Elishiva, the way I use it (as gleaned from Lactnet) is to peel off a leaf
of green cabbage, remove the hard vein, close my hand around the leaf,
which crushes it, and apply to mom's whole breast. Some people advise not
covering the nipple, but I do want to cover the areola, so sometimes the
nipple is covered too. It takes several leaves, prepared in the same way.
It can be cool or not.  It is to be changed every feeding or whenever it
wilts, which it will do quickly with severe engorgement.

Sometimes I "prepare" a whole head of cabbage and put it into a bag for
following applications.

The leaves are held in place with her bra, or she can wear a t-shirt and
tuck it under the breasts to secure the cabbage.

Relief is rapid and the cool leaves are an instant relief.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee Wisconsin, upper midwest USA
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