Prepare authentic cabbage, clean plastic bags, and unused plastic wrap.

Tear off the cabbage leaves intact, clean them, drain them and set aside (you are worried about insect eggs, pesticides, etc. on them, so buy organic ones if possible).

Find a fresh-keeping bag and put the cabbage leaves in it. Next, use your ancient strength to roll the leaves flat with a rolling pin and see the juice flowing out. (If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use a biscuit barrel, a tea can or other cylindrical items instead. Northern families have rolling pins. The mother we visited is from the south, so she had to use other bottles instead.)

Put it into a clean plastic bag and let out the air

Use a suitable tool (a rolling pin is preferred) and apply even pressure

Just roll it out like this. Only when the juice flows out can the active ingredients be released.

Open the fresh-keeping bag and you can use it

Next, we start to apply the cabbage to the breast, avoiding the nipple and areola when applying (unless your nipple and areola are also edema), if You can also apply it if your armpits are swollen. Generally, 2-3 cabbage leaves are needed.

After applying it, you can cover the cabbage with a layer of plastic wrap to avoid staining the clothes and make it easier for the mother to move around. (Note, do not cover the nipples and areola))

There is no problem with this activity, and it will not stain your clothes!

Alternate cold compresses: Leave the cabbage on the breast for about 30-120 minutes. Once it is a little "cooked", you can remove it and replace it with a new one.

If the mother's breasts are damaged or rash occurs, be careful to avoid applying cold compresses to avoid aggravating the problem.

If you experience allergies during use, please stop using it.

If you like it colder (for use when you are hot), of course you can roll it out and store it independently in the refrigerator. Take out a portion and use it alternately when needed. However, it is not recommended to reuse the used cabbage. After all, it’s not expensive and there’s no need to recycle it.

Finally, I emphasize again: Cold compresses with cabbage can relieve the redness, swelling and pain of the mother's breasts, but it is still necessary to cooperate with the baby's correct latch, effective sucking, and ensure the smooth discharge of milk to fundamentally solve the problem of breast swelling!

When breastfeeding, just wipe the nipple and areola to prevent the baby from being allergic to the juice. You can breastfeed with a cold compress.

If you can’t find cabbage at the moment, you can also use potatoes instead. Cut the potatoes into thin slices and apply them. This requires certain knife skills, you know!

Will applying cabbage leaves restore breast milk?

So far there is no evidence that cabbage leaves contain ingredients that can restore milk. However, some lactation consultants believe that if left on for too long, milk may return, while others believe that cabbage leaves only have an effect on swelling and will not affect milk production. Therefore, Ya Ya’s mother recommends that mothers only apply cold compress on the swollen area. If the swelling subsides after a few cold compresses, they can stop. But if you are particularly worried about milk supply, just use a wet towel or antipyretic patch and don’t put any more psychological burden on yourself!

Notes:

1. Cabbage contains sulfide that can penetrate the skin, which can reduce breast swelling and slow down breast milk. However, people who are allergic to sulfur or cabbage leaves should not use this cabbage leaf compress.

2. If the swelling does not improve for 12 to 24 hours, you need to seek medical assistance. The doctor may give analgesic and antipyretic drugs and consider using antibiotics. If the mother continues to use antibiotics, she should pay attention to whether the baby has diarrhea. situation.