Reverse Pressure Softening of Areola: Its Effect on Breast Engorgement and Newborn Feeding Behavior among Puerperal Mothers

Background: Breast engorgement is a serious and painful health problem. Reverse pressure softening of areola helps in pushing fluid back, empowers the nipple to protrude better, reduce breast engorgement and enhance newborn feeding behavior. Aim: Evaluate the effect of reverse pressure softening of areola on breast engorgement and newborn feeding behavior among puerperal mothers. Design: Quasi experimental pre & posttest study design was used. Study sample: A purposive sample of ninety puerperal mothers were allocated to either the intervention or the control group, with forty-five mothers in each group. Setting: The study was conducted at postpartum wards and Gynecological outpatient clinic, Mansoura University Hospitals, Egypt. Four tools were used: A structured interview questionnaire, six-point breast engorgement scale, visual analogue scale & LATCHES newborn feeding behavior. Results: At posttest two 37.8% of the intervention group had normal breast compared to 11.1% in the control group and 77.8% had adequate newborn feeding behavior in the intervention group vs. 6.7% in the control group. Highly statistical decrease in levels of breast engorgement, breast pain and improved newborn feeding behavior in favor of the intervention group at posttest one and two (p= 0.001). Conclusion: Reverse pressure softening of areola was an effective method in reducing breast engorgement, breast pain and improving newborn feeding behavior among puerperal mothers. Recommendations: Raising awareness of puerperal mothers regarding the beneficial effect of reverse pressure softening of areola on breast engorgement and newborn feeding behavior.