Breast shells, any good?

[Wrigglebum]

currently pregnant with DC2. Had a few problems feeding DS as he had tongue tie initially and then just wasn't a hungry baby. I had really bad over active let down, even at 9 months when I stopped BF. Hence I soaked through tops and he was a really fussy feeder with bad reflux.

I've looked at kellymom for advice on the feeding (going to try a lot more reclined feeding or lying down this time). But in terms of the soaking through tops would breast shells help? That way I could maybe collect some milk in them too (never gave DS a bottle as expressing was too much hassle and he would never take one anyway, but it might be nice to have the option!).

Are there any problems with them or a best way to use them? I just want my boobs to be a bit more comfortable this time as they were either rock solid and spurting out in all directions or completely empty! Plus constantly damp and I had to change breast pads all the time, even months in when friends said they didn't need them anymore.

I found them really useful in the early days as I collected as much milk from leaking as I did from expressing and with a lot less faff!

Don't think they would work if you were lying down though and you couldn't wear them out and about cos they'd just look weird!

Overall I would definitely recommend them.

My friend used to use them to collect leakage when she was feeding from the other boob - she used to get loads!

I get loads from mine but a friend warned me to be cautious about only giving shell milk in a bottle as she said it was usually just foremilk so I should combine it with actual expressed milk for a bottle.

I used them with all four of mine, but mostly to keep air circulating around my bleeding, scabby nipples (and to draw the poor inverted beggars out a bit). I did gather a bit in them, but not huge quantities.

I used to use them to cope with my ridiculous oversupply with DD. They held about 50mls and I'd have to empty them after 3 or 4 minutes ( I had to limit her to 5 minutes each side or she'd be too full and vomit it all back up).

Have to be kept upright so can't use them in bed but saves a fortune in breast pads

In general the advice is to not use them for long stretches as they can put pressure on the ducts, which might lead to plugged ducts or mastitis.

It's also something else to sterilise if you have thrush, it can stretch your bras (or you need to buy a cup size bigger to accommodate the shell) or if your bras aren't stretchy enough, it could put a lot of pressure on breast tissue (breasts being softer than plastic!).

Also, they can leak if you lean forward! They are readily available though so if after baby is born you feel you need them, it isn't going to be a trek to a specialist shop for them, so may be put off getting some until you know you need them.

I used them in early days as had still have fast supply (other one always leaks whilst feeding). If I positioned them right I'd catch the milk but half the time I was sleepy, hands full with baby etc and they'd fill up and leak making more mess! I have still got them if you want me to post them to you (obv sterilise them yourself!!) welcome to them for free.

I brought some primark vests with hidden support and use to put a whole muslin in the hidden support bit.

Def agree with kellymom advice with over supply. Lying down was a life saver (and saved me washing tops continuously!!)

All the best with your birth and new arrival

Yes, they are great

though in the early days i leaked so much they overflowed the shells

you will soon learn not to bend over without emptying them first

my baby is 18 weeks and i dont think i could have breast fed without them

(I ONLY use them during feeds, not like a breast pad throughout the day

when one breast feeds the other seems to think it should be supplying milk too

Thanks for all the replies, glad I'm not the only one that sprays everywhere!! I guess I have no idea what will happen this time with feeding! I think I'll give them a try just to save on breast pads a bit! I always wore v stretchy feeding bras as I gained about two cup sizes when my boobs were full, so normal fabric was either baggy or really uncomfortable!

I think they'd be used just when I feed on the non feeding boob when I'm sitting up. The Avent set look good as they have one pair for collection and one for airing sore nipples, should be good in the early days before they get like leather again!

Tbh I'll prob end up chucking most of the milk as I'm too lazy to sort out bottles and sterilising all the time- surely not having to sterilise all the time is one of the benefits of BF! Good point somersaults re foremilk aspect of collecting milk vs expressing, I had wondered that! I found expressing such a PITA before and never got much out. So frustrating to go through all that and all the sterilising etc for DS to turn his nose up at it!!