As an actively nursing mom, if your breasts feel hard, painfully tight, full, and hot when touched, please know you are not alone. You are likely going through breast engorgement which typically occurs two to five days after childbirth as your body adjusts to milk supply.
Even though not common in all nursing moms, it happens when blood flow, milk, production, and fluid retention peaks in the early weeks after delivery or during growth spurt. It can take the joy out of feeding and something that's meant to be a bonding moment can make you tense. The good news is breast engorgement is definitely manageable if you know what helps.
Do’s
- Frequent nursing
- Pumping to relieve pressure
- Breastfeeding in the side lying position
- Using warm compress or warm shower
- Light and gentle breast massage
- Cold compression after feeding
Don’ts
- Skipping feeding sessions
- Over pumping or emptying all the milk
- Ignoring fever, pain, or redness around breasts
- Using tight bras and clothings
- Forceful, aggressive, massaging
At first, it may feel intense, but it definitely gets better. Most importantly, you are not alone.
One of the mothers who faced it recently has noted “It usually resolves within 24-48 hours. Could be sooner also. It varies on the engorgement and how efficiently the milk is getting removed.”
A few real-life tips from another new mom highlight, “Massaging under a hot shower helps express some milk out. Hot compressions by microwaving a wet cloth helped too. The more the baby fed, the better it got eventually.”
She added, “It got better in 3-4ish days. I also used an electric pump to remove some milk...that helped greatly too”
Disclaimer: Content on House of Zelena is based on expert interviews and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not replace professional advice. Please consult a qualified specialist before making any decisions.
