milk ducts after giving birth and to make the delivery go smoothly and safely, pregnant women need to understand: - How the labor process takes place, how long it usually takes to have a birth direction. often give birth by cesarean section, to best protect the health of the fetus.
Methods to relieve pain during childbirth, limit pain and relieve psychological pressure during labor. The way to push and breathe during childbirth is usually the right way so that the labor takes place quickly, the pregnant woman does not lose strength during childbirth. How to control postpartum uterine contractions in the shortest time. How to take care of the perineal suture does not cause infection and dangerous complications. Early postpartum re-examination to detect dangerous abnormalities such as residual placenta, missing gauze. Take care of the newborn until full month healthy. To ease the pain of childbirth, Vinmec offers a full Maternity program with a complete "painless delivery" service during and after birth using non-morphine epidural and sedation techniques. ashamed. During the birth process, the mother will be guided by the midwives on how to push and breathe properly, the baby will be born in just 10-15 minutes. After birth, the baby will be cared for in a sterile room before being returned to the mother.
Pregnant women will rest in a high-class hospital room, designed according to international hotel standards, 1 mother 1 room with full facilities and modern equipment. Mothers will be consulted by nutritionists on how to nourish the baby before discharge, and guide to prevent clogged milk ducts after birth. Postpartum follow-up with both mother and baby with leading Obstetricians and Pediatricians.

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