This study was to develop a breastfeeding promotion program and to test effects of the program on levels of breast discomfort, breast size, sodium in breast milk, and type of feeding in mothers with breast engorgement following cesarean birth.

A non-synchronized non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used in this study. The participants were 70 postpartum mothers who were admitted to a postpartum care center and experienced breast engorgement following cesarean birth. The planned nursing intervention was the breastfeeding promotion program consisting of breast massage and 1:1 breastfeeding education, counseling, and support focusing on individualized problem solving provided for 10 days. Fifty-three women completed the program (experimental group 26, control group, 27). Measurements were level of breast discomfort, breast size, sodium in breast milk and type of feeding at pre and posttest.

Women who participated in the program experienced lower scores for breast discomfort, greater decrease in breast size, lower levels of sodium in breast milk, and practiced breastfeeding more than those in the control group.

Results indicate that this breastfeeding promotion program is effective in reducing breast engorgement and improving breastfeeding practices, and is therefore recommended to enhance breastfeeding promotion practice in postpartum care centers.

In this study the effects of breast massage on breast pain, breast-milk sodium, and newborn suckling in early postpartum mothers were investigated.

The design was a non-synchronized nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Sixty postpartum mothers who were admitted to a postpartum care center and had problems with breastfeeding were recruited. Of these mothers, 44 were assigned to the intervention group and received two 30-minute breast massages within 10 days of postpartum period. The others were assigned control group and received only routine care. Breast pain was measured using a numeric pain scale and number of times newborns suckled was observed throughout breastfeeding. Breast milk was self-collected to evaluate breast-milk sodium.

Mean age of postpartum mothers was 30 years old. Compared to the control group, women in the intervention group reported significant decreases in breast pain (p<.001), increases in number of times newborns suckled after the first and second massage (p<.001), and a decrease in breast-milk sodium after the first massage (p=.034).

Breast massage may have effects on relieving breast pain, decreasing breast-milk sodium, and improving newborn suckling. Breast massage can be used to solve breast problems. Further research is needed to validate our findings.