140EFFECT OF LUKEWARM WATER COMPRESS ON PREVENTION OF NIPPLE PAIN AND BREAST ENGORGEMENT AMONG PRIMIPAROUS AT A SELECTED HOSPITAL IN CHENNAIGlobally the exclusive breastfeeding rate is 37%. In India, breastfeeding rate is 96%. The common problems affecting breastfeeding is breast engorgement and nipple pain. An equivalent control group posttest only design study was conducted among 60 primiparous who underwent caesarean section using convenient sampling technique. The nature of the study was briefed to participants and consent was taken. For the study group along with routine care, lukewarm water (43◦ – 46◦ Celsius) was applied with a sponge cloth over the breast which was replaced every five minutes for a total duration of 20 minutes(10 minutes before and 10 minutes after breastfeeding) for two sittings on second, third and fourth postnatal day. The control group received routine care. Posttest for breast engorgement was assessed with six point breast engorgement scale and nipple pain with numerical pain scale for the study and control group on the third, fourth and fifth postnatal day. The data was analysed. Mean age for participants was 24 years and for the control group was 24.17years. Homogeneity was maintained for the background variables in both groups. Comparison between the observations of the study and control group showed a significant reduction in nipple pain and breast engorgement at p<0.001 in all the three sittings. This study suggests that lukewarm water compress consistently prevents nipple pain and breast engorgement among primiparous.resmyshibu@gmail.comResearch4102014Nipple pain, Breast engorgement,Breastfeeding,PrimiparousResmy V, S.J. Nalini,G. SumathiM.Sc.(N) Student, Sri Ramachandra College of Nursing, Porur, Chennai– 600116, Tamil Nadu, India.,Reader, Sri Ramachandra College of Nursing, Porur, Chennai– 600116, Tamil Nadu, India.,Reader, Sri Ramachandra College of Nursing, Porur, Chennai– 600116, Tamil Nadu, India.