Frustrated :(

[Sprk]

Our lo bf'd almost likes. Pro from the first try. I've been in complete shock about it. Despite some chapped nipples (sorry tmi) that I use cream on, things have been ok. Until today. my milk came in yesterday and by this morning my boobs were so full I hand to desperately try and hand express for a few minutes to make it possible for lo to feed off of me. My boobs have become so hard and painful and this afternoon, Emily has decided to be stubborn about feeding. I was so desperate for relief I used my pump to express - but I don't want to bottle feed yet so we are going to freeze it. I guess this is just a bit of a rant, but I really hope Emily starts feeding normally again soon....I need the relief.

 

[Maud]

Congrats on successful breastfeeding

It does all go a bit nuts when your milk comes in, but it will settle back down. Expressing a bit before feeding can make it easier for them to latch so I'd keep doing that while you're engorged. It might help to hold a warm flannel on your breasts before feeding and gently massage during a feed to get the milk flowing. If it hurts a lot then take ibuprofen and talk to your HV.

 

[Sprk]

Glad to hear it gets better. I'm on paracetamol and codeine at the moment as the feeds gave me such bad cramps dh rushed me to the out of hours gp a few nights ago. Just saw the hv today (surprise visit because I had called about clots) while I was still in bed I asked about the nipple issue and she said to just keep using the cream and feed feed feed. I will def be trying a warm flannel and expressing just before feeding. How long does it usually take for things to settle down re the engorgement?

 

[Maud]

It should only last a couple of days. I wouldn't worry about being in bed. We had several midwife visits in bed. Newborns are exhausting and having days in bed doing skin to skin is really good for establishing breastfeeding so they won't think badly of you at all (mine were pleased to find me there!).

 

[Pin badge]

Engorgement only lasted a couple of days for me but I recall them being pretty miserable! Try chilled cabbage leaves for some relief.
Just before a feed standing under a warm shower for a few seconds helped, my boobs would leak a little then I could express or feed easier. (I stood with my back to the shower and let the spray run over my front as I had read that prolonged direct spray could make it worse.)
Stick with the hand expressing before a feed too, I imagine it is like baby trying to latch on to a beach ball when your boobs are so full! I seem to remember leaning back slightly too so the milk didn't flow too fast for DD, seemed to help when she was fussy.

Congrats for making it so far, it will get easier xx

 

[Fospetil]

For your nipples, try rubbing some expressed milk over them and leaving your boobs out to dry! Helped me better than any cream! Xx

 

[Sprk]

Thanks everyone Today has gone better - less pain during latching and I've had her feed longer on each boob which has helped reduce the engorgment. It's been too difficult to hand express (just too painful and difficult to get things going), so I used my electric pump yesterday. Luckily Emily was able to get things going herself today. Up in an order for new nursing bras too...can't believe the size diff! Lol

 

[Pin badge]

Glad you're felling better.xx

 

[Jajis]

Just wanted to add that codeine isn't recommended while breastfeeding these days, because it can lead to breathing problems in a very small number of babies. I'm sure in your case it's probably fine, but I wanted to mention it just in case.

There's a breastfeeding network fact sheet about it here, which has a list of the symptoms to look out for: Codeine factsheet

 

[Sprk]

Thank you. The gp did a check first and it's been a low dose, so we've had no problems