Breast engorgement is the painful overfilling of the breasts with milk. This is usually caused by an imbalance between milk supply and infant demand. This condition is a common reason that mothers stop breast-feeding sooner than they had planned.

Prevention:

You can prevent breast engorgement by closely managing the milk your breasts make and keeping milk moving out of your breasts. During your body's first week or two of adjusting to breast-feeding, take care not to let your breasts become overfilled.

Breast-feed your baby whenever he or she shows signs of hunger. If your breasts are hard and overfilled, let out (express) enough to soften your nipples before putting your baby to the breast.

Make sure that your baby is latching on and feeding well.

Empty your breasts with each feeding. This will help your milk move freely, and your milk supply will stay at the level your baby needs.

Treatment:

A few days after your milk comes in, your milk supply should adjust to your baby's needs. You can expect relief from the first normal engorgement within 12 to 24 hours (or in 1 to 5 days if you are not breast-feeding). Your symptoms should disappear within a few days. If not, or if your breasts do not soften after a feeding, start home treatment right away.

To reduce pain and swelling, take ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin), apply ice or cold compresses, and wear a supportive nursing bra that is not too tight. Before you take any kind of medicine, ask your doctor if it is safe for you to use it while you are breast-feeding.

To soften your breasts before feedings, apply heat, massage gently, anduse your hands or use a pump to let out (express) a small amount of milk from both breasts.

If your baby can't feed well or at all (such as during an illness), be sure to gently pump enough to empty each breast. You can store or freeze the breast milk for later use.

If your breasts still feel uncomfortable after nursing,apply cool compress.

Hope this will help you.

Ref:emedicinehealth.com

Thank you Mr. Sultan . It was worth reading . Do you have any inputs on  the effectiveness of reverse pressure technique to relieve the engorgement.

Basically breast-feeding helps in reducing the engorgement.

If there is severe pain, NSAIDs can be used to control pain. However, other no-pharmacological means has to be used too.

Breastfeedinf is the best way to reduce engorgement, but there are some cases in which the mother can not feed the baby.

1. Apply warm compressses over the breast for a period of fifteen minutes. 

2. Appy a soft massage around the breast.

3. Express the milk using a pumping machine or the mother can do it manually.

4. Apply cool compresses after expressing the milk.

5. Repeat every 2-3 hour as the baby feeding pattern.

6. If the mother makes  this procedure it is not necessary to take any pills, but NSAIDs can help to reduce pain, even though they are compatible with breast feeding.

Have a good day

Thank you Ms. Karol Canas. It was to the point.

You are welcome.

Hi Frincy Francis,

I am a lactation consultant from Australia and have just completed an eductation package for midwives on breast engorgement. I presented this at international breastfeeding conference in January this year. 

In Australia breast engorgement has become more prevelant and severe with the increase in complicated births and extra fluid loads during epidural use, inductions and c/sections.  Mothers can be engorged with milk and/or fluid.  Fluid surrounding the areola can prevent latch and also prevent milk from flowing on a pump. 

If fluid is the problem you will notice a shiny appearance on the areola and when pressed a pitis left for a short time.  Reverse pressure softening is very helpful to push fluid back temporarity to allow latching from the baby, remembering you need to push and hold for 1-3 minutes which will leave an indent and trigger a le-down whcih is a great way to express a little milk as well as push fluid back.  Make sure it is not painful and teach the mother how to do this. 

Fluid moves in response to gravity so will quickly fill the aeola again, therefore, reverse pressure softening will need to be repeated at each breastfeed.  Another component to help with severely engorged breasts is to massage the breasts towards the axilla where 75% of the fluid load is removed from the breast.  Basically movement of the breasts by massage and sweeping upwards and backwards towards the axilla will relieve pain and fluid (excellent when mother is lying down or semi-reclined).

Other supportive methods such as gentle massage, warmth before feed and cool after can help with discomfort.  Goal is always latch so remember to assess whether you need to hand express to soften areola for latch or move fluid back to facilitate latch. 

Breast engorgement is one of the first problems women face and very important to manage so as not to create low supply issues down the track. 

Lots of wonderful answers here, hope this helps.

Cheers,

Loretta Anderson

 Thank you Ms. Loretta. I really admire the work of a lactation consultant. Your answer has given me a clear picture of the reverse pressure technique. 

http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/rev_pressure_soft_cotterman/    has directions and illustrations and links to further reading on reverse pressure softening. Best wishes

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