Engorged Breasts – Best Ways Out

Breasts become engorged when they are overfilled with milk. Engorged breasts are uncomfortably swollen and hard.

Engorgement is normal during the first week after delivery. This is when mature milk comes in. Demand and supply mechanism is not steady yet.

This early breast engorgement may bring along the feeling of tension, discomfort and breast pain.

It is relieved after a few days when breastfeeding is established. During this time you should let your baby nurse as often as he or she wants.

The key to any engorgement relief is

         √ complete draining of the breasts every 2 hours

         √ correct positioning

         √ correct latching on

         √ feeding on demand (especially while milk production is getting established)

         √ getting rest

Post-Delivery Engorgement Relief

• Engorged breasts are harder for the baby to latch on. The nipple is flattened and harder to grasp. Help your baby by expressing some milk by hand or pump before feeding.

• Soak a towel in warm water and apply to breasts before breastfeeding. Or take warm shower when possible. This stimulates milk release and makes milk readily available when suckling starts.

• Try varying breastfeeding positions every feeding. This insures every area of the breast gets emptied.
  

• Massaging your swollen breast right before nursing and between feeding sessions helps. Massage towards the nipple. Massage well. This will prevent severe engorgement and lump formation. Massaging engorged breasts can be extremely painful (it was for me), but it is effective.
  

• This next tip is from the list of my favorites. Apply cabbage leaf compress to the engorged area. Here is how:
  

• Cottage cheese and natural yogurt compresses also help relieve engorgement pain. Many engorged moms report great results.

Severe Engorgement

• If you are past that first postpartum week and the engorgement is still there, check your breastfeeding schedule. Try not to miss feedings. Make sure your breasts get entirely emptied every feeding session.

• Apply cool compress to the hard breast. In cases of severe engorgement warmth may increase swelling. Use cloth-wrapped ice packs or cool compresses. This decreases the swelling, pain and burning.

• After that apply warm compress for a few minutes right before the feeding. Warmth stimulates milk flow. It may seem contradictory, but in severe engorgement cases cold and warmth work best in this combination.

• Take a doctor-recommended dose of ibuprofen if the engorgement pain impedes breastfeeding. It is safe.

• Pick your perfect breastfeeding bra. It needs not to be extremely tight to prevent additional pressure on the swollen breast, but fit well to provide support. Here is how to pick the best-fitting bra and several nursing bra suggestions.
  

• In cases of severe engorgement use breast pump to express some milk before the feeding. This softens the swollen breast and the nipple.

Booby Tubes

In search of a fast relief for BQ's engorged moms, I heard several moms raving about booby tubes.

They are made by Earth Mama Angel Baby - a company dedicated to providing organic solutions for moms and babies. These all-natural flax-seed-filled breast packs are great for reducing engorgement swelling and pain.

They are gel-free (don't get too cold or too hot), can be used both for warm and cool compresses and are covered with 100% organic cotton. They can be cooled down in a freezer or warmed up in a microwave or even an oven.

They can also be used after engorgement is over to speed up milk let-down or relieve pain. Great way to help your breasts in an organic way!

Click image below for more information, pricing and ordering directly from Earth Mama Angel Baby:

And remember: breastfeed and breastfeed. The more you breastfeed the faster breast engorgement goes away.

Prolonged and untreated engorgement leads to clogged milk ducts and mastitis.

If engorgement persists, or you feel a lump in your breast, your breasts are warm and red, or you have a fever, talk to a lactation specialist and your doctor.

There are many ways to show your love and devotion to your kids and to win their trust. Breastfeeding is the most natural one.

Yours,

Viktoriya

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