The first few days of breastfeeding might not be what you expected it to be. Your breast milk doesn’t just come in and flow abundantly! The first milk or colostrum comes in small quantities, but it will be just enough to feed your newborn.
Once you start feeling your breasts become tender and full, it may mean that your milk is coming in soon! Breast milk flow starts around 3 to 5 days after giving birth to your child. Here’s the good news — breast engorgement is completely normal.
However, it may last for a while. Some women have it only for a few days and can treat it with pain relievers. While for a few women, engorgement can last significantly longer alongside the feeling of intense pain.
Why is Breast Engorgement & Why Does it Happen
In the early stages of breastfeeding, the increasing milk supply can result to breast engorgement. But over time, it may be due to you either having an oversupply or not getting to breastfeed and express enough.
It is the baby’s job to help a mother through engorgement by emptying out her breasts. But if your baby hasn’t perfected the latch or they don’t get to feed frequently, your breasts can suffer. Breast engorgement reduces the elasticity of the breasts and nipples. And with an inefficient latch and insufficient milk supply, your breast can become red, sore, and painful.
Severe breast engorgement can make a mother ill and interfere with milk production. Too much milk stored in the breast can signal the body to produce less. And if kept unexpressed and unrelieved, long-term breast engorgement can lead to less milk supply, giving up on breastfeeding, or begin early weaning.
How To Prevent Breast Engorgement
- Initiate breastfeeding as soon as possible right after birth, even if milk isn’t actively flowing yet. It helps the baby and mother practice on the latch and establishes a better breastfeeding relationship.
- Try NOT to introduce bottles and pacifiers early. This can make breastfeeding more challenging as they lead to nipple confusion.
- When the milk starts flowing, breastfeed at least 8 times a day to prevent your breasts from becoming too full.
- Consult an IBCLC to fix your latching problems. If you’re having difficulty getting a proper latch, you can seek the help of a lactation expert.
- Do hand expressions or pump out your breast milk when feedings are missed. Store them properly so that you can feed it to your child later.
- Gradually introduce weaning. Keep it slow and steady when you’re trying to wean your baby off of breast milk.
How Should You Treat Breast Engorgement
- Keep pumping and breastfeeding. Ultimately, draining out your milk supply will relieve you of your growing and engorging breasts.
- Apply the hot and cold therapy to your breasts. This provides instant relief to your breasts by allowing help to flow and improves the swelling of your breasts.
- Do gentle massages in between feedings. This can help drain and empty out the remaining milk in your breasts
- Consult your doctor for pain medications. Pain meds like ibuprofen or paracetamol can help reduce discomfort and inflammation.
- Use nipple balms or cream to relieve sore nipples. As your breasts grow and stretch, so does your nipple. Get some natural relieving balms to help restore moisture.
