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Engorged Breasts

Within the first two to three days after you havegiven birth, you may discover that your breastsfeel swollen, tender, throbbing, lumpy, and overly full. Sometimes, the swelling will extendall the way to your armpit, and you may run a low fever as well.

The causesWithin 72 hours of giving birth, an abundanceof milk will come in or become available to yourbaby. As this happens, more blood will flowto your breasts and some of the surrounding tissuewill swell. The result is full, swollen, engorgedbreasts.

Not every postpartum mom experienced trueengorgement. Some women's breasts become onlyslightly full, while others find their breastshave become amazingly hard. Some women will hardlynotice the pain, as they are involved in otherthings during the first few days.

Treating itKeep in mind, engorgement is a positive signthat you are producing milk to feed to your baby. Until you produce the right amount: 1. Wear a supportive nursing bra, evenat night - making sure it isn't too tight. 2. Breast feed often, every 2 - 3 hoursif you can. Try to get the first side of yourbreasts as soft as possible. If your baby seemssatisfied with just one breast, you can offerthe other at the next feeding. 3. Avoid letting your baby latch on andsuck when the areola is very firm. To reducethe possibility of nipple damage, you can use a pump until your areola softens up. 4. Avoid pumping milk except when youneed to soften the areola or when your baby is unable to latch on. Excessive pumping canlead to the over production of milk and prolongedengorgement. 5. To help soothe the pain and relieveswelling, apply cold packs to your breasts fora short amount of time after you nurse. Crushedice in a plastic bag will also work. 6. Look ahead. You'll get past thisengorgement in no time and soon be able toenjoy your breast feeding relationship with yournew baby.

Engorgement will pass very quickly. You can expect it to diminish within 24 - 48 hours, asnursing your baby will only help the problem. Ifyou aren't breast feeding, it will normallyget worse before it gets better. Once theengorgement has passed, your breasts will besofter and still full of milk.

During this time, you can and should continue tonurse. Unrelieved engorgement can cause a dropin your production of milk, so it's important to breast feed right from the start. Keep aneye for signs of hunger and feed him when heneeds to be fed.

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