Engorgement

This is a small body of work. A systematic review of treatments for breast engorgement during lactation appears in two versions, from different years, and describes the range of approaches that have been studied. A short older paper describes reverse pressure softening as a way to prepare the areola for easier latching when the breast is full.

A cross-sectional study asks what postpartum women know, think and do about engorgement, and what factors influence those answers. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials examines breast massage in relation to breast milk production.

Parents commonly ask what engorgement is, when it tends to occur and what can ease it. The listed reviews describe what has been tested, and the research on the best approach is still developing. An educator may want slides that explain the fullness that follows the early days of feeding and that reflect how limited the evidence on treatment options is. They might also consider how a class could build parents' knowledge before they meet the problem. The papers below are the ones the Hub tracks on this topic.