Exploding boobs

[Nobhobs]

I have a 6 week old baby who I'm EBF, I've been pumping too so fridge always has a few bottles in so DH can help me out. The past few days I hit a wall, I've been running on empty since the birth and have just been so overtired and sleep deprived.

DH got home from work yesterday at 6pm and said to go have a lie down, which I have literally just woken up from. I slept from 6pm until 7am without so much as stirring. My boobs are ridiculous. There's engorged then there's this. I can't even soften them enough to express. They are like bright red rocks. I've missed like 8 feeds. I can't believe I didn't wake up or that DH didn't wake me. Bless him he thinks he did a really nice thing taking over and sorting out every night feed only to find me waking up in hysterics and asking him to milk me.

I'm in agony. What can I do

Sorry this was meant to be in infant feeding

Gently massage them in a warm shower.

Hop in a hot shower massage them and try hand expressing to reduce some encouragement and then feed baby.

I would say avoid letting DH give bottles over the next couple of days.

Run a bath and soothe them that way

Hot flannels on both boobs and gentle express the milk ... I felt like a cow that need milking after my babies were born. Hubby was no help he told me I looked like Sabrina ... no idea who that is btw.

Don't google Sabrina you will get porn!

As above. Get in the bath/shower and hand express. I find under the water in the bath effective. Don't pump for a bit, let your baby feed on demand and let your supply regulate.

Thanks all. Praying he hasn't ruined breastfeeding as baby has never had more than one bottle a day. I can't say anything as he tried to be nice but gaaah I could of done without this!!

Take an ibuprofen to stave off inflammation which could become mastitis. Get into a hot shower or bath and very gently start to hand express. Look at pics and videos of your baby and you may find that your letdown triggers automatically. Then feed feed feed. Do you have a pump?

He has not ruined breastfeeding and he has done a nice thing. Don’t be cross with DH.

I know you are upset but please don't tell your dh he has ruined breastfeeding, he was trying to help and it sounds like you needed a sleep. Do as others have said and you'll be fine

Feed him. Nothing empties a breast like a baby!

Damp heat but not for too long - a minute of a hot, damp flannel to soften enough to hand express or pump just to the point where you’re comfortable. Heat can promote swelling if you leave it on too long.

Try reverse pressure softening if your baby can’t latch because your nipples are too flat.

Then feed as much as you can - and express just for comfort, no further, otherwise you might end up with over supply.

Savoy cabbage leaves and ibuprofen help with the pain.

Sit n the bath an d keep them under water or poor jugs of water over them x

Thanks all. Managed to relieve most of the pressure, baby fed until he was sick everywhere as there was far too much milk coming out far too quick poor thing oh no I haven't said a word to DH, I obviously needed the sleep, was just worried as it's been 6 weeks of hell establishing breastfeeding and I don't want anything to go wrong!

@Nobhobs I just wanted to reassure you as a Neonatal nurse with a special interest in nutrition 😁 and also as a mum that breastfed both of mine! He won’t have ruined breastfeeding, a one off sleep like that won’t do any harm to your milk supply and your milk supply is hormonally established by six weeks as it sounds like you are feeding regularly! I often advise expressing mothers that they can have one six hour gap in 24 hours (this is in line with UNICEF guidelines) and to use this overnight where they can. The most important time hormonally for feeds is between 0100-0500 as that is when your prolactin levels are highest, and that is the one of the hormones that creates and maintains your milk supply. So, in a nutshell - let him help you, as long as baby is feeding at least 8x in 24 hours apart from the bottle as this will keep your milk supply maintained. I’d just try to stick to the 6hr gap as it will reduce your risk of mastitis. Hope that you feel better later!

Glad you've not said anything . It's a tricky time for both parents and I think sometimes no one knows what to do for the best!!

Ah OP. I had the exact same thing happen and had a nasty bout of mastitis- that sleep wasn't worth it in hindsight! I also never mentioned it to ex-DP as he really thought he was doing a nice thing.

However, after a day or two of furiously expressing in the shower things did settle down. Hope you're feeling a little better this afternoon.