Healthy Pregnancy

Engorged breasts are uncomfortable and sometimes painful. Fortunately, true engorgement can be prevented with frequent breastfeeding in the first few days/weeks after the birth of your baby. Some breast tenderness is to be expected in the first week postpartum as your breasts prepare to provide nourishment for your baby. Much of the swelling you are experiencing is simply that—swelling. It’s not just milk “coming in” that is making your breasts feel full. After the birth of your baby; water, blood and lymphatic fluid rush to your breasts in preparation for breastfeeding. With adequate breastfeeding, the discomfort usually passes in a day or 2. Many mothers don’t experience anything but mild fullness.

Currently, however, many mothers in the U.S. experience births that are anything but “normal.” Many common interventions during labor require an IV of fluids. If a mother receives any extra fluids via IV, she will continue to retain the fluid for some time even after the birth of her baby. That extra fluid often results in swollen ankles, fingers and even breasts!

The edema in the limbs may be noticeable right away; but the breast swelling will probably not be apparent until day 3-5. When breasts are full in a normal way as the milk “comes in,” your baby will still be able to latch on and breastfeed. The breasts will feel full, but the areola will be soft and compressible. True engorgement is very different. Your breasts are hard. The skin is stretched and shiny. The areola is hard and taut. The baby is unable to latch. Pumping is ineffective.

What can you do if you are truly engorged? Try using cabbage leaves to relieve the swelling so that milk can be removed by the baby or a pump. Cabbage? Really? Yes!

Green cabbage contains sulfa compounds which pass through the skin, and constrict vessels–relieving inflammation. This reduction of inflammation and swelling allows the milk to flow. To use the cabbage to relieve engorgement, rinse the raw leaves thoroughly in cold water. Place a leaf or two on your breasts under your bra. Change the leaves as they wilt. Most mothers notice immediate relief using this method.

A couple words of caution: This technique is not recommended for women who are allergic to sulfa or cabbage. It’s also important to not over-do the cabbage cure. There are reports of decreased milk supply with excessive cabbage use.

If you find yourself in the difficult situation of clinical engorgement, you need help! Contact an experienced lactation consultant right away. In the meantime…try some cabbage!

Additional articles:

Engorgement

Clearing Blocked Milk Ducts

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com

The relaxation response is a key element on the fertility journey. Circle and Bloom has created a series of mind body programs with the intention of helping women to gain control of their health, by reducing cortisol levels and balancing the internal system. Their first programs help women to enhance their fertility through the effects of meditative relaxation and they plan to continue with more general topics like the energy for empowerment series.

As I write this blog, I have just completed my second session of Circle + Bloom’s Energy for Empowerment guided visualization. Calm and more centered, I am convinced that guided meditations are not only a wonderful way to start the day but a key to creating a healthy mind body connection in everyday life.

Research shows that our bodies cannot tell the difference between what we are visualizing and what we are actually experiencing. The implications of these findings are incredible, implying that we can actually retrain our bodies to the perfect state of health by working with mind body meditations that deliver positive messages and relaxation.

If you are looking to enhance fertility consider the following Circle + Bloom meditations:

Natural Cycle: 28 days of guided meditations that lead you through each day and happening of a fertile month.

IVF and IUI: helps to prepare your body for a medicated cycle

While there is some different thoughts about starting babies on solid foods ranging from beginning at four months to waiting until one year, the average age seems to be six months. When my baby reached six months I gathered some of the best books I could find including: Super Baby Food, Into the Mouth of Babes, The Baby and Toddler Cookbook. And of course I am lucky to have a pediatrician who is most interested in nutrition so I love to talk with him about how to make the most of solid foods for babies.

A couple hints I came across that my little one was ready to eat included: being able to sit with support and lean forward for more or back off when he was finished, he no longer exhibited the reflux response when being introduced to a spoon, he was bringing things directly to his mouth (in fact everything was going towards his mouth), he was showing great interest in what we were eating (with an especial fondness to green vegetables which made me especially happy!). Some also recommend that the baby be at least 4 months, twice their birth weight and at least 13-15 pounds.

The first foods were somewhat of a debate. I wanted to do avocado. My mom suggested that I should choose something sweet like sweet potato or banana that the baby would actually like. And the nurse said rice cereal to help him sleep. Armed with my baby cook and determined to encourage his love of green foods I settled on avocado. Introducing each one of the other suggestions every 3 days to ensure no allergic reactions.

We developed a ritual that works for us inspired by one of my favorite books: The Family Dinner. I bring little guy down and put him in his playpen while I make his breakfast. Then we go out to the porch, I put him in his high chair, light a candle and bless his food. Then we proceed to enjoy the meal. One thing I didn’t realize early on is that it’s important to Never force feed a baby. Not that I was shoving food into his mouth but it was more a case of he’d be laughing and I would sneak that extra bite of avocado into his mouth. Not any more. When he is done he lets me know by closing his mouth and turning away. If food lingers in his mouth for too long I realize that the meal is stressful for him and do my best to reduce any unnecessary stimulation.