Anyone planning on FF/have FFd from birth? I promise it's not a trap ;-)

[tethersend]

I am planning on FF soon to be born DD2; this may seem like a stupid question, but what will happen with my milk? Will it dry up straight away or should I express? How long can I expect this to take?

There is something you can take to dry up your milk I think? Worth asking your midwife about it maybe?

Its been a few years but if I remember, I leaked like hell for a few days then it just dried up - didn't last longer than a week.
I think if you express it just keeps coming.

my name is UnChartered and i ff DD from birth

your milk will still come in around day 3/4 (i think) keep a good solid (preferably not underwired) bra on as much as you can, and avoid 'stimulating' any milk flow at all. if you express any off, you'll make more and the whole drying up process will take longer.

your midwife should help you manage, she should support, not judge you.

paracetamol might come in very handy

Hi, I am planning on FF and actually asked this very same question netmums another parenting website the other day- in general there is much more FF info on that website as many members FF from birth it seems.

I was told that the milk dries up in a few days but you might need breast pads for those few days.

Thanks all- very useful

Experience in this situation is very variable. I think it is v unusual for milk to dry up in just a few days but any real discomfort and obvious leaking is over for most women within about 10 to 14 days. Your body assumes you are going to bf and makes milk initially so milk will come in day 2 to 5 or so. Midwives are familiar with comfort measures and drugs to dry up are hardly ever given these days. They are not normally needed.

I just had 2nd child last week and only bf for first day. I didn't leak but my boobs went like rock hard boulders for 2-3 days and are now getting softer. Was told to not stimulate at all, if getting a shower face away from the water, don't get a deep bath and let water lap on them, wear a super firm bra.

don't routinely give meds to decrease milk supply
if you don't bf milk supply will decrease over few weeks. you may have initial discomfort

and congratulations when new baby arrives

Thanks again- and thanks for congrats, sm

Am starting to realise that I'm having a baby now (in three weeks), and have forgotten so much from the first time round. It's a shambles

ooh tethers , I'm excited for you

Will you mop my brow, usual?

DD is 13 weeks old, I wont sugar coat it. My milk came in day 3ish, worst pain was prob ably day 6. I looked like a porn star. It was very painful, couldn't lift my arms over my head, it was painful to lie on my side in bed because the weight pulled down, i couldn't lie DD on my chest, this was only a few days when it was at the worst. Best advise is really tight bra and cabbage leaves. Don't express because as said before that will just stimulate milk production. My friend wasn't as bad as me so you will have a better experience. Congrats on your pending arrival!

That should say hopefully you will have a better experience than me.

I ffed both my DDs from birth. With DD1 I didn't seem to have a lot of milk and it seemed to dry up pretty quickly.

With DD2 (now 14 months) it seemed to take ages and I leaked a lot, used loads of breast pads and they were really sore. I used to feel like expressing to ease the tenderness but the MW said that I shouldn't because it would make me produce more so I didn't. I can't remember how long it took to dry up.

Gosh, it seems like so long ago now! I wish I could go back in time and do it all again though :)

God! Forgotten about milk coming in, I felt like someone had pumped up my boobs overnight, they looked awful and I felt really sore! At this point I was still tring to breastfeed and express milk. I think expressing milk helped, but the best thing was a warm bath (which then made me leak!). They went down after a couple of days.

I FF both of mine from birth.

With DD1, I leaked for a bit but honestly don't remember any soreness or engorgement. With DS I hardly leaked at all, but my boobs were huge and rock hard. Didn't have the fever I was told to expect either time.

Advice both times was to leave well alone and let nature sort it out!

Apologies for repetition, I haven't read the whole thread.
With DS1, milk came maybe a couple of days after the cs. Boobs were very painful and leaky (I stocked up the breast pads for DS2 due soon). I asked for advice and apparently, they do not give medication to stop the milk coming so you have to wait for it to go. Strapping breasts tight help. The biggest discomfort lasts about 2 days.
I was told that expressing was pointless, because then the milk comes back as if you were bfing IYSWIM.

Hi, I know you asked from advice form people who ff, so I'm just putting out there now that I am a breastfeeder (hope you don't mind me posting!).
Milk supply is mainly hormone driven for the first ten weeks, (which is why it's possible for people to re-establish bf in the first couple of months) and then becomes more of a supply and demand thing. You may find it easier and more comfortable, to express at times of discomfort, and then once the supply seems to regulate to set times of day, you could slowly drop expressing sessions. This would make you a lot more confortable and less likely to get mastits, which is not pleasant! It would also give you the added benefit (without intending to preach) of being able to give baby a little expressed milk as an added boost.
hope that helps and doesn't come across as if I'm trying to lecture you or anything! xx

More answers

Am having a cs, so thanks for reminding me DialM- it was a couple of days before my milk came in last time. I have completely forgotten most of what happened with DD1, although the mention of mastitis is bringing is all back...

allthegood, you are not coming across as preachy at all. I absolutely hated expressing last time, so would rather avoid it unless necessary, but definitely worth considering if things don't go to plan.

Thanks all.

I've formula fed 3 dds from birth. My milk has come in around 4 days after birth. Take some paracetamol, wear a good bra and use some breast pads. Do not touch them, even in the shower, don't try and use the power of the water to alleviate the pain . Just leave them alone, took about a week or so to stop.

Am ordering breast pads now

I think they will only really give meds if something tragic happens and there is no baby to feed . I suppose because the mess are hormones with their own side effects and risks, and until the mill is all gone you do still have the opportunity to try bf.

I ff from birth. Milk came in on day 4. Mw said don't touch them, wear a bra, take some painkillers, what ever you want as no bf. I had a couple of minor leaks, but all fine in a week or so, very little pain but on lots of pain killers after CS.

*mess= meds

I was told that it was because of links with breast cancer by the staff in hospital.
I did find it odd that a medication that you'd take for a short period of time could have such a major effect but hey, am no medic!