Some women experience discomfort when their milk comes in. A feeling of engorgement causes the breasts to become very hard and can be uncomfortable for a couple of days until your body adjusts. If you are breastfeeding the sooner you begin the better! Your baby’s sucking, along with warm compresses and hot showers, help engorged breasts. The suckling by the infant and the heat also help stimulate breast milk production.
If you plan to formula feed...
If you do not plan on breastfeeding, now is the time to put on a firm bra to help decrease the stimulation of milk production. 24 – 72 hours after delivery and as your breasts begin to feel tender, place ice packs on them to help decrease the tenderness. A hot shower may promote leaking of breast milk, so you may want to avoid prolonged exposure. Although pumping your breasts may relieve the discomfort, it is only a temporary solution. Pumping stimulates milk production. Pain medication may be used to relieve the tenderness. As the milk reabsorbs, your breasts will become less tender and soft.
