What Happened to your Milk/Breasts, if you didn't BF?!!!

DK in NJ

I am not planning on BFing.  Please tell me what to expect...thanks!

Smudges*Mom

When my milk came in, I put on a very tight sports bra and never put LO to my breast. I avoided letting hot water fall on my chest while showering (which was really uncomfortable anyway!). Many women put cabbage leaves in their bra, but I read that if you are allergic to sulfa drugs (which I am), not to do that as it could cause an allergic reaction. Oh, and I kept frozen gel packs against my breasts as often as I could for several days.

lrrb

The milk will come in (about 4 or so days after the baby, give or take a few I guess).  You will need to have breast pads b/c the milk will be coming out b/c your breasts will be SO engorged.  They get HUGE and HARD as rocks.  Don't do anything about it...don't pump or anything just let it be.  Put ice packs in your bra that helped me.  It took about 2 days for the pain to go away but about two weeks for my boobs to go back to total normal.  Its NOT fun. 

mrsolsenk12

Your supply dries up. I didn't BF either. About 3 days after DS was born, I had some problems with engogement. It was very painful for a day or two. Using a tight sports bra and cold ice packs really does help with pain and engorging. THat only lasted a few days and after about 2 weeks, I was starting to dry up and wasn't leaking or anything anymore. It took a couple of months to totally dry up but after that 2 weeks, I could only get anything to come out if I pressed down on them.

krissyh21

My milk came in about 2 days after giving birth. It dried up within a week. It hurt. I wore a sports bra and I found that hurt more then not wearing anything ( I am an A cup normally, so that may be a reason), so I just hung out sans bra at home. I would take hot showers (which they say not to) but I did to eliminate the pain, and I don't think it prolonged me drying up.

fallbride110406

My milk didn't come in until 12 days after birth and I only leaked a couple drops (there was maybe a dime sized spot on the pads in my bra) so be prepared for it not to be right away.  I didn't BF for this exact reason because I had almost if not every factor for low supply and delayed milk/colostrum production and didn't want to stress about it if it didn't work since I had two babies to feed.

I used a very wide (6" maybe) ACE bandage and bound my breasts really tight, took the regular Sudafed (I had to get it from the phamacist) as it says on the package and never let the hot water in the shower hit them.  I was back to normal in about 4-5 days.

Yellow_Daisy

Ok maybe this is dumb, but how do you shower without your letting the water get on your boobs? Or is the goal to just not let water directly hit them like pound on them?

I also won't be BFing due to some meds I will have to start back on as soon as I give birth.

mrsolsenk12

Yellow_Daisy:

Ok maybe this is dumb, but how do you shower without your letting the water get on your boobs? Or is the goal to just not let water directly hit them like pound on them?

I also won't be BFing due to some meds I will have to start back on as soon as I give birth.

Basically they tell you to shower with the hot water hitting your back (so you are facing the back of the shower). You shouldn't stand with your boobs directly under the hot water (facing the front of the shower) Make sense??

Yellow_Daisy

mrsolsenk12:

Yellow_Daisy:

Ok maybe this is dumb, but how do you shower without your letting the water get on your boobs? Or is the goal to just not let water directly hit them like pound on them?

I also won't be BFing due to some meds I will have to start back on as soon as I give birth.

Basically they tell you to shower with the hot water hitting your back (so you are facing the back of the shower). You shouldn't stand with your boobs directly under the hot water (facing the front of the shower) Make sense??

Thanks!  Makes total sense.