The Relationship Between Breast Care During Pregnancy and the Smooth Production of Breast Milk in Postpartum Mothers at Rizki Ananda Clinic Banda Masen Lhokseumawe City

Abstract

Failure in the breastfeeding process is often caused by various problems in both the mother and the baby. Some mothers who do not understand the correct breastfeeding techniques may experience difficulties during breastfeeding. Common breastfeeding problems include sore nipples, breast engorgement, and breast abscess (mastitis). Based on a survey conducted by the Health Research and Development Agency in 2010, 46% of breastfeeding difficulties were due to inadequate breast care, 25% due to breastfeeding frequency of less than eight times per day, 14% due to low birth weight (LBW), 10% due to prematurity, and 5% due to acute or chronic diseases. This study aimed to determine the relationship between breast care during pregnancy and breast milk production during the postpartum period at Rizki Ananda Clinic, Banda Masen, Lhokseumawe City. This was an analytical study with a cross-sectional design, conducted from September 27 to October 9, 2024, at Rizki Ananda Clinic. Sampling was carried out using accidental sampling with a total of 32 postpartum mothers. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS. The results showed that 20 respondents (63%) did not perform breast care; among them, 16 respondents (50%) experienced poor milk production, while 4 respondents (13%) had smooth milk production. On the other hand, 12 respondents (37%) performed breast care; among them, 4 respondents (12%) experienced poor milk production, while 8 respondents (25%) had smooth milk production. The conclusion of this study is that there is a significant relationship between breast care during pregnancy and smooth breastfeeding during the postpartum period, with ρ = 0.021, meaning ρ < α (0.05), indicating that Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted. The results of this study are expected to provide direction for improvements, particularly for health workers to enhance health education so as to improve mothers' skills in proper breast care, thereby reducing the incidence of sore nipples, breast engorgement, and breast abscesses.