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Engorged Breasts

Lottie

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Apr 16, 2005
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In the first couple of days postpartum you will notice only slight changes in your breasts. You may even wonder where all the milk is supposed to come from, as you produce only small amounts of the first milk, called colostrum. But then, around the third day, you may suddenly awake with breasts the size of a melon, and nearly as hard. You find that you've grown two-cup sizes overnight. This is breast engorgement. Some mothers find that their breasts become suddenly and painfully engorged, while others, especially those whose babies have been nursing frequently and effectively since birth, experience only a gradual increase in breast fullness. Yes, it's hormones at work again; as estrogen and progesterone levels drop in the days after birth, prolactin -- the milk-making hormone -- takes over. As the breasts begin to do their work, the tissues swell, partly with milk and partly with other fluids. These dramatic breast changes may not have been part of the lovely, peaceful breastfeeding experience you envisioned during pregnancy. After your baby learns to latch on properly and your breasts settle into a comfortable balance of milk production where supply equals demand, you will be well on your way to a gratifying, nurturing experience. If your breasts seem too full for baby to latch-on properly, use a breast pump or hand expression to soften your areola enough that your baby can latch onto more than just your nipple. The best remedy for engorgement is frequent breastfeeding. Nothing relieves breast fullness as quickly as a baby who is nursing well. Frequent feedings will also bring your milk supply in line with your baby's demands

Sore nipples. Most sore nipples are the result of a baby who is not latching-on to the breast correctly. When a baby latches and sucks effectively, your nipple goes to the back of his mouth, away from the tongue and gum action that can irritate skin. Sore nipples are not an inevitable part of breastfeeding. If your nipples are starting to get sore, you need to pay some attention to what's going on during feedings. While you may want to call in some helpers (a knowledgeable nurse, a lactation consultant, an experienced friend, or a La Leche League Leader) for expert advice, you are the expert on your baby.
 
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