How should engorged breasts be managed?
Sometimes the breasts get swollen due to milk collection. This usually occurs around the 3rd day after delivery. It is more likely to occur if baby has not been breast feeding. The breasts feel heavy and painful. The breast engorgement is best prevented by early feeding and frequent suckling of the baby. If engorgement continues, the baby may not be able to attach to the breast. In that situation, some milk can be manually expressed and collected in a clean container. The baby can then be put to breast for feeding. If baby is not in a position to suck (for example a very LBW baby), the expressed milk can be fed to the baby using a spoon/ tube feeding. Hot fomentation relieves pain and facilitates manual expression of breast milk. Q. What should be done if the mother has small nipples that a baby cannot take in his mouth? Many women with first baby have small nipples. Sometimes these nipples are not projectile and are buried inside the surrounding areola. It is difficult for a baby to h
