Breast Engorgement After Loss: What No One Warned Me About

I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while. After my loss, I didn’t have any breastmilk during my hospital stay, so I assumed I wouldn’t have to deal with breastmilk at all.

Well… I was wrong.

I ended up with a severe case of breast engorgement. Breast engorgement is when your breasts become painfully overfull with milk.

Three days after giving birth, my breasts became extremely painful. The pain gradually got worse and worse. By the end of the day, my boobs had grown two full cup sizes. I looked like I had just gotten breast implants. It was unbelievable. My husband was in complete disbelief—he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

I started calling friends and family, asking what I could do to help relieve the pain. I even turned to YouTube for answers. Most remedies suggested using cabbage leaves, breast pumping, expressing milk, or taking Sudafed.

Everyone I spoke to kept telling me they had never seen breast engorgement to the degree that I was experiencing. For two whole days, nothing was coming out at all. I genuinely felt like I was on the verge of developing mastitis—a serious infection of the breast tissue.

Helpful Remedies That Worked for Me

So, what actually worked?

For me, Sudafed worked the best. Sudafed is an over-the-counter medication typically used for congestion, but it can also help dry up milk supply. I also tried cabbage leaves and an Ace bandage. The cabbage didn’t work quickly enough for me, but the tightness of the Ace bandage did help relieve some of the pain. The pressure from the Ace bandage is actually helpful in stopping milk production.

I also tried peppermint oil. While it does have a cooling effect, it became a little irritating for me, so I stopped using it after two days.

It took about two full weeks for all of the engorgement to fully subside. Even after that, I still had to deal with leaking. I leaked constantly throughout the day. To manage it, I placed washcloths on my breasts and changed them once they became soaked. During this time, I was still consistently using the Ace bandage as well.

One important tip that I feel is worth mentioning is how I showered. When showering, it’s best to face away from the water. Hot shower water can stimulate the nipples and cause your breasts to produce more milk. Once I stopped facing the shower, my engorgement noticeably went down.

Trust me—it works.

With love,
Mrs. Goodwin