Reassurance needed

[Pumpkin9]

Had my little boy on Thursday and have been bfing- my boobs feel like bullets most of the time right now.

Just fed him from one and really felt a drain now but my other boob feels so full now and the other one is catching back up!

Have a few red patches and have seen a breast feeding support worker about it which was great, but I'm just worried I'll never get past this.

 

[cam]

hi, congrats on the birth of your son and well done with bf its real hard at first, its normal for you to feel full and sore all the time but once your milk supply has settled your body will know how much to make for your baby and it will feel much better. If you intend to express and bottle feed atall its a good time to freeze some as theres so much x

 

[Sophie_P]

For something so natural, I find breastfeeding is very hard work but it sounds like you're doing a great job. Stick at it, I regret my decision to introduce formula now x

 

[Pumpkin9]

Thanks so much! I've gone from constant worry about Thomas choking (he did it on ward less than 24 hours after birth!!) to now worrying about my bullet boobs!

 

[Elfs Mummy]

It will get better you're doing fantastic don't give up now x

 

[purpleslurple]

Get past 3 weeks and you'll have it cracked! It is hard - sleep deprivation and sore nipples are the biggest hurdles but you will get through it and it will become beautiful!! Keep going, you're doing great.

 

[Pumpkin9]

Feeling abit better this evening. I'm still sore but feeling abit more in control. Don't think I've quite Sussed latching but I'm going to continue to experiment with it.

 

[purpleslurple]

It will click - you and baby are both learning. I found it quite painful for a couple of weeks, particularly the first 10 seconds or so but that passed. If you get sore nipples apply the lansinoh and cover them in cling film - I found this really helped to stop my nipples drying out.

 

[Sophie_P]

Good to hear!

 

[Pumpkin9]

Well the little ganet was on my boobs quite a lot last night so feeling sore today.

Thanks for tips on lansinoh - I have some and have been using. Think it's a waiting game till my milk production settles

 

[CamFi]

I did have to drain some milk down the sink/in the shower the first week as it was just sooo painfully full, it did settle down after a couple of weeks though, hang in there.

 

[Pumpkin9]

Thanks ladies. Def feeling abit more settled now, just getting some tingling when I start to get full.

Think some of my issue was my nursing bra. Wore it for 1 day and blantanhky the cup size was too small. Now gone up to a 36G which is ridiculous but hopefully will help as I have no bra at the moment until my new ones arrive.

 

[Leeslocket]

It will get better and when it does it's the best thing in the world! It's free, easy and good for baby (plus you burn something like 500 calories a day doing it and get your figure back) I now bf in public whoever I am and nobody even knows what I'm doing. I would say after a week it got better for me and certainly after 3 weeks it had clicked completely. My boobs never feel full except when my lo decides to go 5 hours at night without feeding she is 9 weeks today!

Watch out for cluster feeding, This one nearly got me. You do have enough milk and baby is not cross because you don't, don't think you need to top up with formula as the cluster feeding is a way to build up your supply. My lo doesn't do it anymore and like I say, is only 9 weeks

Good luck and stick with it xxx

 

[purpleslurple]

I don't breastfeed in public. I just don't feel comfortable doing it but I do express milk regularly and take it with me when out and about. My son is 10 weeks and I've done this since he was about 2 weeks and he doesn't have any problem switching between breast and bottle. It also means that when my boobs are feeling a little full I can just express some for another day.