need help! worried first time mum - expressing and bottle feeding

[Franchini]

Due to LO not latching properly I am expressing and bottle feeding. My DD is 12 days old.

I am worried as my left boob feels harder than my right boob and is sore. I have tried to massage it before and during expression but it's not helping. I am worried that it may be the start of an infection or something similar - there is no redness.

I am also getting a reduced amount of milk from both boobs. As I type this I have expressed for 15 mins on each boob and have only got 30 mls of milk in total. I have easily been able to get 90-100 mls previously. I am expressing everytime I feed my DD which is approx every 3 hours.

Please help a worried new first time mum!

Franchini - sorry to hear about these difficult first days :(

You need real life help, I think.

You can call the community midwife - get her to come and see you today.

Bf help also from the several helplines - all listed on mumsnet bf page.

Your expressing yeilds are totally normal - including the huge amounts at first reducing to smaller amounts later. You might find it better to pump for a shorter time on one breast and then swap when your spurts become drops, and then swap back again when that happens again, and then again.

Thanks Tic toc - I have been to the breast feeding drop ins this week and had two visitd from the MCA's at home and things are getting alot better.