Breast Engorgement - Topic Overview

What is breast engorgement, and what causes it?

Breast engorgement is the painful overfilling of the breasts with milk. This is usually caused by an imbalance between milk supply and infant demand. This condition is a common reason that mothers stop breast-feeding sooner than they had planned.

Engorgement can happen:

When milk first "comes in" to your breasts, during the first few days after birth.
When you normally have a regular breast-feeding routine but cannot nurse or pump as much as usual.
If you and your baby suddenly stop breast-feeding.
When your baby's breast-feeding suddenly drops, either when your baby is starting or increasing solid foods or when the baby is ill with a poor appetite.

Your breasts start making milk for your baby about 2 to 5 days after your baby is born. When your milk comes in, your breasts will most likely feel warm and heavy. Some women feel only slight swelling. Others feel uncomfortably swollen.

Early breast fullness is completely normal. It occurs as your milk supply develops and while your newborn has an irregular breast-feeding routine. The normal fullness is caused by the milk you make and extra blood and fluids in your breasts. Your body uses the extra fluids to make more breast milk for your baby.

If you don't breast-feed after your baby is born, you will have several days of mild to moderate breast engorgement. This gradually goes away when the breasts are not stimulated to make more milk.

Overfilled breasts can easily become very swollen and painful, leading to severe engorgement. Common causes of severe engorgement are:

Waiting too long to begin breast-feeding your newborn.
Not feeding often enough.
Small feedings that do not empty the breast well. Babies who are fed formula or water are less likely to breast-feed well.

Severe engorgement can make it difficult for your baby to latch on to the breast properly and feed well. This can make the problem worse. As a result:

Your baby may not receive enough milk.
Your breasts may not empty completely.
Your nipples may become sore and cracked. This is caused by your baby's attempts to latch on to your overfull breasts. If you then breast-feed less because your nipples are sore, the engorgement will increase.

Without treatment, severe engorgement can lead to blocked milk ducts and breast infection, which is called mastitis.

What are common symptoms of breast engorgement?

Engorged breasts:

Are swollen, firm, and painful. If severely engorged, they are very swollen, hard, shiny, warm, and slightly lumpy to the touch.
May have flattened-out nipples. The dark area around the nipple, called the areola, may be very hard. This makes it difficult for your baby to latch on.
Can cause a slight fever of around 100F.
Can cause slightly swollen and tender lymph nodes in your armpits.

How can you prevent breast engorgement?

1 | 2

Next Page >

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: June 10, 2009

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.

Breast Engorgement Topics

One Pill a Day: Up to 24 Hours of Heartburn Relief in Many Adults with ARD

Important Safety Information

KAPIDEX may not be right for everyone. You should not take KAPIDEX if you are allergic to KAPIDEX or any of its ingredients. Severe allergic reactions have been reported.
Symptom relief does not rule out other serious stomach conditions.
The most common side effects of KAPIDEX were diarrhea (4.8%), stomach pain (4.0%), nausea (2.9%), common cold (1.9%), vomiting (1.6%), and gas (1.6%). KAPIDEX and certain other medicines can affect each other. Before taking KAPIDEX, tell your doctor if you are taking ampicillin, atazanavir, digoxin, iron, ketoconazole, or tacrolimus. If you are taking KAPIDEX with warfarin, you may need to be monitored because serious risks could occur.

Uses of KAPIDEX

Persistent heartburn two or more days a week, despite treatment and diet changes, could be acid reflux disease (ARD). Prescription KAPIDEX capsules are used in adults to treat heartburn related to ARD, to heal acid-related damage to the lining of the esophagus (called erosive esophagitis or EE), and to stop EE from coming back. Individual results may vary. Most damage (erosions) heals in 4–8 weeks.

Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. Please see full Prescribing Information for KAPIDEX.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.