In plain words
Engorgement is when the breasts become very full, hard, hot, and tender. It often happens as milk comes in, usually around days three to five after birth. Breasts can feel tight and heavy, and the skin may look shiny. A baby may have trouble latching when the breast is very full. Many mothers find that feeding or pumping often, and sometimes using warmth before feeding and cool packs after, can ease the fullness. Engorgement can last a few days and then settles as supply matches demand. If you have a fever, a red wedge-shaped area, or pain that is getting worse, call your provider the same day, because those can be signs of a or .
The deeper version
Engorgement is a physiological increase in breast volume from venous and lymphatic congestion, interstitial edema, and milk stasis during the from . It is most marked around days 2 to 5 postpartum. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine's Clinical Protocol #20 addresses engorgement. Excessive distension is thought to reduce milk synthesis through the local , although the magnitude of this effect in humans is debated. Severe engorgement is a risk factor for mastitis.
Where it comes up
- When your milk comes inFeeding Your Baby
- Clogged ducts and mastitisPostpartum: Your Body
- How breastfeeding works: supply and demandFeeding Your Baby
- Lactation accommodation at work: your rights in CaliforniaCalifornia: Leave, Money, and Paperwork
- Weaning: gradual, abrupt, and baby-ledFeeding Your Baby
What mothers here say about engorgement
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Sources
- Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine — ABM Clinical Protocol #20: Engorgement, 2016 revision
- Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine — ABM Clinical Protocol #3: Supplementation of the breastfed term newborn, 2017
- Dewey KG et al. — Risk factors for suboptimal infant breastfeeding behavior, delayed onset of lactation, and excess neonatal weight loss. Pediatrics, 2003