A non-breastfeeding mother reports sore breasts. How should the nurse respond?

• A. Pump breasts
• B. Apply ice continuously and avoid pumping
• C. Breastfeed to relieve engorgement
• D. Ignore the discomfort

Answer: (A)

When a non-breastfeeding mother reports sore breasts, the issue is engorgement from milk that isn’t being drained. The goal is to relieve the fullness and pressure without promoting ongoing milk production. Expressing milk with a pump—enough to soften the breast and ease discomfort—provides rapid relief, helps prevent clogged ducts and mastitis, and can be done without resuming breastfeeding full-time. Additional comfort measures include a well‑fitting supportive bra, intermittent cold packs to reduce swelling, and analgesics as needed, while avoiding nipple stimulation that would keep milk production up.

Ice continuously and avoiding any expression won’t relieve the buildup and can allow engorgement to worsen. Breastfeeding to relieve engorgement isn’t appropriate if the mother isn’t continuing to nurse, since that would stimulate new milk production. Ignoring the discomfort isn’t acceptable because it can lead to complications.