Breast Engorgement

After childbirth, postpartum breast engorgement begins the minute the body pushes out the placenta. Hormones like estrogen and progesterone are cut back to make way for a surge of prolactin; the wondrous hormone which signals the breasts to start producing milk. Whether breastfeeding or not, women will experience an increase in breast size accompanied by tenderness, pain and a hardening of the breast.

Typically, the symptoms brought on by lactation will subside within a few days. For those who choose to breastfeed, finding a schedule which meets the needs of Mom and her child will help regulate milk production. For those who are not breastfeeding, milk production tends to drop off within two or three days.