This would be culturally inappropriate where I work.
Breasts are to be kept warm, warm, warm.  For discomfort with engorgement we
tuck the breasts in with cotton batting, held on with stretchy netting as a
pullover.  Somehow it softens them up, but don't ask me how.
It is commonly believed here that drafts or sudden chills, like from BF out
of doors in the spring, before the air has really warmed up, can cause
mastitis.  It has been explained to me as something like a vasospasm, but of
the milk ducts, as a reaction to cold.  The result is milk stasis and then,
bang, you have an infection (again, as it has been explained to me).

It is mentioned in Breast is Best, but I don't know many women who have been
tempted to try it.  Most women here, at least, find cold VERY uncomfortable
on their breasts.  They have even been told not to hang up wet laundry
outside in cool weather, and to wear woolen mittens to remove food from the
deep freezer, for fear of mastitis.

Does anyone have reports of women enjoying applying ice to their breasts?
Rachel Myr
Kristiansand

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html