Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of comfortable brassieres for lactating women with
breast engorgement and their effect on breast swelling based on the drawn distance, the pulled-up distance of the
breast, and the feeling of the worn brassieres. Four women with breast engorgement on the third day after delivery
wore a wired brassiere (brassiere P or Q) and two non-wired brassieres (brassieres R and S). After each brassiere
was worn, the drawing distance and pulling-up distance of the breast were measured, and a questionnaire on the
worn feeling was administered, with responses graded on a five-point scale. The women felt that the more their
breasts were lifted with brassiere R (r=0.861, p<0.01), the less breast tightness they felt. Brassiere R was non-wired, had good elasticity and breathability, and a wide shoulder strap that alleviated shoulder strain. Lactating women with breast engorgement preferred it because it supported the breast without compressing it. It is important for midwives to understand the characteristics and breast conditions of different brassieres, and support the selection of a proper brassiere, which is an important care product for lactating women.
