To Evaluate the Effectiveness of Lactational Counseling on Prevention of Breast Engorgement among Postnatal Mothers

Abstract

BACKGROUND Breast engorgement is swollen, painful breasts with overfilling of breast milk. It is normally due to an imbalance between supplying & sucking of milk from the breast. In lactating mothers, this condition is common during the puerperal period. If breast engorgement is not cured, it will cause mastitis. The incidence rate of mastitis in India is 2 - 5 % in lactating & 1 % in non-lactating women. Signs of breast engorgement are the inflamed and oedematous mammary gland & the shiny & diffusely red skin of breast. The female may have pyrexia & that usually reduces over a period of 24 hours. The nipples could stretch, be tight & flat which makes it difficult for the baby to suck milk from the breast. METHODS Research approach was interventional evaluatory approach. Research design was pre-experimental post-test design. The study was conducted in AVBR hospital Sawangi Meghe, Wardha district. Sample consisted of post-natal mothers. Sampling technique was a non-probability purposive sampling technique. Sample size was of 40. Tool used was a structured questionnaire including socio-demographic & breast engorgement assessment scale. RESULTS All postnatal mothers had normal breast engorgement score at day 1, at day 2; 92.5 % of the postnatal mothers had normal and 7.5 % had mild engorgement at day 3; 77.5 % of postnatal mothers had normal, 15 % had mild and 7.5 % had moderate engorgement; and at day 4, 7.5 % had mild and 7.5 % had moderate engorgement. By using the chi-square test statistically, no significant difference was found in breast engorgement score at day 1 and at day 2 (א2 = 3.11, p = 0.07), and a significant difference was found between day 1 and day 3 (א2-value = 10.14, p = 0.006) and between day 1 and day 4 (א2-value = 11.43, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS This study reveals that there was no significant difference on the first and second day but on the 3rd and 4th day, significant difference was there. After lactational counseling, breast engorgement score was reduced. Lactational counseling is important for the prevention of breast engorgement. KEY WORDS Evaluate, Effectiveness, Breast Engorgement, Lactational Counselling, Postnatal Mother