Planning to bottlefeed from the start - question...

[Amanda]

I breastfed my daughter for the first 6 weeks and it was hell. She was feeding every 90 minutes day and night. I ended up putting her on formula and she slept through the night on the very first day. I don't think I produce enough milk. Anyway, enough of the explanations, but I am not planning on even attempting breastfeeding with this one, he's going straight on the bottle.

My very dumb question is this! Will I still produce milk? I've not been so far, even if I squeeze. I can still remember that feeling of waking up in hospital with enormous hot full boobs that were soooo painful as she needed a feed. Will that happen again? Is there something the hospital will give me to stop this? Or should I take some bandages to wrap around my chest?

You'd never think I'd already had a child with all my daft questions!!

 

[budge]

you will still produce milk but according to my friend who didn't breast feed (or even try to) it just goes. She said she never felt engorged or unconfortable. The milk just went.

 

[kellie80]

I never breastfed Aimee at all and my milk still came in around 3 days after i gave birth. It was just as painful as it was with jess who i did breastfeed. Milk never dried up either till she was about 7 weeks old.

 

[rach]

mine still came in after luke and jamie i cant remember with luke but with jamie it came about day 3 and was really sore till about day 7 then eased off midwifes advice was as tight a bra as you can stand and breast pads xxx

 

[budge]

i suppose it differs from person to person.

ive always breast fed so i cannot give a personal view.

Tanket you'll have to take it as it comes.

 

[angiemum2b]

my milk still came in after 5 days and didn't breastfeed either.
it was very sore for a few days then eased off.

I agree with tight bra and breast pads are a must! just make sure you carry around with you a spare top just in case you leak through! my biggest problem!

 

[foxymum]

i am going to ask my midwife if there is anything i can take to stop the milk coming in atall as i have breast implants & when i had my son & bottlefed from the start, when milk came in it dislodged my implant right up into my armpit & has never gone back to where it should.......it was agony.

am i wrong or do you have them too tankett?

 

[arcanegirl]

Im sure my SIL was given tablets to help her dry up, not sure for certain though.

 

[Jo]

My milk came in on day 2 and boy did i know it!!!!! it had gone by day 10, but the best advice i can give you is warm bath with hot damp flannels over your boobs, it eases it soooooo much.
Might be worth it just for the look on OH face if he comes in bathroom

My one regret is that i didn't have a photo taken in a little black dress 'cos i had a cleavage to die for!!!!!!!!! the only time i have cleavage is when milk come in

 

[beanie]

There is a drug but they don't tend to prescribe it normally, only for women who have a particular reason. Heat is the best thing, like Jo said hot towels and hot flannels. Also cold cabbage leaves (the greener the better) can be great for engorgement, pop them in the fridge then place in bra. Sounds bizarre but a lot of my mum friends have said it works. I think Savoy is the brand they recommend

Just wanted to say though that frequent feeding is very normal in the early days so don't think you didn't have enough milk (just didn't want you to think that as I thought that).

 

The tablet they can give you they dont always prescribe as often women engoge when they come off it again apparently. Mine engoged, I had to express them off so often it hurt so much. They were like that for over a week and only when I stopped exprerssing a few weeks later did they start to calm down. next baby I am going ot express still, but will have to do it more regularly.

 

[Rosieroo]

Cabbage leaves were recommended to me to help with engorgement aswell

Just wanted to say though that frequent feeding is very normal in the early days so don't think you didn't have enough milk (just didn't want you to think that as I thought that).

Ditto - I constantly thought that as I never knew anyone that breastfed so thought babies were supposed to feed on a 3-4 hour schedule, am glad I am prepared for the next one now!

 

[hayley]

foxymum - you have me worried now! i have implants. How long had you had yours when you fell pregnant and the milk moved them? was it long?I've had mine for just over 4 years now so hoping nothing moves them. My friend was given a weeks prescription of tablets with her first 2 children but they're 12 and 8 now. With her last son who is only not 1 yet she wasn't given anything and she was in pain... the cabbage leafs worked for her thou... i woner why they stopped giving the tablets - she said they where brilliant and she never got any pains after finishing the weeks course...

x

 

[Amanda]

Yeh, I do have implants, had them for about 8 years now.

I'm definitely going to bring this up with my midwife at the next appointment, I don't want one to move!!

 

[hayley]

tankett let me know how you get on... i'm see ing the MW on wednesday so i'll let you know what she says... wont be much thou!!! she's not the best with advice...

x

 

[Amanda]

Well I'm not seeing mine for another 2 and a half weeks, so you can let me know by experience then!!

 

[foxymum]

sorry hayley didnt mean to worry anyone!
i had my implants for 5 yrs when i had my son & they didn't change atall during pregnancy, size wise or anything, but after i had him & the milk came in they were huge & the right implant got pushed round into my armpit.

it has never gone back properly & is different to the other one. i went to see the surgeon who did them a few years ago & he said there is nothing physically wrong with it but if i want them as they were before i need to have them done again, & obviously bigger due to they skin stretching & they are saggier than before.

worried again this time, thats why i want to if poss try to prevent the milk coming in atall.

plz don't worry though, like everything all our experiences are different & you may have no problema atall.
now i have had my implants for 8 yrs in oct, ideally i should have finished my family before having them, but never mind, baby is worth whatever happens to my boobies!!!

 

[Keely]

mine came in about day 3!!!!!!!!! OWWWWWWWWWW

I sat and cried for two days feeling sorry for myself, until i discovered nurofen and parocetamol... taking alternate ones every two hrs, so they still had the 4 hr space between the same tablets. And this is ok to do because you are not breastfeeding

They saved my life... stock up now!!!!! haha xxxx