Cold cabbage leaves compress (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata) effectively reduces breast swelling in postpartum mothers

Abstract

Introduction: Breast engorgement problems can occur in postpartum mothers and interfere with breastfeeding for infants. The incidence of breast swelling was 43.4% from 145 postpartum mothers and swelling was 253 times (48%) higher in primiparas. The aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of cold cabbage leaf compress (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata) on breast swelling for primiparous normal postpartum mothers in PMB Sriwati, Palu City, Central Sulawesi. Methods: This type of research is quantitative. The research design is quasi-experimental with a non-equivalent control group pre-post test and a cross-sectional approach. The study was conducted at PMB Sriwati on September 15 to October 30, 2020 with a sample of 20 primiparous postpartum mothers who gave birth normally in each control and intervention group. Samples were taken by non-probability sampling technique. Data analysis used Wilcoxon test and Mann Whitney test. Results: The difference in swelling in the control group (Supervised breast care) was 0.25 while in the intervention group (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata) it was -0.90 with a p value of 0.000. Conclusion: The use of cold cabbage leaf compress (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata) is more effective to treat breast swelling in primiparous normal postpartum mothers than Supervised breast care. It is recommended that professional organizations can socialize Evidence Base Practice, especially the development of independent midwifery management regarding breast swelling in postpartum mothers.