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If you need to breast-feed but breast engorgement is preventing you from doing so, use these steps to keep your milk flow going and relieve your pain and swelling:

• Soften your nipple and areola before breast-feeding, to avoid nipple damage. When the nipple and areola are soft, the nipple protrudes more easily, allowing your baby to latch on well. View a slideshow of proper latch-on for breast-feeding .
  • If your breasts are freely leaking, you can use a warm compress for a couple of minutes before breast-feeding.
  • Gently pump or use your hands to squeeze (manually express) a small amount of milk. Be careful not to injure your breast tissue. An automatic cycling breast pump with the suction adjusted to low is best for relieving engorgement.
• Use gentle breast massage to promote milk flow.
• Breast-feed your baby more often, or pump your breasts if your baby won't breast-feed. Take care to empty your breasts each time. You can freeze pumped milk in clean containers or bags for later use.
• Reduce swelling and relieve pain. After breast-feeding:
  • Take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin, for example), in addition to the nonmedicine treatments. When taken as directed, ibuprofen is safe to use while breast-feeding. ¹
  • Try cold compresses. Apply a frozen wet towel, cold gel or ice packs, or bags of frozen vegetables to your breasts for 15 minutes at a time every hour as needed. To prevent tissue damage, do not apply cold to your bare skin. Place a thin cloth between the cold pack and your skin.
  • Try raw cabbage leaves. Cover each breast with a cabbage leaf inside your bra. Change when wilted or after 2 hours. Some women find them helpful.
• Avoid constricting bras that press on your breasts. A tight bra can reduce milk flow through the ducts, eventually causing blocked ducts.

If you are bottle-feeding formula and you experience breast engorgement after childbirth, use one or more of the following measures to help relieve discomfort:

• Avoid pumping or removing a large amount of milk from your breasts. This stimulates milk production and makes engorgement worse. Remove just enough milk to make you feel more comfortable.
• Take ibuprofen (such as Motrin or Advil) in addition to the nonmedicine treatments.
• Try cold compresses. Place a frozen wet towel, cold gel or ice packs, or bags of frozen vegetables on your breasts for 15 minutes at a time every hour as needed. To prevent tissue injury, do not apply cold directly to bare skin. Place a thin cloth between the cold pack and your skin.
• Try raw cabbage leaves. Cover each breast with a cabbage leaf inside your bra. Change when wilted or after 2 hours.
• Wear a supportive bra that fits well.