Engorgement when not breastfeeding....what to wear?

Question

I am not breastfeeding and I am dealing with the engorgement process. The nurse at the hospital said I could wear an ace bandage which is called binding or wear a sports bra. Which is better? I'm wearing the ace bandage right now and it is very painful and restricting. Should I switch to the sports bra?

Answer 1

I wore a sports bra AND the binding thing they gave me at the hospital... and bags of frozen peas make really good ice packs (they conform well to the shape of what they are trying to chill!) when you get home... that helped too.  At least it's only a few days.  Hang in there - it gets better!  (Congratulations, by the way!)

Answer 2

Binding doesn't work.  Just keep them supported well so you will be comfortable.

http://www.prematureoptimism.com/linkBlo...

Too much milk: Sage and other herbs for decreasing milk supply

http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksuppl...

    This is best used only if you are in the process of weaning, though it may also be used in extreme cases of oversupply when the usual measures are not effective. Be careful with this if you are not in the weaning process! Don’t overdo it once you’re seeing some results.

A Sample Seven Day Dry-Up Plan

http://web.archive.org/web/2004120411401...

    In the past, new mothers often received medication which would suppress the production of milk. These medications were often referred to as dry up drugs. These drugs are no longer available because of severe health problems experienced by many mothers.

    Although most pregnancies have happy endings, some do not. Losing a baby is a tragic experience. When the breast milk starts to flow and there is no baby to feed, pain and engorgement will usually follow.

    When breastfeeding is not part of your plan for any reason, follow the directions here to minimize pain and engorgement during the drying up period. Depending on your situation, you may wish to ask your doctor or healthcare provider for pain medication to use during the first week of drying-up

Guidelines For Rapid Reduction of Milk Supply

http://www.bflrc.com/ljs/breastfeeding/d...

    Sometimes breastfeeding mothers must quickly stop breastfeeding. I hope each mother has exhausted all avenues for help before taking this step. Nevertheless, all mothers have a right to wean safely and comfortably. These guidelines have helped many mothers:

Lactation Suppression lactation

http://www.breastfeeding-basics.com/html...

    Once your milk supply is established, stopping abruptly causes certain physical changes. Your b*****s will continue to produce milk for a while, and if some isn�t removed, you may become engorged, and possibly develop mastitis. You will also experience a sudden drop in prolaction levels, which may add to your feelings of depression.

Weaning after infant loss

http://xpedio02.childrenshc.org/stellent...

    At Children�s Hospitals and Clinics, we support you during this difficult time. Your feelings are stronger because of the physical and hormonal changes in your body. Your b*****s have been prepared to nurse. As long as your b*****s sense a �demand� for milk, they will keep making it. If there is no demand, they will gradually stop. In order to help you feel more comfortable during this time, we have prepared these instructions. Please let us know if you have any questions, or if there is anything else we can do to support you.

Lactation Suppression: Forgotten Aspect of Care for the Mother of a Dying Child

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/4645...

    Suppression of lactation prior to the 1990s was done with medications that influenced the brain’s directions to the breast regarding milk production, such as parlodel and bromocriptine. These were eventually found to have other brain-related side effects and taken off the market for milk cessation (Stehlin, 1990). Ice use was suggested in 1966 (Bristol, 1966), and both fluid restriction and forced fluids had time of popularity. Breast binding with ace wraps became the next form of care, with little scientific supportive evidence. A recent clinical study by Swift and Janke (2003) compared a control group using a support bra with an experimental group having their b*****s bound. Swift and Janke found the women with bound b*****s had more leakage, more pain, and needed more pain medication than the non-bound group. A study by a group of nurses in Sweden (Radestad, Nordin, Steineck, & Sjogren, 1998) did find that for women who had lost a baby, breast binding served as a concrete reality of the loss and aided in the grieving process. The use of cabbage leaves has often been suggested to ease the pain of lactation suppression. Several early reports indicated comfort to mothers, and this is a frequently recommended practice. Yetina Cochrane Library examination of evidence (Snowden, Renfrew, & Woolridge, 2003), cabbage leaves and other vegetable substances on the breast did not show greater comfort than the placebos. It was suggested that placement of the leaves on the breast and the massage of placement may be the helpful issue. The same results of improvement equal to the placebo occurred for the use of ultra sound to the b*****s. Prevention of engorgement was recommended.

Answer 3

OKAY, this is what i did.. my grandmother told me to take a cabbage and cut the sides and bottom off to form cups for my breast. then you freeze the "cups" and when they are frozen you wear a sports bra and nursing pads to absorb any extra leakage. u keep it on until the cabbage is soggy then you simply change as needed. it may sound like just another wives tale but the frozen cabbage draws the milk out and since you are not pumping them your breast will not make more. it really works me and my sister both did this with our post partum engorged breast. Hope it helps....

Answer 4

sports bra worked for me when i stopped breastfeeding

Answer 5

Have you ever been to a sporting event where some guy is wearing one of those helmets with the two can mounted on the side and the straws that come down?  Well........

Answer 6

Get breast pads and shower frequently, it helps express the milk.

Answer 7

Wear anything tight, and wear it consistently. I would only take it off to shower. Sports bras and ace bandages. I've heard sports bras that are smaller than your bust size work better.  

Answer 8

sports bra