title: [Effects of breast massage on breast pain, breast-milk sodium, and newborn suckling in early postpartum mothers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study the effects of breast massage on breast pain, breast-milk sodium, and newborn suckling in early postpartum mothers were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design was a non-synchronized nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Sixty postpartum mothers who were admitted to a postpartum care center and had problems with breastfeeding were recruited. Of these mothers, 44 were assigned to the intervention group and received two 30-minute breast massages within 10 days of postpartum period. The others were assigned control group and received only routine care. Breast pain was measured using a numeric pain scale and number of times newborns suckled was observed throughout breastfeeding. Breast milk was self-collected to evaluate breast-milk sodium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of postpartum mothers was 30 years old. Compared to the control group, women in the intervention group reported significant decreases in breast pain (p<.001), increases in number of times newborns suckled after the first and second massage (p<.001), and a decrease in breast-milk sodium after the first massage (p=.034).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breast massage may have effects on relieving breast pain, decreasing breast-milk sodium, and improving newborn suckling. Breast massage can be used to solve breast problems. Further research is needed to validate our findings.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea. sukheeahn@cnu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Sukhee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Jinhee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jungsuk
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage; D059373:Mastodynia / Q000628:therapy*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium