*WARNING* IF you're easily offended please skip this one. For everyone else I need serious help quickly I'm in soo much pain

[prayerful wife]

I just gave birth 6days ago and Im nursing the little one.  This is the 2nd baby i've nursed so I thought I knew what I was doing.  I hate to put myself out there for public viewing but please go to my photos and look at how engourged I am.  I've tired everything I know how and nothing is working.  I took baby to his 1st appointment and I was feeding him when the doc walked in.  The baby started to choke a little and when he unlatched I had milk squirting every where. As embarrassing as that was we determined that I'm releasing milk at a faster pace than the baby can consume and I may have to stop nursing.  I'm hurting something awful b/c as soon as he nurses my breast fill right back up, same thing happens when I pump.  At the rate I'm going I'll be feeding and pumping all day long just so I can have relief from all the pain, and of course we all know that cant happen.  My conclusion is to have to let my milk dry up.  I cant even pick him up like I want to b/c it hurts for him to lay on my breast.
Please let me know what you guys did to dry your milk up....the only thing I've heard so far was to put cabbage leaves in my bra!                       Anything else?

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Are you pumping after every feeding?  That should help.  If you are still engorged then maybe pumping is only increasing your supply...Lay off the pumping and when baby isn't nursing wear a very tight supportive bra.  I know they have relief packs you can buy to help with the pain.  Have you talked with a lactation specialist?

[prayerful wife]

Yes.  Ive tried hot packs, cold packs, warm baths, not pumping and letting him only nurse; then only pumped and didnt let him nurse.  The lactation specialist told me I was one of the few women she run across where everything ive tried stimulates me to lactate.  She said it was really nothing that she could suggest and b/c my skin is so stretched and shinny she dont want me to run the risk of rupturing blood vessels.

[natemomma27]

ive heard putting cabbage leaves on your breasts/in your bra can help with the engorgement...ill look into more when i get the chance but ive heard many women swear by it

[natemomma27]

its about the cabbage leaves

http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bbreastfeed/0,,3x57,00.html

[prayerful wife]

Thanks...I'm normally an A cup, but to have my skin stretched to a C status and they feel like they're full of rocks is not what I call a good time! :)

[spade22]

Sorry, I dont have any advice for you except to say you might want to post this in the maternal forum and you could also try sending Andi78 a PM - she always gives out EXCELLENT advice regarding BF and I think if anyone could help you, it would be her.

[martikadragoon]

I am very sorry. For the pain I've been told Tylenol3 is safe to take. My OB himself said it's ok to BF and take it. I asked because I'm gonna have a csection and plan on BF'ing.

[JoyRenee]

spade22, the username is AndiJ78. I just wanted to make sure prayerfulwife got to the correct person.

As for what you're going through, I can totally relate! The "rock" feeling really disturbed me until someone explained that engorgement. This time will pass. I've never tried cabbage leaves but everyone swears by them! I know taking a hot shower helped the milk let down.

[martikadragoon]

What exactly is "letdown" i've heard it a TON but never really understood it.

[JoyRenee]

When you first start nursing you produce what is called "foremilk" which basically translates into "before milk" and it's thin and more watery. When you "let down" is when the "hindmilk" comes in. It's the really fatty nutritious milk. I'm not completely sure on the entire physiology of what occurs but I know how it feels. It's a tingly sensation that runs from your armpits into your breasts. You can actually feel your milk "let down".

[LACh1]

I'm not sure what to suggest as i'm sure your lactation consultant is very knowledgeable but as you only gave birth a short time ago and then the milk doesn't really start to come in until about day 3 you are probably still in the adjustment stage.  From what i have experienced and know your boobs go through a period of up to a few weeks of engorgment until they adjust to your babies needs.  It takes that amount of time for both your baby and boobs to get the balance right and settle into supply and demand.  Pumping can help but if you are pumping too much then your boobs will think you are feeding twice as much as you really need to and supply that amount of milk.  If you do need to pump to relieve pressure just pump or stand in the shower until they feel a bit more comfortable then stop. I hope this helps as i know the first few months of breast feeding can be really tough to work out.  As for your milk comming out to fast for your little one, you can try hand pumping abit before you feed to relieve the built up pressure and allow the milk to come out at a slower pace, this is what i did as other wise my littel one ended up with pains or milk everywhere but in her mouth - good luck.

