Another breastfeeding question - leaking milk!?

Question

Thanks everyone who answered my other question on breastfeeding.

I really also wanted to know about engorgement/leaking milk.

My four week old baby boy feeds well (every 2 hours or so) but my breasts still get very hard and full and leak like crazy (get though about 10 breastpads a day!).

He's doing really well and has put on loads of weight - midwife says he's obviously getting enough milk, but I still seem to be making more than I need.

Does this settle down? Its going to be a messy six months if it doesn't!

Answer 1

I had too much milk too, I know how you feel; I remember the discomfort 11 years later! I started using a breast pump to store and freeze milk so as to use it in baby food later... Perhaps something you could try? Is there no breasfeeding counsellor in your area? Ask your midwife or health visitor. The NCT (National Childbirth Trust) are very good and very widespread in the UK if that's where you are.
Enjoy! Breastfeeding is a very short time in the whole 18 or so years you nurture your child...

Answer 2

Continue letting your baby eats when he's hungry, do not try to wait longer like a prior post stated! Your baby's stomach is only so big and the milk is produced by supply and demand. When baby was first born he preferred being on the nipple all day (most likely). Now he is starting to normalize so to speak. The milk will take a little longer to do the same, but it will! You will most likely need to continue using breastpads for a few extra months, but as long as you feed on demand you shouldn't get more than a small spot. My son's at 8 months and I haven't worn them for about 4 months. I do still get spots, but so seldomly it's nothing to worry about. Also, if you plan on going back to work, this would be a great time to pump and store (though this could continue your engorgement). If it is that painful and upsetting, put a leaf of cold cabbage inside each bra cup, maybe twice a day for 2 days. you will notice a difference. Don't do it longer because it does have the potential to dry you up!

Answer 3

It will settle down around 6 weeks. I promise it will long before 6 months, but it will happen gradually so don't expect it to be gone one day.

Pumping will make it worse. Only hand express if you are in pain, and only a tiny bit.

(Of course if you go out one day, and the baby is busy looking at things and won't settle down and eat then you will run into problems again. For awhile if we went out for the day I had to bring a hand pump, however I find hand expressing is just as easy and effective if you are just dumping the milk --which I always ended up doing. You can pump once your supply has settled down and your baby is just distracted for a day or two. So if you are going to be out of the house for more than 3 hours I think it is always best to bring a spare shirt, besides other things happen like spit-up, baby knocking you when you eat, diaper accidents...)

Answer 4

It will in time but the more often he nurses the more your body is telling it to produce milk. If you are that uncomfortable you can pump it and save in the freezer for later but it will just be doing the same thing, triggering your body to produce more. If you can get him to nurse longer and less often it will slow the production down a little. Eventually your body will get it right but it does take time. I had to use pads all the time too for like 6 mths. I nursed my daughter for 1 1/2 years! But on the upside i lost all my weight real easy and my stomach and uterus shrunk to normal size by my 6 week checkup. Also I didn't have a period for the first 12 mths so we had to use birth control because I never knew when I was going to become fertile again. Hope this helps a little.

Answer 5

i'm so sorry to your loss. take it sluggish to heal till now you subject approximately attempting lower back. Your milk will dry up on it somewhat is very own as long as you're no longer pumping it. Breastmilk production works on furnish and insist so pumping will sent the message on your physique which you particularly choose for the milk and you will shop making it. If teh milk isn't getting used it somewhat is going to finally dry up. you may no longer have any subject getting pregnant lower back by using milk. Breastfeeding in basic terms works as beginning administration in case you in no way bypass greater desirable than 4 hours with out feeding the toddler, or perhaps then it in basic terms works lots of the time. in case you're no longer taking milk out of the breast your hormones will shift and you will resume your sessions interior some months whether you nevertheless have slightly milk. I have been given pregnant on an identical time as solely breastfeeding while my son replaced into in basic terms 10 weeks previous, so which you will no longer have a subject.

Answer 6

Yep, it definitely settles down, probably around 6 - 8 weeks. Now at 6 months, I can't remember when I last used breastpads. Can remember when I last SHOULD have used pads - when lo first did a long stretch at night. Clean bedsheets for me!

Answer 7

yes it does settle down but i would suggest getting a breast pump a: to alleviate your pain and b: so that you have some if you want to go out or if you want to introduce bottles later!

i wish i had done this as 8 months in and i don't need breast pads at all and haven't done for months...whereas my stepmum still gets sore boobs when my baby cries! my sister is 12 lol

good luck with breastfeeding and remember that you can freeze breastmilk and store it for up to 3 months! worth thinking about if you go out for the day.

Answer 8

It does settle down, your boobs will adjust to your baby's demands. You can get little dome shaped containers that you pop over the opposite nipple to the one you're feeding from , that catches leaking milk that you can then store or freeze. to relieve the engorgement pain just express a little, this helps.

Answer 9

Taking a warm shower and letting them leak will make you feel so much better and take alot of the pressure off.
You can pump and freeze your milk. (It stays good for a few months!) Your baby can use it later, and it will help reduce engorgement.

Answer 10

Nah your body will figgure it out. It just takes some time...I think I started to produce the 'right' amouts after 6 or 7 weeks.

Congrats!