need urgent BF help!

bittersweet · #1 February 8th, 2010, 01:56 AM

I was so looking forward to my milk coming in...now that is has been here for 2 days, I am wondering how I can manage all this milk!

My breasts are giant, swollen, and tender. She latches well and feeds every 2 hrs, but she doesnt seem to need/want very much yet (she is 4 days old), compared to what is in there. I can't get her to eat for more than 15 minutes at a time or on more than one breast in the same feeding. She just gets full and tired quickly. I've tried everything to keep her awake long enough to at least get on the other breast a little, but nothing has worked.

After nursing, the breast will be less engorged, but is still large and somewhat firm with plenty of milk left. Since she can only take 1 breast per feeding and is eating every 2 hrs, each breast goes 4 hrs between feedings. At 4 hrs I feel like I'm going to explode and my breast feels like a rock.

I was wondering if I need to start pumping now to resolve this. If so, when and how often should I pump. I know its a supply/demand thing and I don't want to over pump and end up with a milk supply for a village. Or do I just ride out the newborn phase and let my milk supply adjust to her intake?

I'm afraid I will increase my milk supply too much if I pump....but I'm also afraid of getting a clogged duct if I don't drain them (not to mention the engorement isnt the most comfortable)....don't know what to do!

Any advice is appriciated.

Angelaosaurus-rex · #2 February 8th, 2010, 02:09 AM

If you pump it twill just make you produce more milk!! Take a warm shower that will help! It will get better after 2ish weeks. Then you will only leak around feeding times and then one day you will not leak at all!

LisanAndy · #3 February 8th, 2010, 02:15 AM

^^ Ditto! I pumped sometimes if it got too unmanageable and at least I'd be starting to build up a supply for when she started cereal and, in my case, weaning at 5 months

Mars · #4 February 8th, 2010, 04:16 AM

Ditto Angela.

Amara was a quick "eater" as well and I was never able to alternate during one feed when we first started. What I would do is alternate at each feeding. So if she feed on the left breast now, then she'd feed on the right breast at the next feeding.

I found a warm shower or just holding a warm washcloth to the breast extremely helpful. I do think mine adjusted within a couple days so hopefully you will find relief soon.

#5 February 8th, 2010, 06:40 AM

I had to go search your posts!!!! I didn't even know you had your wee babba!!!! On Kirsty's birthday too

Feb 4th is a good day! Congrats!

#6 February 8th, 2010, 06:48 AM

p.s. in reply to your actual post lol! Pumping will most definately increase your milk supply, however if you are unbarebly uncomfy, it's fine to pump a little off just to relieve the pressure and pain.

I recall running a warm shower over each breast was enough to have the "extra" milk run out of me just to relieve the pain a little. 15mins per feed is good so you're doing just fine, and so is lil Jenna. (Adore her name!!)

freesiangel · #7 February 8th, 2010, 07:06 AM

I know they say pumping will increase your supply, but I had the opposite problem and I'm still having trouble with this almost 4 months later!

Xander was almost the same way when he was little. He hardly ate anything out of my breasts in the beginning because he was so sleepy, so I just fed him on demand and didn't pump like everyone said to do... Well, in my case my body started producing too little milk and Xander was/is a poor eater, so he was never really able to increase my supply that much. So now I'm here taking butt loads of fenugreek and forcing him to nurse a lot and pumping a lot all so I can increase my supply and make sure I don't have to supplement him with formula. I can't help but wonder if I'd just pumped in those first few weeks if I'd be okay right now.

I know I'm like this because he is such a lazy eater, so it's probably not that common. Most babies aren't like him... I just wanted to share my side of the story, too.

Congrats!

soImarriedAnerd · #8 February 8th, 2010, 10:07 AM

You can pump just NOT more than 3 oz at a time (thats "the" magic amount "they" say) if you don't want it to mess with your supply.
I had this issue also---its actually a good issue to have. Your little one sounds like a quick eater--which ROCKS! London was a 5-10min feeder (and we only do one breast at a time) and still is....its SO MUCH easier. The amount of sleep I get/got with a newborn/infant--is WONDERFUL.
Your body WILL regulate...it just takes a little time... i bet 3 weeks it got better for us. But in the mean time take up to 3 oz off the not feed boob when she is done. And start freezing that gold!
I can't remember but I THINK your going back to work, right? If thats the case I would honestly just pump now! LOL Yes it probably will get you to make more but your going to have a GREAT stash then for when you go back to work and probably be more likely to continue BFing (or giving BM) when you do....it may be a little more of a pain in the butt now but depending on how long you want to BF it would probably help. And heck MOST women are feeding for hours--so since you have a quick feeder if you pump you will STILL have more time for other stuff

Just make sure you have a kick as@ pair of breast pads! I think tons of women have this issue at first....I know some who pump and some who don't...My personal opinion...I would rather have the "problem" of to much instead of the "problem" of to little. I am on the to much side....and honestly I LOVE it, I read about growth spurts and really I have only experience one with london (where they just feed and feed because you don't make enough yet).....Because I had "more" than he needed so when his spurts happened my once a day pump just didn't happen that day. (I pump once in the AM)
Plus it is supply and demand...but you know what...if you pump now and the supply goes us you can just start slowly pump less and it will go down....or heck just pump now and the next two growth spurt your ahead and once she catches up you will be equal and you can take the pump out of the equation. This is different then your going to hear from most people.

#9 February 8th, 2010, 10:12 AM

I dunno , the ladies have given great advice.

I will say, Jack has always been a 10 min max nurser, but it was not fun at the beginning. I had an oversupply issue, overactive let down and a hindmilk/foremilk imbalance due to the oversupply. Dealing with a super gassy spit-up baby is no fun. It took weeks for me to iron out the kinks. I eventually had to do block feeing. I dunno, I would rather have found it better not to have this issue, b/c it has always been easy for me to increase my supply when I needed too if I felt it dwindled. I just nurse more and drink more water and voila. I suppose every one is different.

Keep only nursing on one breast at a time. That is how my problem started - I would nurse form both sides. Bad idea. That will give you psychotic oversupply. And it only took 4 days of nursing from both sides to cause it. I would try to not pump too much either, then if you feel like it might be getting too low, pump a bit. Follow your mommy instincts. GL and KUP

edited

Resi · #10 February 8th, 2010, 10:17 AM

Angela had some good advice. I would pump just enough to get some relief. Everything will even out soon enough.

**jessie** · #11 February 8th, 2010, 10:34 AM

It will get better on its own. I think I had a half week of pain and then it went away. I did not have any leakage ever after that point either. Pumping will increase your supply. Since I never nursed and pumped only, by 6 wks pp I was producing 15 oz in excess of what he was eating. That has its benefits (large freezer stash) and its downside (frequent engorgement).