Comparing between the Effect of Breast Massage versus Cabbage Leaves Compress on Reduction of Breast Engorgement among Postpartum Women

 
         Background: Breast engorgement is painful congestion of the breasts with milk that can make it difficult for the baby to latch the mother breast properly. Aim of this study: evaluate the effect of breast massage and cabbage leaves on reduction of breast engorgement among postpartum women. Design: quasi experimental design was utilized in this study. Study sample: Purposive sample of 100 women with engorged breast. Setting: Suez Canal University Hospital and General Hospital at Ismailia City. Tools of data collection: I: Structured interviewing questionnaire II: Six-point engorgement scale III: visual analogue rating scale IV: Breast milk power of hydrogen record V: Suckling speed record of neonate and VI: Latch Score record. Results: All of the women in each group had swelling and warmness (100.0%), 32.0% of massage group had moderate engorgement and 35.0% of cabbage leaves group had severe engorgement. About three quarter of studied women  had severe pain (73.0%). After 5 days of intervention, 80% of massage group and 32% of cabbage leaves group had normal breast, 48.0% had no pain, 99.0% had alkaline milk power of hydrogen and 87.0% had good breast feeding score. There were a statistical significant differences between studied groups regarding level of engorgement, intensity of pain, suckling speed and total latch score (p < .05*) Conclusion: Application of breast massage and cabbage leaves compress was effective in relieving breast engorgement. Breast massage was more effective than cabbage leaves. Recommendation: Planning and developing prenatal classes for newly breast feeding mothers on prevention and management of breast engorgement. Nurses should be trained to use breast massage and the cabbage leaves compresses as the nursing approach for managing breast engorgement.