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I had my baby on November 8th. This morning I got up, and my breasts were huge and very painful! I'm using an expensive breast pump, but the milk is only coming out in drops. I have gotten bigger all day!! What is going on? I am VERY uncomfortable...

2006-11-12 10:29:46 · 21 answers · asked by peasandcornbread1978 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting Newborn & Baby

21 answers

i had this problem too. try taking a hot shower and letting the water beat down on your breasts. also try going without a bra for a while, when the milk starts shooting out then let it leak out onto a towel.

it would be best to not use the breast pump at all. you will probably wind up pumping too much and this will cause your breasts to produce even more milk and they will stay even bigger. and you will have to pump all of the time. this is what happened to me. my doctor told me to quit pumping. things will be painful for a while but they will soon go down.

your baby will do the best job at emptying your breasts. also try massaging them before you feed the baby.

since they are so full, your baby will have a hard time trying to drink it all down and he/she will get choked and start coughing. when this happens just let your milk leak out on a towel or something until the milk stops leaking and then try to nurse again you may have to do this a few times before the baby it able to drink without getting too much. i still have this problem sometimes and my baby is 3 1/2 months.

the key to breastfeeding is not to give up. trust me things will get easier. i almost quit because it hurt so bad, but i am glad i didn't. it is so much easier and enjoyable now.

hope this helps.

2006-11-12 10:45:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4 0

Welcome to engorgment. If you're planning on breastfeeding, put down the pump (unless for medical reasons your baby can't breastfeed and needs to be bottle fed) and latch that baby onto you. It's going to be a little awkward for both of you, but I promise it does get easier as time goes on. If the engorgement is too much for you to take, keep in mind that it only lasts for up to 3 days and then it will all get better. If you keep on trying to pump and breastfeed, your body will think that your baby is eating that much and will continue to create that much to feed the baby. Take a hot shower and massage your breasts. Start at the top and work slowly towards the nipple. Some milk will come out and you should feel better. Also, if the pain is bad during the day and you can't take a shower, cold compresses (basically a cold wash cloth or if you have frozen veggies in the freezer that would work too) and hold those on your breasts for a few minutes. Just keep on telling yourself that it will pass and it will get better. Good luck!

2006-11-12 14:24:41 · answer #2 · answered by lori_a_esser 2 · 0 0

You need to be very careful not to express too much milk or your breasts will replace it. Have a nice warm shower and gently massage were you feel lumps. Breast pumps aren't always the answer, try hand expressing. Once you get the milk flowing just let it drip onto a towel. Then when they aren't so full feed your baby. If you still have lumps try placing the baby's chin in the direction of the lump and they should feed it out. If you start to feel unwell or get a fever then you should cantact your doctor as you might get mastitus. Good Luck. It does get easier

2006-11-12 12:13:20 · answer #3 · answered by redbubbleblue 2 · 1 0

You need face to face help. Call the hospital where you delivered and ask for the lactation consultants. Make sure to tell them how dedicated you are to breastfeeding. I hate to see any mother turn to formula because she didn't have enough support! It happens all the time, but if you're willing to work, you can breastfeed! It's totally worth it. You can also call La Leche League. Find a leader in your area and ask for help. These are wonderful women who want what is best for your baby. You can take several herbs that will stimulate milk production. An LC or LLL leader will help you figure out what to take, how to take it and how often. In the meantime, just keep pumping. Stay positive. I had to pump full-time in the beginning too. I never thought I would be able to breastfeed. I thought I would have to pump forever! With hard work, patience and persistence, I went on to breastfeed for 14 months. I am currently breastfeeding a 23 month old. You can do it too!

2016-03-19 06:56:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

try having your child feed off of you. You are getting bigger because you are stimulating your breasts into creating more milk.
Try expressing by hand, and ask your midwife/health visitor to show you want to do if you haven't got the engorgement under control by the time they visit.
Also, have you put the pump together correctly, I know mine didn't work well if just one piece was out of alignment, and saying that, I read that it is hard to get a decent amount of milk when you first start expressing anyway.

You could try putting cabbage leaves in your bra too, that helps.

Congratulations on your baby! The pain will go soon, honestly!

2006-11-12 11:16:24 · answer #5 · answered by ♥Pamela♥ 7 · 1 0

I feel your pain literally. I had this happen last week after just having my baby. I got in the shower and ran hot water on each breast. Then I gently massaged the breast tissue from the outer edges inward to the nipple. This relieved the pain and released milk (better than the pumping had done) and my baby was able to latch on better because my breasts weren't so overly full. It only took 2 days of this to get them to a more comfortable level. You may have heard of using cabbage leaves...I tried it and a cold leaf right out of the refridgerator put into the bra is very soothing...suprisingly.

2006-11-12 11:05:34 · answer #6 · answered by JordanB 4 · 3 0

Stand in a hot shower and massage breasts the warm water should get the milk flowing, stay there as long as you can and express as much milk as you can you should feel breasts getting softer if this doesn't work consult doc or midwife,you could get mastietis this is very painful and needs urgent medical attention, dont stress it will make it worse

2006-11-12 10:56:25 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2 0

You're engorged. Use a cold pack at first to help with the pain, then get a really warm cloth and place it on your breast. As you hold it there hand express your mild until your breast becomes less full. Your milk will flow more freely, immediately nurse your baby to empty you out.

2006-11-12 10:33:11 · answer #8 · answered by Melton 2 · 4 0

Yes, I am quite familiar with that discomfort. You are engourged. It is totally normal. The best thing I found to do was to take a very hot shower. Hold wash clothes over your breasts and it should stimulate the milk to come out. Nurse right after you get out of the shower and keep nursing. The production will decrease and level out very quickly. Good luck!

2006-11-12 15:26:52 · answer #9 · answered by working mother 2 · 0 0

It sounds like your milk came in today and you are experiencing postpartum engorgement.

Is your baby not latching on because of the engorgement?

Try some heat on your breasts first to hopefully soften your breasts some and get things flowing. (Hot shower, bend over into basin of warm water, use hot compress, etc.) Then try pumping or nursing.

Heat before nursing/pumping and then cold between sessions for the swelling. (Bags of frozen peas work well.) Ibuprofen is OK to take as well if you are uncomfortable.

2006-11-12 10:41:30 · answer #10 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 3 0

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