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So my milk came in but...

laxchick60laxchick60 member
in Breastfeeding
My new LO is 3 days old today and my milk had come in, which is a relief, however, my right breast is super sore and much firmer than the left. I've done a little reading on Kelly mom which talks about mastitis and clogged ducts being possible causes but because this is my first I'm not entirely sure if what I'm feeling is normal for the first few hours of getting your milk or if it really is a clogged duct/mastitis. My LO doesn't seem to be able to empty my breasts (just based on the couple times we've nursed since my milk came in this afternoon) and because my right breast was feeling so painful and hard I tried using a manual pump for a few minutes and also hand expressing for a few min. Granted, there is a good chance I'm not doing either 100% correctly but I didn't get much more than a few drops. Thoughts?
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Re: So my milk came in but...

  • JJsMom211JJsMom211

    I ended up getting mastitis during my pregnancy. My breast was EXTREMELY sore to the touch, red, and firm. I developed severe flu like symptoms within a few hours of noticing that something was wrong with my breast. I would call your OB/midwife and get checked out. There is an antibiotic for mastitis that will clear it right up, although I've heard it affects your milk production. My midwife said that if I developed mastitis after delivering and while BFing I could still nurse. Although I couldn't imagine nursing after knowing how painful mastitis is.

    All in all, a call to your doctor would be the best option at this point. GL!

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  • perplexed59perplexed59
    When my milk came in it was extremely painful. My midwife said it was just engorgement. I found relief in massaging the breast while nursing. I also took some advil for the pain. It got a lot better a day later.
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  • angv1angv1
    Happened to my right as well.. hot shower while hand expressing really helped soothe
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  • AvieeAviee

    imageperplexed59:
    When my milk came in it was extremely painful. My midwife said it was just engorgement. I found relief in massaging the breast while nursing. I also took some advil for the pain. It got a lot better a day later.

    Mine too. Pumping helped a lot and I used meds from the hospital to help with my pain.  Took me a couple of days to not be bothered by it anymore.

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  • thebubble09thebubble09 member
    i feel for you- my breasts became so engorged that when my husband saw me get undressed he stopped what he was doing and said "wow" but not like "wow that's hot" like "wow thats scary!"  it was the most PAINFUL and frightening part of my hospital experience!  i was afraid my breasts woudl explode- i am not really kidding about that :).  it took LO a few days to help the engorgement go away.  my LC told me not to pump but to hand express and not to worry abou thow much i got out.  she showed me how to massage from the armpit/ almost collarbone down to the nipple, similar to a self breast exam, but pushing down towards the nipple with each stroke.  she also had me use hot compresses while hand expressing and before nursing.  GOOD LUCK, it will get better!
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  • yugogrl2000yugogrl2000

    I also got engorged. My left side was large,shiny, painful, and hot to the touch. Quite miserable. Takes a few days to get it down. Good luck!


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  • laxchick60laxchick60 member
    Thanks everyone for the input, it sounds like I'm just getting the usual pains associated with engorgement. As the evening has progressed, both have taken turns with the pain/firmness and I have no flu-like symptoms or anything to indicate Mastitis. I'm having trouble hand expressing anything, I'll have to do some reading on technique or something, but so far my LO is still able to latch (and I think her latch is good) so we'll just have to work through these first few days together to figure out how to make it all work. My boobs still hurt but thank you again for all your words of support- it makes it easier to deal with!
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  • humynonehumynone

    I found it helpful to piggy-back on the letdown from a warm shower. As soon as I got out it would start dripping and I could manual pump a bit off the top. Hand expression took a little practice...and LO will get better (and hungrier) as the days pass.

    Also...block feeding can be helpful to get you emptying the breast a few times a day (which can help protect against future clogged ducts and infection) especially in the first couple weeks of if you have oversupply...while still signaling to your body to dial back the supply some. For the first 6m, I would only feed offer one side per feeding, then switch to the other the next feeding. Another option is to start on the side you just finished on last feeding...then offer the other side after that one is drained. You'd start on the alternate side next time, if that makes sense. (L>R) (R>L) (L>R) (R>L)...etc.

     

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