Unfortunately for new mothers, there is bound to be some degree or another of breast engorgement after a baby is born. Even if a mother is not nursing, the milk that her body builds up and prepares for her baby right after birth will very often cause her breasts to become engorged. For the mother that is nursing, it can sometimes take a while for the milk production of the woman’s body to match the need for milk from her baby. Engorgement can, in some cases, crop up regularly during the nursing period. There are, however, things that you can do to try to avoid breast engorgement.

It is important, first of all, to know exactly what it is that is causing breast engorgement. By understanding the cause, you can better address the problem. Breast engorgement is caused when the levels of hormones change in your body after your baby is born. Those changing levels of hormones tell your breasts to start producing large volumes of milk, beyond the initial small amounts of colostrum that it produced before your baby was born. After birth, it can take a few days for your body to get used to making the larger amounts of milk, and releasing it.

Generally speaking, breast engorgement should last for just a few days at the most. There are some things you can do, however, to prevent breast engorgement, or at least to minimize the severity or duration of breast engorgement. The first thing that you can do is to use a warm breast compress to reduce the swelling and tenderness of your breasts. That compress might take the form of a herbal compress, or it might be similar to a hot water bottle. Either way, the heat will often help to relieve engorgement.

Another thing that you can do to avoid or relieve breast engorgement is to pump or express your breasts in the event that your baby isn’t nursing long enough to soften both of them. Avoid supplementing yoru breast milk with formula or water, as well. The good news is that, eventually, your breast engorgement is going to pass.

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