Cabbages & Queens

As always, starting with KellyMom, we can read about cabbage leaves in the bra as a cure for engorgement. This a feeling of ballooning pressure in the breast (often occurs at day 2-5 with a new baby, but also later on - at any time when you've missed a feed).  Very tender.  Best avoided as it can lead to lumps & blockages.

Savoy Cabbage

There we discover that it's the dark green (Savoy-type) cabbage which is useful, and we find out a little about why it is useful from here, or here.

(This applies to swelling in the ankles or jaw, just as well as the breast)

Dr Jack Newman has some further advice on life with engorged breasts - including using reverse pressure just near the nipple to soften up the area where a tiny mouth needs to latch on.

A warning over the continuous use of cabbage treatment is worth heeding, but has not been researched or proven either way.  Those women who have needed to apply cabbage for longer (i.e. continuous) periods of time have generally been rapidly weaning their baby - i.e. they have gone Cold Turkey, and that is never going to be easy. If an active ingredient in cabbage aids them that's great, but I can't believe that it be an instant fix. 

Applications of 20 minutes (more than enough) about 3 times a day will no doubt make you more comfortable & also maintain your milk supply. It may also help to use warmth, especially just before a feed.  Some Mums can just get in the bath or a shower. A warm gel-pack in the bra is good (you can buy specially shaped packs, or use a hand-warmer, or one of those wheat bags for sprained shoulders & necks). Even a (clean!) gel-type nappy with very warm water poured in it is good - if you have nothing else.

Remember that frequent feeding is the best answer to engorgement. Get advice if you feel you are producing too much milk.

Although it feels great to use the leaves straight from the fridge, research has shown no difference in the effect, so use them at room temperature if you like. Also it can help to batter the leaves a bit, to break up the leaf veins & release the chemicals.

 

It is very strange to remove wilted leaves from inside your bra!  Amazing how quickly they are "cooked"!  And the smell is a bit wierd, so you may prefer to use icepacks or gel-packs.  However, most folks tell us that icepacks don't work as well as cabbage.  (A good second choice if you haven't been shopping or have none growing in your garden, though.)

"Dispelling BF Myths" asked if Cabbages were a myth recently, and here were the answers. Pretty conclusive so far!

So keep a cabbage in stock in your fridge in the first week of life with a newborn & I hope it gives you relief... if not, chop up the cabbage and add it to your stew!