For a non-breastfeeding mother, what should she be advised to do about expressing breast milk for engorgement?

For a non-breastfeeding mother experiencing breast engorgement, the advisable approach is to avoid expressing breast milk. The rationale behind this advice is centered on the body's natural response to milk production. When a mother expresses milk, it stimulates further production, signaling the body that there is a demand for milk. For a mother who has chosen not to breastfeed, stimulating milk production can lead to prolonged engorgement and discomfort.

By not expressing milk, the mother allows her body to gradually decrease milk production naturally, aligning with her decision not to breastfeed. This can help mitigate the risk of complications such as mastitis or prolonged discomfort due to excessive engorgement.

Other approaches might be recommended for relief, such as using cold compresses or over-the-counter pain medications, but directly expressing milk would not support her choice to cease breastfeeding. Therefore, the appropriate advice is to not express breast milk at all.