Engorgement solutions?!?

[daisysmom]

Okay, with DD1 I got horribly engorged. My MW said to use heat before and ice after nursing. It cured it within several hours. This time I've been doing that since I started to feel it and while it hasn't gotten as bad, it's not going away. Its been 3 days now and I'm getting sick of it. I've tried the shower thing and it gives temporary comfort. I've even tried squeezing out of frustration. Does anyone have any tried and true methods I could try? I'd really appreciate it.

[momsgotmilk4two]

mine got really bad with my first and i pumped and it really helped and didn't cause any problems with over supply. i'm doing the heat and ice thing now too, my milk just came in today, but if it gets worse i won't hesitate to pump. hth

[tuffykenwell]

I emailed a friend about that and she gave me some good tips so I will C&P them here...

It's totally ok to pump when you're engorged. Your breasts are not full of milk, it's lymph fluid that is causing the discomfort. If you empty them of the small amount of milk you're making right now, you'll just relieve the pressure, not signal your body to make gallons of milk. Don't worry about supply issues at this early date. Pump until you're comfortable. Actually, *not* pumping can sometimes - very rarely really - cause tissue damage if the engorgement is such that blood flow is restricted and cells start to die.

The last I'd heard was that cold packs alternating with heat were the best advice for treating engorgement. It's treated much the same way you would treat a sprain or muscle injury. Cold for the first day or so to slow down the swelling, then heat to promote circulation and remove and extra fluid, using cold in there too when it feels good. In studies done by lactation consultants, cabbage leaves have been shown to work the same way as cold compresses. They have the advantage of not being wet and of fitting inside a bra nicely, but they don't have any magical properties other than that.

If you feel feverish or have flu-like symptoms or notice a painful red spot on your breast, possibly accompanied by radiating red, spider leg marks, you may be beginning a bout of mastitis. The advice is still the same: nurse, nurse, nurse! If you don't feel better in 24 hours from the onset of these symptoms or if you feel really crappy all of a sudden, you may need to get antibiotics. Mastitis is not something to take lightly. It's a misnomer to call it a "breast" infection, because true mastitis is a systemic infection that affects the whole body. You will need a strong antibiotic like cloxacillin and you will have to take it for a minimum of 10 days.

Also here is a link which might provide some additional help: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...gorgement.html

HTH. My breasts are engorged too but not nearly as bad as last night.

Steph

[daisysmom]

thanks so much! I had been afraid to pump for fear of producing more milk, but I've been trying it and the pain has lessened. I'm still sore to touch, but I don't feel huge and hard anymore, just sore.

[jecaly]

so, is a pump considered required equipment for breastfeeding moms? i don't have one yet, as i wasn't planning to introduce bottles for awhile. should i get one? can i relieve engorgement as easily with hand-expressing?

thanks mamas--

*j

[DaryLLL]

The best way to prevent engorgement is frequent nursing. 10 or more times per 24 hrs. Baby needs to be latching well and suckling vigorously.

If baby is sleepy or not latching well and won't co-operate, either hand expressing or pumping is what you should do.

You may feed the expressed milk to the baby with a dropper or spoon.

much more here:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...gorgement.html

[beanma]

cabbage leaves are reported to really help. you probably don't want to overuse them because they can reportedly take down your supply, but they are often recommended for engorgement. here's a link:

http://www.kellymom.com/newman/misce...nts_01-03.html

Cabbage leaves for engorgement

1. Use green cabbage.
2. Crush the cabbage leaves with a rolling pin if the leaves do not accommodate to the shape of your breast.
3. Wrap the cabbage leaves around the breast and leave on for about 20 minutes. Twice daily is enough. It is usual to use the cabbage leaf treatment two or three times or less. Some will say to use the cabbage leaves after each feeding and leave them on until they wilt. Some are concerned that such frequent use will decrease the milk supply.
4. Stop using as soon as engorgement is beginning to diminish and you are becoming more comfortable.
5. You can use acetaminophen (Tylenol™, others) with or without codeine, ibuprofen, or other medication for pain relief. As with almost all medications, there is no reason to stop breastfeeding when taking analgesics.
6. Ice packs also can be helpful.
7. If you are one of the women who gets a large lump in the armpit about 3 or 4 days after the baby's birth, you can use cabbage leaves in that area as well.

hth

[momsgotmilk4two]

Yes, frequent nursing is the absolute best for engorgement, I had forgotton to say that. I'm nursing the little guy many times a day though and still having problems. This is only my second day of having milk and I have 12 oz in the freezer from only 2 pumping sessions

[tuffykenwell]

Originally Posted by momsgotmilk4two

Yes, frequent nursing is the absolute best for engorgement, I had forgotton to say that. I'm nursing the little guy many times a day though and still having problems. This is only my second day of having milk and I have 12 oz in the freezer from only 2 pumping sessions

The problem with me is I am still engorged after Niamh is finished eating I had a pretty bad oversupply problem with Rhys too but it feels even worse this time!

I am particularly having problems getting the ducts on the sides of my breasts emptied. I have tried doing the football hold and it seems to help a bit but not enough...any ideas?

Steph

[daisysmom]

I've been having that same problem with the ducts on the lower part. I've been massaging them during nursing and that really seams to help. So far I still have to do it every feeding, but it won't last forever.

[daisysmom]

Hey, just a cool little tidbit. Walmart has camisole style nursing bras for only $8-something. I've seen them in catalogs for $25-30. They sure are comfortable - they help hold in your body heat so you don't freeze nursing in a cold room and they give your tummy a little extra support. Always a plus at this time.

[momsgotmilk4two]

Steph, I was having the same issues, which is why I've been pumping. Daisymom's massage the breast trick works too, especially in combination with the pumping. After almost two weeks it's finally getting better for me. In fact, I didn't need to pump at all today!

[Hayes]

I know this may not be true for all moms, but I was FULL of milk when engorged. Ipumped to relieve fullness and could easily get 10 oz in 10 minutes, from each breast.

[DaryLLL]

Woah, Hayes, that is insane! Your body thinks you had triplets.

I have known twin moms with way too much milk for 2.

[irinam]

When my milk came in, my DD decided she is going to sleep in longer streches, LOL

Pump did not do a thing for me during first days, not a drop.

My DH was releving me for a few days, then DD had a huge appetite and my problem went away!