Engorgement:
Remember, engorgement isn't always caused by too much milk.
Tissue swelling may also be present.
It is important to treat the swelling to help the milk flow.
It is easy to damage swollen tissue with aggressive massage, pumping
or heat.
Be gentle. Use pain as a guide.
Engorgement should lessen in a few hours.
Take a hot bath or shower or place your breasts in a basin of
warm water. Allow milk to leak out.
Have baby's dad (or a friend) massage your back, along the spine
from the top of your neck to your waist.
1. Warm moist packs to breasts right before feedings.
2. Gently massage breasts.
3. Keep the areola soft by expressing milk before putting the
baby to breast.
4. Nurse baby frequently.
5. Ice packs or cold compresses to breasts after nursing.See
The Cabbage Cure.
6. Pump gently, only to relieve over-fullness.
Don't try to empty the breasts after every feeding as this
will increase milk production
Copyright Marie Davis, RN, IBCLC 1999
[Index]
Last reviewed:Wed, Nov 8, 2006