How to avoid breast engorgement when breastfeeding

Breast engorgement during breastfeeding is way too common, here is how you can deal with it naturally.

By: Debjani Arora | | Updated: October 9, 2014 5:08 pm

As if labour pains and the arduous process of birthing wasn’t enough, mothers who breastfeed have to put up with the unpleasantness of breast engorgement too. This is usually common in nursing mothers during the initial days after the delivery. However, this phase doesn’t last forever and is soon forgotten as the mother gets comfortable nursing her baby with ease and perfects the art of breastfeeding. But till the time it lasts, engorgement can still be a painful affair for women.

What is breast engorgement?

Soon after the delivery, when breastfeeding is still a challenge for new mothers, one might find the breasts become hard, swollen, lumpy or even hot. This happens when the milk produced within, is not pumped out adequately. The blocked milk stays inside the breast and settles into a lump causing pain and discomfort. However, not all mothers experience engorgement. Some might just feel the breasts being full and heavy, while for others it might turn to be tender and leaky. If engorgement sets in, never ignore its symptoms and treat it to relieve yourself from its pains and discomforts. In extreme cases, engorgement might need medical attention and rarely one is advised to go for a surgery too. Remember, at times the swelling due to engorgement can go up to the armpits and give rise to a low grade fever. Hence prevention here is the best solution.

What you can do?

To prevent things from getting out of hand, treat engorgement naturally with these following methods:

Nurse your baby often: Either get into the habit of demand feeding or feed your baby at regular intervals to help yourself drain out the excess milk. Most often an incomplete feeding session or improper latching of your baby onto your breast leads to engorgement in new mothers. So allow your baby to suckle till the feed is complete and she pulls off on her own needing no more of it. To help your baby latch on to you correctly, hold your baby the right way. This might need some practise from both you and your baby. Have patience, as it can take your baby a while to learn how to latch perfectly. Short feeds during the early days can help to improve on the latching techniques and lead to longer feeding sessions afterwards. Additionally, it prevents engorgement.

Read Breastfeeding: A step-by-step guide for new mothers.

Use a breast pump: This little invention is like a boon for new mothers. Not only does it ensures breast milk supply to your baby, when breastfeeding is not possible, it also saves you from breastfeeding niggles like engorgement and mastitis too. Remember, at times you can lactate more than what your baby might needs, which could lead to hardness or swelling in your breast if the milk is not drained out effectively. Use a breast pump to drain out excess milk and store it in special containers. In case you lactate enough, exceeding your child’s needs and requirements donate the excess bottles to a breast milk bank and save yourself from engorgement while earning some good karma. Read Breast pumps: Uses, advantages and limitations.

Use hot and cold compresses: If you feel engorged even after a long and tiring feeding session, try alternate hot and cold compressor therapy. To do it right, apply hot and cold compressors alternatively. Take a hot water bag and press it slightly on your engorged breast for a while or at least for 10 to 15 minutes, thereafter, remove the bag and then place an ice pack in the same area for the same amount of time. This alternative method helps the swelling to loosen and makes it easier for you to drain the milk, either manually or with the help of a pump. However, remember this is a trial and error method and not all mothers benefit from this alternate therapy. For some it’s only the hot compress that works and not the cold one. Many mothers even benefit from a hot shower also. Read: 4 breastfeeding problems and how to dodge them.

Try acupressure: If engorgement is bothering you so much that it gets in the way of normal living and breastfeeding, try acupressure. Don’t try to experiment on your own, reach for an expert or a practitioner who can help you with this. Even though there isn’t much evidence about the same but this alternative therapy can at times save you from the clutches of medication and surgery.

Use cabbage leaves as compressors: It is said that cold cabbage leaves when kept in freezer and used as a compressor to treat engorgement stands to be very effective and can help to counter the swelling or engorgement. But beware it is also said that excessive use of cabbage leaves can lessen milk production in nursing mothers.

Check your diet: Diet won’t save you from engorgement but can boost lactation and the right foods can keep you off internal infection due to engorgement. Include a lot of fruits in your daily diet that are rich in vitamin C and probiotics like curds to help fight any sort of internal infection. For the same reason keep yourself hydrated enough to flush out the toxins out of the system and reduce incidence of internal infection due to engorgement. Read: Six ways to fight baby blues post delivery.