A mother calls you several days after her baby is born, and asks what she can do about her swollen, sore, hard breasts. You tell her:

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Engorgement is common when a mother's milk "comes in," and usually resolves on its own within hours as long as the baby is nursing often. Comfort measures for engorgement include nursing often, expressing just enough milk to relieve the pressure, cold compresses between feedings, and a warm, wet compress right before nursing. Signs of a breast infection include a red, tender area on the breast along with a fever. Scheduled feedings can lead to engorgement, and should be one question you ask when a mother mentions full breasts.

A Mother Calls You Several Days After Her Baby Is