Hey Dusty!
You're not stupid!! We do the best that we can in the beginning for all of the reasons you said - you don't want to upset little one and want to do things intuitively. You're doing a fabulous job!
To start as the others have said, You're not stupid!!! Everyone gets lumps to start with!
I listened to the MW with DD#1 and only fed her 1 boob per feed, against what my mother was telling me (who BF twins then me).... Got to about day 7 then T was very unsettled, got worse and worse, she didn't sleep a couple of nights... My mum was telling to give her the other boob but I kept telling her things have changed in the 20 years she hadn't been feeding for! Day 14 came aroun and it was time for the comm nurse to visit.... I had been starving my poor baby!!! She was starving!!! She definately needed that second boob! I felt even worse because I had been expressing the 2nd boob as it was so enlarged and killing me when I should have been feeding her with it that whole time.
DD#2 came along and I fed her both boobs from the very first feed. Once again the MW told me not to, but I explained to her what had happened before and I would do what I feel is best.... H has never been left starving!!!
Massage and maybe some expressing (just a little to releave the discomfort) will get those lumps out. Do what works for you! It's all trial and error dear
You've got the best advice darl, so I won't repeat. But I WILL repeat that you AREN'T stupid. Most of us have rock-hard, lumpy watermelon boobies with massive oversupply with en endless list of troubles... but it does get better. I could never drain both breasts for a looooooooooooong time, Jazz would just feed on one side and then that'd be her whole feed, and the next time I'd feed on the other side. Other bubs will drain both sides. Jazz gained 1kg a month for a looooong time, and I remember that I didn't offer both sides until about 5 months. Thta worked for us. It's all about what works for you both
You've been given some great advice, so I wont reinvent the wheel either! But I will say you are doing an awesome job Dusty. Snaps for you for giving it a go. I found at the start that it was such hard work, and often I had hard leaky boobs, but now its just soooo easy. Big hugs, you are definitely not stupid, you're a mum
You're not stupid! I bet every new mum wonders the same thing. I had exactly the same questions when I had my DD, and a helpful bit of advice I got from an ABA member was to try to make sure you drain each breast within a 24 hour period. Doesn't matter if its not at one feed / one sitting. Once (if?) your DD starts doing a cluster feeding session in the evenings, you might find that your BBs are getting pretty well drained and floppy by the end of each day And for lumps, yep, massage in the shower.
Congratulations xx
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