Status of breast care during pregnancy with milk production and disease.

BACKGROUND Breast care is an important routine during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Its absence leads to inadequate milk production before and after childbirth. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the status of breast care during pregnancy, which is related to milk production and disease after childbirth in the Tinggede Health Center, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi. METHODS The method used was an analytic survey with a cross-sectional approach and the samples were 82 breastfeeding mothers in the working area of the Tinggede Health Center. The sampling used a total population, and data were obtained by interview and observation. Furthermore, the analysis technique used Chi-Square. RESULTS The results showed there was a relationship between breast care during pregnancy with milk production (p = 0.001), and breast care status with a disease (p = 0.012). The common diseases suffered by breastfeeding mothers due to inadequate care are non-protruding nipples, infections, blocked milk ducts, mastitis, and lumps. CONCLUSIONS Breastfeeding mothers' failure to care for their breasts during pregnancy can lead to lack of milk production and diseases such as non-protruding nipples, infections, blocked milk ducts, mastitis, and lumps.