Why does cabbage help engorged breasts

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Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Many breastfeeding moms believe that placing cold cabbage leaves on the breasts is helpful for reducing the pain and breast inflammation that may occur during breastfeeding.

Breast engorgement , an overabundant supply of breast milk , or weaning a baby from breastfeeding can cause discomfort. Researchers believe that cabbage leaves can help. Researchers have found the cabbage leaf has properties that can reduce pain and swelling.

Cold cabbage leaves are soothing. Here's how to use cabbage leaves to relieve pain when your breasts are sore from engorgement. If you are still breastfeeding or pumping for your child , and just want to use cabbage leaves to help decrease breast swelling and relieve breast engorgement, be careful not to overdo it. Once you notice your breasts are feeling better, and the swelling has gone down, stop using the cabbage on your breast.

Breast engorgement is common when your milk first comes in during the first days after birth. There are a number of ways you can address breast engorgement while you work to get breastfeeding established:. It works so well, if fact, that there are cabbage usage instructions to avoid diminishing your milk supply entirely. Image: www.

Firstly, invest in a whole green cabbage red cabbage will work as well but may stain your skin as it warms and store it in the fridge. While cold cabbage leaves are soothing, room temperature cabbage leaves will work just as well.

Having used the cabbage leaf remedy myself, I can highly recommend it. Yes, I moved around in a fog of cooked cabbage odours, but it was extremely effective and I only needed to do it for a couple of days and by then, my milk supply had sorted itself out.

Breast engorgement is uncomfortable but it should pass in a couple of days. Ultimately your breasts will work out the supply-and-demand needs of your baby and everything in the boob department will settle down. While breast engorgement is most common in the early days of breastfeeding, it can occur at any time — so take particular care of your breasts when you or your baby are unwell, when you are experiencing a change to the feeding routine, and when you are weaning your baby from the breast.

Your milk comes in. MORE Breastfeeding. If you're trying to stop breastfeeding or never plan on starting , you might find yourself experiencing engorged, painful breasts. Cabbage leaves may also help ease engorgement pain in people who are trying to dry up their milk supply.

If you are using cabbage leaves while weaning, you can follow the same steps above but leave the cabbage on your breasts until it wilts, then apply new leaves as often as needed for comfort. In addition, if you're weaning, avoid any form of nipple stimulation but if you're feeling severe discomfort, hand express a small amount of milk for relief , wear a well-fitting and supportive bra, apply ice packs or frozen vegetables to throbbing breasts, and take a pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Bottom line? While it's not a cure-all, many moms find soothing relief from common breastfeeding issues such as engorgement by applying cabbage leaves to their breasts, and this home remedy is affordable and easy to try. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff.

This educational content is not medical or diagnostic advice. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. Registry Builder New. Cabbage Leaves While Breastfeeding. Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Wu, M. Medical Review Policy All What to Expect content that addresses health or safety is medically reviewed by a team of vetted health professionals. You may have heard that green cabbage leaves can provide soothing relief for breastfeeding issues such as engorgement and mastitis pain.

Learn more about the effectiveness of this home remedy. Back to Top. In This Article.