[rasher]

HI

I have 3 children and i am pregnant now with my fourth child. The cabbage leaves r really good they help sooth the pain in your breast's. I found that putting the cabbage leaves in the fridge until they r cold and then putting them inside your bra helps a lot. Also take a hot bath and lay on your tummy so your breasts r under the water this was brillant for me. Try it and  let me no how u get on.

[JMcGee]

Try pumping AFTER you breastfeed, thats what I had to do. I was a C cup before my 2 kids....now I am a permenant D cup. After my kids though, I was in DD's for a while. i know it feels horrible right now, but I promise it will get better!! Good luck to you!!

[Lemenna]

First of all I was told not to pump when engorged at least in the first stages of breastfeeding, as your supply is trying to adjust to what your baby needs and it sounds like you are making it worse!  Second, I was a D cup before my second baby and was an F...yes F for about a week or two after my milk came in and then it started to settle down to an E.  That was some of the most intense pain I have ever experienced.  The hospital told me to use cabbage leaves to cool my breast.  I never tried it because I didn't have any at home, but maybe it would work.  In any case, I would try calling and seeing a lactation specialist.  I saw one after mt first baby and they are a tremendous help!  Good luck!

[Jackie117]

I've never BF any of my children but I have had the engorgement and I know thats painful. I found a site that talks about what to do. Hope this helps a little.


http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/html/engorgement.shtml

[Jackie117]

http://www.babycenter.com/0_hyperlactation-overabundant-milk-supply_8488.bc

This is another site about producing to much milk.... Hope this helps...

[prayerful wife]

Went to see lactation specialist yesterday and I had to make the decision to stop nursing.  I feel horrible about it b/c I was so looking forward to having that bond with my little one.  I'm producing so much milk...by the time I pumped and emptied the right breast when I moved on to the left breast the right one was full again.  The specialist said most women have the opposite problem not making enough milk, but i'm shooting it out everywhere.  I'm engorged all day & all night and its not a good feeling.  I can hardly pick the baby up; just to have him bump into them sends chills down my spine.  Then my nipples are so cracked im getting blood in my milk when i pump.  I feel terrible....but at least I tried.  Thanks 4 all the advice ladies.

[Grandmatobe]

It happens to the best of us and you did your best to make it work.  Your baby got a week's work of colostrum and milk - - - and you can still have a great bonding experience using the bottle.  Quite frankly, I believe that they have more eye contact when eating from a bottle anyway, due to the position for feeding.

I hope your milk dries up quickly and you can get some relief from the pain.

[sfritz]

You don't have anything to feel horrible about. You tried and that's what matters. Yes breast milk is best, except in certain situations, such as it taking such a physical and emotional toll on you!
Did the consultant give you some suggestions on how to get your supply to dry up sooner so you can get some relief?

[nikko*ttc]

Here is a great article about oversupply with lots of great tips. I am going to PM to you just in case link gets deleted

http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/html/oversupply.shtml

[prayerful wife]

She said try the cabbage leave and stop nursing completely.  As soon as I pick the baby up he starts "rooting" at my breast and when I move his head away from me and give him the bottle he screams to the top of his lungs.

[nikko*ttc]

Ah, that is awful. He can probably smell the milk. And believe it or not your body just knows that the baby is ready to eat and that can make it worse. Hope some of those remedies I pm'd you help.

[kennedydp5]

i'm so sorry to hear all the pain you're going through.  i've been engorged before and know how much its hurts to try and hold your baby when your in that much pain.  i can't believe your body is producing that much milk!!!!!  

i, too hope your milk will dry up quickly and hopefully painlessly (is that a word?)!!!

take care of yourself and let us know how its going.

[sameerab]

lordy im having 2nd thoughts about breastfeeding

[kaity08]

hey, why dont you use the breast pump, fill up a few bottles and put them in the freezer and in the fridge, and the next day you dont breast feed nor use the breast pump, you feed you baby from the bottles that you have already prepared for him, or you can stay two days with out breastfeeding or pumping, stay using the bottles you prepared till they are done.