Tender breasts.

[Marley&Me]

I am 3.5 weeks in first time breastfeeding and I have noticed that my breasts are always tender. Just like they are before AF comes. They are not engorged and there are no lumps. Also I am waking up because I am squashing them when I lay on my side and it hurts.
Is this normal? It's kinda irritating

[Ladylove]

Hmm I think it's normal if there's no pain aside from when you squish them, and no redness on the skin. I imagine at 3.5 weeks into your BF journey your breasts would still be feeling pretty full, not engorged but full. That's normal.

[RhiChiChi]

Yeah, sounds very normal. I couldn't lay on my side/tummy when breastfeeding as it was too uncomfortable. Overnight if Miss K didn't wake 3-4 hourly for feeds they would get really full & hard, almost engorged and when she did feed it was painful. 3.5 weeks is still very new when bf, it took close to 6 weeks for my boobs to settle down but even still after that time I had some issues such as leaking or getting full if Miss K didn't feed as often as she usually would. Definatley keep an eye on your breasts though, as Ladylove said as long as there is no redness, discharge etc... then it should be 'normal'. Anything out of the ordinary could suggest something else.

[Marley&Me]

Thanks ladies. No redness or anything unusual, just tender.

[little_O]

How are you feeling besides the tenderness? Any headache or achey bones?

[Marley&Me]

No, no body aches, just the boobs... I expressed twice while DH gave the night bottle tonight, just to be safe. Once at 9:30 and again at 12:30. After a very very long time to settle dd at about 8:30 from a 6:30 feed, she slept till 12! So the bottle didn't come till then . And DH was not going to wake her for anything!

[MLR1901]

Tasha,
I'm the same, new to BF (3 mths now)
I get a burning sensation after feeding, which I assume is the ducts refilling. But it's not painful. And I too can't sleep on side or tummy, because I feel tender.
I often wake around 2-3 to go express (miss k sleeps through the night, I know l'm not complaining!)
I found the Rite-Aid cooling pads, are amazing! About $7 for 12 but oh so worth it.
Great for blistered or just tender nips.

[little_O]

Ok that's good then mastitis always started with sore breast and a headache and achey bones for me, redness came later.

Woohoo for the longer sleep!