Comfort measures in breastfeeding, primiparous women.
OBJECTIVE
To examine various comfort measures and evaluate their effects in alleviating nipple soreness.


METHODS
Prospectively randomized, experimental study.


METHODS
Postpartum unit of a community teaching hospital.


METHODS
Seventy-three primiparous, postpartum, breastfeeding women.


METHODS
Subjects were randomly assigned to four groups, with all women receiving instruction about breastfeeding and using one of the following treatments: warm moist tea bag compress, warm water compress, expressed milk massaged into the nipple and areola and air dried, instruction only (control group). The subjects completed a questionnaire each morning for 7 days regarding nipple soreness.


METHODS
Effect of treatments on postpartum nipple pain.


RESULTS
Subjects in the warm water compress group demonstrated significantly less pain on Day 3 than did the tea or breast milk group.


CONCLUSIONS
Anticipatory guidance by obstetric nurses may assist breastfeeding women in treating their pain nonpharmacologically.
Buchko
B L
BL
York Hospital, PA 17405.
Pugh
L C
LC
Bishop
B A
BA
Cochran
J F
JF
Smith
L R
LR
Lerew
D J
DJ
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods*; D008895:Milk, Human; D009558:Nipples / Q000293:injuries*; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010298:Parity; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013662:Tea
D013662:Tea