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Original poster

Please can someone answer breastfeeding questions :(

34 replies

Rachell1 · 10/03/2023 16:03

Hi everyone,

My little man is just 4 days old, he has a good latch and feeds regularly.

My milk is in and he seems content after each feed which typically sends him off to sleep for 2 hours before he will wake for another.

My breasts however are just not that full to touch. They have milk and like I say, LO is satisfied but everyone kept telling me how huge and hard my breasts would get when milk comes in but that just isn’t the case. I feel like I have enough to feed but no leakage whatsoever so clearly not producing loads and loads.

Would anyone recommend me pumping to get the supply up a little? Or am I overtired and panicking over nothing?

OP posts:
desperadodogface · 10/03/2023 16:08

No leakage isn't a bad thing. I've never leaned with either girl and if he's feeding regularly you shouldn't feel too uncomfortable. If he's gaining weight and having plenty of nappies your supply is fine (it's also ok if he loses a little weight at first too- doesn't mean he's not getting enough)

mylittleyumyum · 10/03/2023 16:09

Sounds fine to me, especially if he is satisfied and producing wet nappies.

My boobs didn't get sore and hard until the first time my baby slept through the night, and that was after several months. They were bigger, but never uncomfortably so.

Freshair87 · 10/03/2023 16:09

Hi

Sounds completely normal, you're only four days in, your baby still needs very little milk at this stage to be full so your boobs aren't going to be full of milk as it's a supply and demand thing. If baby starts cluster feeding they may feel fuller as is calling for more milk but the only times my boobs ever felt full were if baby slept longer than usual and missed a feed overnight.
If you're baby is coming off the breast naturally like you say and content and having a normal amount of wet and dirty nappies then you have no supply issues and baby is getting everything they need!
I thought I needed more milk and started pumping and that just gave me massive oversupply and mastitis

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CatMattress · 10/03/2023 16:10

Sounds like he's a good feeder and doing a great job of draining your breasts. Trust your body and your baby. Boobs shouldn't be hard and engorged really, and definitely not for a prolonged period. Just keep responding responding to your baby's cues and you'll both do fine. Congratulations

Miscellaneousme · 10/03/2023 16:11

It’s very early days and your supply will still be establishing itself. At this stage a baby should feed at least 8-12 times in 24hr and have plenty of wet and dirty nappies with the poos starting to change colour from black to green to yellow. A baby that is doing all this and who is content between feeds would be reassuring that feeding is going well as long as there are no other concerns.

If you are worried about your baby or feeding and need advice you should have contact details for your maternity unit. And usually if you’re in the UK you would see a midwife on postnatal day 5 for a weight check as part of a feeding review.

RinklyRomaine · 10/03/2023 16:11

Engorgement can be very painful but not everyone gets the massive breasts - I did with my first and third but not DC2. Output is what you need to worry about. It's early days but by tomorrow I'd expect to see 6/8 wet nappies and a couple of yellow ones.

Sometimes seeming content and sleeping after a feed can be a sign baby isn't getting enough. Feeding is exhausting and takes lots of calories. When you say your milk is in, how do you know? Are you having a good let down, if not leaking? Has his weight been checked?

Caviarandgelatine · 10/03/2023 16:11

You're overthinking it. If he's feeding regularly and is satisfied, all is well. Pumping will never stimulate your supply like your baby does - it'd be a waste of your time tbh!

emmylousings · 10/03/2023 16:13

Speaking purely from personal experience, if he's feeding regularly, your boobs won't necessarily feel full. I often felt quite empty and amazed my babies could get more, but it seems your body just makes it there and then! If you were away from him for a few hours you'd probably notice them filling up. The fact you've established feeding is great!!

Led9519 · 10/03/2023 16:13

Has he done dirty nappies after his meconium? I find they’re better indicators of supply than wet.
try to focus on his contentment, and I think he’ll get weighed tomorrow (UK) so then you’ll know a bit more.

tirednewmumm · 10/03/2023 16:17

I breastfed for 17 months and didn't get problems with being engorged until he was having food at 6 months and became a lot more erratic with milk. It sounds like you're doing brilliant and have nothing to worry about ❤️

Original poster
Rachell1 · 10/03/2023 16:20

Thanks everyone.

I’m sure it is in, when he finishes you can see some milk in his mouth and of course even though i’ve said my boobs don’t feel too full they still feel noticeably fuller now that there is milk in there. I can also hand express it out very easily.

Yes he seems content, I’ve changed him four times today so far and each one has been wet. The last one was particularly wet. He did a poo during the night and one this morning - both still quite dark meconium colour although the last one was runnier, less sticky and perhaps more green than black.

Only thing I would say is that he sleeps A LOT. He will wake for his feed and be eyes open throughout nappy change and half of the feed. He will then close his eyes, finish his feed and typically sleep until the next feed 2/3 hours later?!

Is that ok? Seeing midwife tomorrow so might raise this again but she didn’t seem concerned when I asked yesterday..

OP posts:
WeWereInParis · 10/03/2023 16:20

Sounds fine, I never had particularly full feeling breasts with DD1 and I fed her without any issues. With DD2 I suddenly knew what people were talking about!

DragonbornMum · 10/03/2023 16:22

I didn't leak at all - the breast pads I bought were money wasted 😂

I also literally never (except some longer periods overnight) felt engorged. My son ate so much I never had the chance to "fill up".

You can pump to help build up supply, but the baby will also cluster feed to do this. Honestly just take the lead from your baby

WeWereInParis · 10/03/2023 16:23

Only thing I would say is that he sleeps A LOT. He will wake for his feed and be eyes open throughout nappy change and half of the feed. He will then close his eyes, finish his feed and typically sleep until the next feed 2/3 hours later?!

Is that ok? Seeing midwife tomorrow so might raise this again but she didn’t seem concerned when I asked yesterday..

If he's feeding fine and having wet/dirty nappies then that sounds fine to me at 4 days old. He'll wake up soon enough.

Obviously check with your midwife if you're concerned, but newborns do sleep a lot.

Aquamarine1029 · 10/03/2023 16:24

Cluster feeding is better than pumping to increase your supply, which sounds totally normal at this stage anyway, so just let him nurse as much as he will tolerate.

Aria2015 · 10/03/2023 16:24

I breastfed both mine and never got really hard boobs when my milk came in. They only got engorged when we were a good few weeks in and i’d established a steady supply, and even then I only noticed when they went a bit longer than usual feeding (usually at night).

It's really hard not to worry about your supply when you can't see what your baby is taking in, but the best indicator is wet and dirty nappies and of course, you’ll start to hopefully see weight gain too.

I wouldn't pump, there's no need at this stage and it's such a hassle on top of all you're doing already. You’ll hit the cluster feeding stage soon and that will really up your supply! Be warned, cluster feeding is full-on and it will seem like your baby can't get enough milk because they just feed and feed and feed, but it's all part of the process and nature's way of getting your supply up.

Good luck! You're already doing amazing!!

massivesalads · 10/03/2023 16:24

It took about 5/6 days for my milk to come through and boobs to start feeling "full" I believe the first few days is just colostrum? I could be wrong though!

jellybe · 10/03/2023 16:25

If DS is happy, passing lots of wet and dirty nappies then it's all good. I wouldn't worry about if your breasts feel heavy etc.

jellybe · 10/03/2023 16:26

Also he will wake up more soon. If he is waking for feeds then that's great.

ShirleyPhallus · 10/03/2023 16:28

Sounds like a dream OP, sounds like you’re both doing really well and have found your rhythm already. Be glad not to have leaky full boobs and that baby boy is sleeping well so far, relax and enjoy it!

ChocHotolate · 10/03/2023 16:28

Totally normal. Your breasts make milk when the baby feeds (it does make it all the time but at a much slower rate).
Think of your breasts as milk producers rather then milk storage

MintJulia · 10/03/2023 16:34

That sounds pretty good for four days. As he gets hungrier and more demanding, your milk supply will probably increase

Twizbe · 10/03/2023 16:35

All sounding very good.

He might be quite sleepy at the moment as he's still recovering from the birth.

Do ask your midwife though if you're worried.

I only leaked once with my two. Breastfeeding doesn't always equal leaky boobs.

Alexandra1991 · 10/03/2023 16:41

Just want to chime in and say it all sounds really normal! And the sleeping is also fine, obviously all babies differ slightly but at 4 days old they all sleep so much.
I'm 13 months into breastfeeding now, but I only occasionally get the rock hard breasts (not so much anymore but sometimes if we have a change in schedule). In all honesty it's more of a hindrance as baby (especially when they're little) will find it more difficult to actually latch on.
A few Instagram accounts that I've really benefitted from following are mamas milk and the breastfeeding mentor. Both give really honest and realistic advice.

wishuponastar1988 · 10/03/2023 16:42

Just wanted to reassure you that my boobs never felt full (apart from when my baby slept for longer periods at night). It's actually a good thing that they don't feel engorged all the time as it means you don't have an oversupply. It's so easy in those first few weeks to convince yourself there's an issue with supply etc (I know, I did the same) but unless supply issues are confirmed by a breastfeeding specialist (which is very rare), your supply will be fine. Keep doing what you are doing, remember baby will go through periods of cluster feeding and feed really regularly and again that is totally normal. X

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