Prepare me...milk coming in

owenst · February 2010

Hi ladies. I was hoping it wasn't going to happen, but when I was just getting ready for my shower I had clear sticky liquid coming out. I assume this is my milk coming in. My breasts are sore, but not more than usual "hormonal" sore for me. Will this get worse? I had DH get me some pads, so I'm set there, but other than wearing a bra all the time what do you recommend? My book from the hospital mentioned cabbage leaves - should I get those to help dry things up, or is that just for pain? They said they don't recommend binding anymore. I guess I'm just wanting to know what else to expect. On the upside, I was worried I might have breastfeeding issues, so I am happy to see that it is coming out of both sides - that will be one less worry in the future. Thanks in advance, and I hope you are all doing well today.

magdalina.h · February 2010

My milk came in while Aidan was still here so I have to slowly wean. The cabbage leaves are to dry them up. Sorry that I don't have anymore advice.

roxyttandme · February 2010

I would recommend either an ace bandage or sports bra. I never did the cabage leaf thing though. Most women have it for a month or so- then it drys up. Whatever you do- don't mess w/ the boos though. I made the mistake of checking for milk (squeezing the nips to check) everyother week... When I get hormone surges even now, a drop of milk will still come out and I delivered over 6 months ago. For what I understand- I am at the extreme end of things however.

I am sorry you are having to deal w/ this. It is never fair.

I am so sorry for your loss.

laura&dan05 · February 2010

I'm so sorry for your loss!

I'd wear a fitted bra. If you start to get engorged you can take a decongestant to help dry up your supply.

MrsAMM · February 2010

I am so sorry for your loss and that you are having to deal with this. When my milk came in, it was very painful. I wore a sports bra all the time and did use cabbage leaves. I think that the cabbage really helped. Make sure to keep them refrigerated and break up the large veins...I scraped them with a fork. The smell is really unpleasant when they warm up for your body temp.

jcath · February 2010

I'm so sorry for your loss and this part is pretty horrible. For some reason I didn't really believe it when my Dr told me my milk might come in...but it did.

I think a tight sports bra worn 24 hours a day for about week, advil can help with the inflamation and the discomfort. And definitely don't mess with them - avoid lots of hot water directly on them when you shower. I have also heard Sudafed helps dry things up and you can try the cabbage leaves - I think it was more of hassle than it was worth.

owenst · February 2010

Thank you all so much. I was hoping since I delivered over 7 days ago that it wasn't going to happen as they thought I was on the cusp, but of course it did. It's good to know what to expect, at least. They aren't too painful - I think maybe because I'm large chested (G's since pregnancy), they are a little less sensitive. Thanks again!

hking76 · February 2010

I'm so sorry you have to go through this. For me, my milk coming in was one of the biggest gut punches I've ever had - its just a cruel, unfair thing. There's a url in my signature to a post with tips about your milk coming in, along with other things you may encounter. In short, I took Sudafed (behind the pharmacy counter kind), bound my breasts with an ace bandage along with my sports bra, and tried the cabbage leaves (refrigerated then break the veins before putting in). Be careful not to stimulate your breasts in any way (shower water hitting them or anything else). Feel free to PM me if you want to chat.

[[hugs]]

SPerry0376 · February 2010

I wore a tight sports bra (or two) for as long as I needed. Ice packs and advil around the clock if you get engorged and ofcourse the nursing pads. I really hope this is the worst of it for you! Engorgment was no fun for me.

butterfly843 · February 2010

I wore a sports bra the whole time and iced them on and off.

leneae10 · February 2010

There's no way to avoid it and it totally sucks. Like pp's said, I used double sports bras, ice for a couple of days, nursing pads, and avoidance. I woke up with wet shirts more than once (before the pads), so prepare for that. As soon as I got up the courage to go to the store and buy the pads, everything dried up. For me, it lasted about a week and a half, with the worst of the engorgement lasting about 3 days.

So sorry for your loss, and prayers are with you and your family. HUGS.

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