Engorgement

[Heaven]

If anyone's babies need feeding send them my way. I could feed a small army here! Ouch!

My boobs are the size of watermelons! Been like this since yesterday. Trying to get DD2 to feed as much as possible but she just doesn't want as much as I need her to have. She's getting plenty and is already over her birth weight on day 4.

Both sides are just massive and rock hard and lumpy all the time. When I feed her it doesn't make much difference. I try to just feed on one side per feed and get as much relief out of one as I can for a short time. Is this the right way to go? But after the feed they are still the same, hardly any difference and it fills right back up very quickly.

DD1 is still feeding once a day but I've been trying to get her to help me out and drink some more when it's just too uncomfortable but even after she has a big feed they are still huge and hard! So even she can't drink that much. I don't want to cause them to make more milk by getting DD1 to feed too often so just saving it for when I can't handle it anymore.

And why are they hardly leaking?? When I had DD1 they leaked a lot all the time and if she came off milk sprayed everywhere. This time that's not happening though and I want it too!! Get out!! AHH!!!!!

So, how long will this last and am I doing the right thing?? I never got mastitis with DD1 and don't want it now! What else should I do?

[boomba]

ouch hun. Are you wearing a bra all the time? I found with ds1 I wore one all the time and was so engorge but with ds2 i just wore singlets and tops with breast pads and they were not as engorged dont if its just different babies or the not wearing a bra? Xx

[Yeddi]

You could go have a hot shower, and squeeze some out in there...

[Kmn]

At this really early stage you might benefit from a once-off big express to empty things out and start again. Don't let them get overly lumpy.

[Arcadia]

I read recently that engorgement in the early days isn't actually overabundance of milk, but caused largely by your lymphatic system driven by the hormones after birth...you need to keep the milk flowing to help clear the ducts and stop the lumpiness...so expressing even a little bit every hour or so would help.

They will ease in time, but meanwhile, do whatever makes you comfortable. I used to put damp face washers in the freezer and pop those down a singlet (a bra wouldn't fit), which really helped...and then a warm washer before a feed to encourage the let down etc...

Ah...this too shall pass!

[UntoldAngel]

I'll post later when I get to a computer because I had a similar situation... It does get better

[Barb Glare]

Hi there, the rulenis, whenever you are uncomfortably full, pick up your baby and feed her or if she is asleep or full, and won't feed, express some milk off. At this stage of your lactation your milk supply is driven by your hormones. so expressing milk off won't make more milk- your body is not yet sensitive to supply and demand - it's just churning out milk. After you empty your breasts, use an icepack tom reduce swelling. It will settle down soon.

[Lily Dust]

I dont have any advice hun but wanted to offer you a big fat I spent the first 9 months engorged on a daily basis and then another 5 where I was engorged at least 3 or 4 times week, its not nice If it doesnt settle down after a few eeks, please dont be like I was...ring the ABA!!! I didnt and wished I had been confident enough to call for help

[Heaven]

Thanks everyone!! Good to know that I won't make more milk by taking too much out. Have been getting DD1 to feed when it's too bad and also expressing if neither of them are awake or want to feed. So have a bottle of milk in the fridge and nothing to use it for. I was thinking...hmm...maybe I could put it on my stitches seeing as it has magic healing properties! lol. But haven't tried that yet.

A bit better today but my boobs are still huge. I just fed both DD1 and DD2 off one side to try and empty it and it still felt half full. I might start roaming the streets asking people to lend me their kids to feed, lol. Hopefully it starts to settle soon.

Thank you for all the advice!!

[Barb Glare]

Hi, I didn't realize you had a breastfeeding toddler- they are fabulous for the management of engaged breasts. Well done

[MantaRay]

Hun, I had the same problem with both boys. The one-off full express really does help. With DS2 the midwife was so shocked when she walked in and saw 440mls in bottles - then I told her I'd expressed more but thrown it out as I ran out of bottles. All the middies came down to see the record breaking stash LOL!! I still was over-full when I re-filled, but not to the same extent as before the express.

I hope it settles down soon for you hun, I know how painful it is