Help- either I've developed a super boob or one boob just won't empty....ouch

[Newmom2b]

help! I need some advice please.
I've been ebf my ds of 6 weeks, I have just started to express approx 5oz a day so DH can do one night feed.
My right boob is constantly hard and feels full and painful. I usually alternate my ds per feed, so right boob one feed, 3 hours later left boob etc.
He's on for between 10-30 mins.
I don't want to contantly stick him on my right boob ( the engorged one ) because surely that will just make it worse as it will just produce more...arrrhhh what to do?? Will it go down in it's own?
Thanks in advance. X

There's information on engorgement from kellymom here.

I think you could express a little bit off from the right boob to ease the pain, just not too much or you'll go in to overproduction.

btw- any reason why you are just feeding from one side at each feed? You could try offering the other side once ds comes off the first side- he may take it, he may not.

Normal. Don't worry about it. Remember that no-one is symmetrical. You also don't need two boobs to breastfeed, so it wont actually matter, you could just use one breast only, if you wanted! The more frequently a baby suckles a breast the more milk that breast will produce, so if engorgement and/or leakage is a problem it's actually the non-engorged/non-leaky side you'd need to use more to reduce milk production in the over producing side. However, you may find baby prefers one side more than the other as well - 'cos babies aren't symmetrical either! It will get less obvious in time and one past the engorgement stage you'll notice it less, but you may find one breast always produces more milk then the other. I was very right-sided as well! My right boob was really quite a lot bigger than the other for some time even after the initial engorgement stage was over and I think I was noticeably right-sided (even with my clothes on) for several months, so I feel your pain!!!!

I don't think the OP is so worried about being lopsided gourd, more that her breast is hard and painful, which I don't think can be described as normal.

Cold compresses and frequent feedings are other options for you to try newmom and you might like to consider whether the expressing is having any effect on your suppply.

It sounds like a blocked duct to me. Can you see any white spots on the nipple? Try a hot bath and expressing by hand from the painful area towards the nipple. I used to get this all the time, I know how painful it can be!

I think you're right bananas. I wonder if it's due to you expressing which has meant leaving a longer gap between feeds which has meant the milk isn't being removed often enough.

Try hot (not cold as I thought before) compresses or massage as bananas mentioned.

Yes could be blocked duct - I didn't get that but still had one much harder boob than the other (right one), and it just seemed to sort itself out. I used hot flannels before every feed which was a huge relief. Try heating a damp flannel v briefly in microwave and stick that on to soften the breast before feeding or expressing. Overproduction is linked to expressing though - I was overproducing for months after two weeks of intensive expressing with electric pump at each feed, so I'm not surprised about OP's engorgement coinciding with the start of her expressing