|
|
Engorgement is the development of swollen, tender breasts.
It usually occurs in the first couple of days after the start of lactation.
Engorgement has several components.
One is swelling of the breast
due to
breast milk that has been produced since the baby was last fed.
Another is interstitial edema.
The increased blood flow and lymphatic fluid to the breast during the
first few days of breast feeding also plays
a role in engorgement.
Engorgement may be viewed as a sign that a woman is
starting the production of milk,
however it can be very painful.
If a woman is becoming engorged,
she should nurse her baby more frequently.
Sometimes women become so engorged that their nipples are flat
and the baby can't latch on.
Use of warm or cool compresses prior to nursing,
and expression of about half an ounce of breast milk
by hand or with a breast pump
will soften the nipple and allow the baby to
grasp on and feed
(
Biancuzzo, 1994
p37-39,
Hill, 1994
,
Humenick, 1994
).
There is some data that cool washed uncooked green cabbage leaves
or chilled gelpacks help relieve the discomfort of engorgement
(
Roberts, 1995
).
|
