Things I've learned by day 3.

hollowway

kristah2 said:

Any body deal with a lot of discomfort in the breasts after milk starts to come in. They hurt so bad. And my back (upper back/shoulders) make me want to cry it's so bad. Tips to releve the discomfort? 

 Hand express to relieve the engorgement. If you're nursing, feed baby on demand, don't pump, and your supply will regulate itself. If you're formula feeding, stuff cabbage leaves in your bra, they'll help dry your milk. 

SandNStarsNJ

MaMaBear1323 said:

kristah2 said:

Any body deal with a lot of discomfort in the breasts after milk starts to come in. They hurt so bad. And my back (upper back/shoulders) make me want to cry it's so bad. Tips to releve the discomfort? 

 Hand express to relieve the engorgement. If you're nursing, feed baby on demand, don't pump, and your supply will regulate itself. If you're formula feeding, stuff cabbage leaves in your bra, they'll help dry your milk. 

This + hot showers.

sweetsasaurus

This is a great thread. With my DS ice pack pads and peri bottles were fantastic. I wish I took more of the big mesh panties from the hospital because they were so much more comfortable for me (but I know some people hate them). 

Cabbage leaves for engorgement!! I didn't take this suggestion seriously at first and that was a big mistake. I had massive oversupply and my breasts were engorged, feverish, clogged, and hurt for a month until a friend urged me again to try cabbage leaves. It doesn't smell great, but the relief was incredible. I kept my bra stuffed with cabbage leaves for another 2 months (my breasts clearly thought I was feeding a village). 

jenesiso

I'm up to pumping over 300ml a day now. I'll pump 3 50ml bottles and a 150ml freezer bag for stock. Sadly little one won't latch still, but she was 35 weeks and I'm giving her time to mature a little more. In the meantime, I'm a professional milking cow. Lol

hollowway

Be careful with cabbage leaves if you're actually nursing. They an dry your supply, not just decrease it. If you have an over supply, try block feeding. You feed on one breast for two feedings (or 6hrs) and then the other for two feedings (or 6hrs), and keep doing this for a few days to a week. It works. Hand express into a towel to relieve engorgement, or hand express in a hot shower. 

sweetsasaurus

Cabbage leaves actually made it possible for me to continue to nurse. I know everyone is different and it may not be the same for them. I didn't dry up even though I was living with the leaves 24/7. I didn't even need to supplement. I was able to get the supply closer to 40oz a day as opposed to the 60-80oz I was getting before. I had help from the lactation consultant from the hospital, my doula, and I hired a lactation consultant I spoke to at least 3x a week and made regular home visits. And there was the La Leches League online support group. My lactation consultant encouraged against warm showers for oversupply since it would stimulate more production. Hand expression made me cry with pain. But, most people don't have the crazy difficulties I seemed to have had, so maybe cabbage leaves aren't a good idea for them. They were a lifesaver for me personally and gave me months more of nursing with my son. Though the smell.... That I'm not looking forward to experiencing again.