A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Chilled Cabbage Leaves Application on Reducing Breast Engorgement among the Volunteered Postnatal Mothers Admitted in a Selected Hospital at Guwahati, Assam

This pre experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of chilled cabbage leaves application on reducing breast engorgement among the volunteered postnatal mothers. Quantitative research approach with pre experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was adopted for the study. 58 volunteered postnatal mothers with breast engorgement were selected by convenient sampling technique from GMCH, Guwahati, Assam. The tools used were structured interview questionnaire (socio-demographic variables and clinical profile), six point engorgement scale and numerical pain rating scale. After the pre-test, chilled cabbage leaves were applied 2 times a day for 3 days and post-test was done on 4th day after the intervention using the same tool. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that before intervention majority 53.5% of the volunteered postnatal mothers had moderate breast engorgement, majority 48.3% of the volunteered postnatal mothers had moderate pain and after intervention majority 58.6% of the volunteered postnatal mothers had mild breast engorgement and majority 48.3% of the volunteered postnatal mothers had mild pain. Findings of study showed a significant difference between the mean pre test and post test breast engorgement and pain score which were statistically tested using paired t test (breast engorgement t=21.30; p=0.001 and pain t=21.40; p=0.001) and were found to be highly significant at 0.01 level of significance. It was found that chilled cabbage leaves application is effective on reducing breast engorgement among the volunteered postnatal mothers. The study also found that there was a significant association between the pre intervention level of breast engorgement with residential area (?2=6.616, pless than0.05).