need serious engorgement help (can't nurse)

[crunchywannabe]

I had a biopsy on my breast yesterday to check for Paget's Disease (a form of cancer)

they did a punch biopsy on my aerola, right next to my nipple. the doctor said that I cannot nurse on that side because the stitches cannot be in his mouth
(yes, I do have a call in to my ob on that!)

in the meantime, I haven't nursed him on this side in over 24 hours. I am so swollen and engorged and in pain. I don't know what to do or how to take some of the pain away. I am not good at hand expressing and I am a little nervous to be trying to express anyway due to the stitches! LOL

is there anything else I can do to relieve some of the pain? some of the swelling?

I am miserable.

how long will the worst part be? have i even hit the worst of the engorgement? how many days will it take to start going away (drying up)

[luv-my-boys]

ouch! First off mama I hope you feel better and lots of prayers for a your labwork. I would think the whole mouth issue would be more out of pain and possibly pulling the stiches than for "germs".

I had surgery 2wks PP and I was horribly engourged due to not nursing (heavy meds that were a definate NO for children) and I was so out of it for at least a day so no one thought to tell my husband to help express milk. I literally woke up to what felt like a ton of weight on my chest.

What helped me was getting in a warm shower and I gently rubbed my breasts/nipple to stimulate them. I was very slow at first and then my milk got flowing and I was able to express a majority of it.

[PatioGardener]

Can you position baby so that you guys can nurse and not get stiches in the way? Baby will be best at relieving engorgement and preventing mastitis! Otherwise hand expression in the shower may help.

Hope you are feeling better with good news soon!

[LCsince'87]

Do you want to continue to breastfeed from that side after the stitches are out?

If yes, then you need to express the milk to relieve your discomfort, otherwise, you will lose your supply on that side, or end up with a breast infection. Use hand expression, a breast pump or your baby. Mother's breastfeed with open wounds on their nipples but we apply some bacitracin ointment afterwards to prevent infection. Apply a thin amount, and before the next feeding it is pretty much absorbed and won't affect the baby. Try to position the baby so the stitches are at the side of the baby's mouth or where the top lip with lie, not the bottom lip.

If no, then I suggest using cold green cabbage leaves against your breast. Keep replacing them when they get wilted. There is a chemical in the cabbage that is absorbed through the skin to decrease the swelling and engorgement. Avoid heat as that brings more blood into your breast and will make you more engorged. Cold compresses are better.

If want to soften the breast before breastfeeding your baby, you could try the cold and cabbage to make it easier and less tender when the baby latches on. Just so your remove milk, your body will continue to make milk.

Best wishes to you!

[crunchywannabe]

thanks everyone! we finally got ahold of LLL in the afternoon and they said to go ahead and tried the shield. we bought it and 2 sucks later my incision had opened some and was bleeding

I got so swollen/engorged last night that it was pulling at my the stitched area-I tried expressing some and then sent dh out for some cabbage. I ended up with cabbage and ice on my breast and felt some relief-

I've been nursing him for almost 2 years (and his sister for 3 years before that so I've had a supply now for over 5 years) do you think it will dry up completely by monday? or if it does, will he be able to nurse and bring it back if I lose it all the way?

thank you everyone for your help!

[sunnygir1]

I'm so sorry; ouch!

I used cabbage leaves after both of my babies because they were premature and didn't nurse well enough to prevent engorgement. You can use them even if you intend to continue breastfeeding.

I also highly recommend hot compresses, hot shower, hot bath, even bathing your breast in a sink or tub of hot water. this will facilitate gently expressing some of the milk...your breast will probably even start leaking just from the heat.

Good luck.