References:
- Toronto Public Health - Breastfeeding Protocols for Health Care Providers: Protocol #3 Signs of Effective Breastfeeding (revised 2019): TPH BF Protocol #3 Signs of Effective Breastfeeding
- Toronto Public Health - Breastfeeding Protocols for Health Care Providers: Protocol #5 Engorgement (2013): TPH BF Protocol #5 Engorgement
- International Breastfeeding Centre. Breast Compression. (revised 2021). IBC Breast Compression
What is the Importance of Breast Compression?
- Breast compressions can be used as a strategy during breastfeeding to increase breast milk transfer to the infant
- Breast compressions encourage the body’s reflexes to let down milk and release it from the breast
- Breast compressions help the infant to drink more effectively due to an increase in milk flow
When to use Breast Compression?
- To encourage the infant to continue to suck at the breast
- To remove more milk from the breast
- When feeding is slow-going or long in frequency
- When breasts are overfull, hard, and not softening during a feeding
- When an infant is fussy or tends to get sleepy when milk flow is slowed down
How to do Breast Compression?
- Hold the infant with one arm using the cross-cradle hold
- Make a C shape with your hand to hold the breast, your thumb should be on one side of the breast and your fingers on the other side
- Ensure you are holding the breast closer to your chest and not near the areola
- Gently squeeze the breast firmly when the infant slows down or stops sucking
- Hold your hand in place while compressing the breast, but do not press so hard that it causes pain
- Refrain from moving your hand down the breast to the areola when squeezing
- As you compress your breast, the infant should increase sucking and drinking
- Stop compressing breast when the infant pauses, to give your hand a rest and for milk to start flowing to the infant again
- If the infant does not start sucking again, compress a different area of the same breast
- Continue on the first breast until the infant is not sucking effectively or stops sucking completely, after doing compressions
- Offer the second breast and use the same process for breast compression as needed
Further Your Learning:
- Toronto Public Health - Breastfeeding Protocols for Health Care Providers: Protocol #3 Signs of Effective Breastfeeding (revised 2019): TPH BF Protocol #3 Signs of Effective Breastfeeding
Shareable Resources for Clients:
- International Breastfeeding Centre: http://ibconline.ca
- Video on Breast Compression: International BreastFeeding Centre | Breastfeeding videos (ibconline.ca)
- La Leche League International: www.llli.org
Referral Sources: