Patient's question:
My baby is hospitalized due to high bilirubin levels. I have a lot of milk, with hard lumps, and it's very painful when my breasts are engorged. The baby can't eat, and my husband is helping me pump. I'm also using a breast pump, but it's still very painful. What should I do now?Doctor's answer:
Lumps inside the breast are abnormal substances, formed by the accumulation of secretions that the human body cannot absorb. They can block milk ducts, making it difficult for milk to be expelled. Additionally, since you have a lot of milk, but it cannot be expressed, you may experience feelings of fullness and pain. Using a breast pump or having family members help can only express milk from the front of the breast, while the milk behind, due to blockage, cannot be released, so you may still feel full. You can seek the help of a professional lactation therapist who can help you expel the milk and secretions blocked in the ducts, allowing the ducts to become unobstructed. This way, even with a breast pump, it will be much easier to express the milk.