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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

milk puddle ... bra for bed?

25 replies

creamoftomato · 06/04/2014 07:21

It's day 10 with my lovely baby boy and I woke up this morning to find a huge wet cold puddle under my right boob. First time it's happened (or at least this much) - is it normal? In general I feel like I have a lot of milk, fast let down, lots of leaking from the opposite boob when feeding etc but it's my first baby so I have nothing to compare with...

I've put a bra on now with some pads in but it's hard to keep the pads in place sleeping on my side and I find it really difficult to sleep in a bra (or in any clothes at all) and hate faff of getting boobs out for feeds so not thrilled if this is the only solution... Any recommendations for a really comfy bra or alternative solutions?? It's early days I know - maybe it will just settle down???

OP posts:

Atbeckandcall · 06/04/2014 07:39

Firstly congratulations

Secondly, go with me on this. I know someone who used sanitary towels and nappies instead of milk pads, might be worth a go?

Well done btw

Sid77 · 06/04/2014 07:42

You might find it settles, but sometimes it doesn't! My DS is 6 months old and sometimes, if he goes for a longer period of sleep, I soak through my breast pads! It's annoying, but I know some people don't need them at all after a few weeks.

whereisshe · 06/04/2014 07:42

Pretty normal I think. I've been wearing a bra plus breast pads to bed since DD was born (3 months) to stop the leaks. I wear one of the sports bra style nursing bras eg bravado.

milkjetmum · 06/04/2014 07:45

I use tight stretchy vest top with breast pads under. Also, try breast shells to collect milk from other boob which leaks while feeding. I get a good few oz a day doing this when I feed at home and store it for future bottles - waste not want not!

Important to keep changing pads frequently, otherwise damp boobs can lead to nipple thrush, and that is definitely best avoided

FrankelandFilly · 06/04/2014 07:52

Yup I seem to have an over active supply too - I've been known to drip milk whilst drying myself after getting out of the shower

I wear the Bravado silk seamless bras pretty much 24/7 at the moment, with the Lansinoh breast pads. I buy them in bulk from Amazon as I go through several pairs a day. They also have sticky backs so they stay in place in your bra.

My health visitor said that it's a good idea to wear a bra at night because it will support the breast tissue and, theoretically, help prevent sagging!

MeanwhileHighAboveTheField · 06/04/2014 07:58

I used to sleep on a towel with a cot sheet on top of it. Also helps when co sleeping if the baby is posseting.

ReadyForDinner · 06/04/2014 20:14

Congratulations!

I found sleeping in a comfort bra made me much more, erm, comfortable! You can get them from the super market mine were about 6 quid. its similar fabric to a pair of tights, a bit like a crop top and really comfy. So you can use breast pads with them. Or now I have stopped leaking I still use them every night as it just keeps them under control if you see what I mean! so glad I found them, can't see me going to bed without them now!

poocatcherchampion · 06/04/2014 20:19

shove a muslin down there. sometimes still get a leak at 7mo...

FrumiousBandersnatch · 06/04/2014 23:43

H&M nursing vests are a fiver for two and good for sleeping in.

jojane · 06/04/2014 23:51

I second laying on a thick towel.

LadySybilVimes · 06/04/2014 23:55

I had to wear a bra at night whilst I was breastfeeding, I still remember the night I decided I didn't want to wear one and was woken up by dh spluttering that I was drenching him and could I please put a bra on now. Thinking about it now never fails to make me laugh.

Sorry, that isn't in any way helpful is it? Your post just reminded me. My youngest is a ore-teen now, so I'll leave it to the ladies with more current experience to give actual helpful advice.

Congratulations on your little one!

FannyPriceless · 07/04/2014 00:01

Sounds familiar! Breast pads were next to useless for me at night when I was BF. I too used to shove a muslin inside my feeding vest. I kept a stack on a shelf by the bed. Much better than a milk lake puddle soaking through the bedding.

YankNCock · 07/04/2014 00:08

Totally normal, I was exactly the same. Wasn't as bad with DS2. I had to get the larger breastpads to cover more surface area in case they moved around. Sleep bras from mothercare were ok, but I also did the 'sleep on a towel' thing too.

PeaceLillyDoge · 07/04/2014 01:51

I have this too! Just ordered some nursing sleep bras from jojo which are 18 quid for a pack of two, looking forward to their arrival! At the mo I'm wearing my bravissimo seamless bras 24/7 and finding that they're not quite as comfy add is like at night. Also having to use the lansinoh breast pads (all the others are crap) and put a muslin under by Boob whilst breast feeding.

Then, and only then, does the bed stand any chance of not getting covered in breast milk!

WallyBantersJunkBox · 07/04/2014 02:09

I used to lay a towel under the sheet at boob level and one on top. I think if you sleep on your front or side the pressure doesn't help.

Very often I would run to the toilet with two Avent bottle caps held over my nipples to stop ruining the carpet!

In the end I hired a Medela electric pump and used to set the alarm a bit early and pump half asleep, expressing the milk for use later that day.

badidea · 07/04/2014 09:17

I had that continually with DS1 and fairly regularly (but not as bad) with dS2. I slept in a sleep bra with breast pads (but to be honest when you're on your side, they're not really that effective). So, I'd also sleep on a muslin on top of a folded towel - sometimes that wasn't even enough (for example, the night DS2 decided to sleep for 6 hours after only ever sleeping for 3 hours at a time...)

If you're worried about your matress you might want to put on a huggies drynite bed mat thingy (you put it under your sheet) that way at least you're stopping it from getting through to the mattress.

atthestrokeoftwelve · 07/04/2014 09:33

Same here- I found a bra far too constricting though. I just went to bed with baby and lots of clean towels. OH and I called them my "milk rags"!

It will settle down.

leedy · 07/04/2014 15:51

It will definitely settle down - I speak as someone who used to practically gush all over the bedclothes in the early days.

I really like these as sleep bras, they don't feel like you're wearing a bra in bed and keep breastpads roughly in place (tho you still might need to sleep on a towel as well if you're particularly leaky):
www.mothercare.com/Blooming-Marvellous-Maternity-Sleep-Bra---2-Pack/LX5303,default,pd.html

whereisshe · 07/04/2014 19:29

I find that DD's nappy boosters work particularly well to prevent overflowing boobs at night ...

Original poster

creamoftomato · 08/04/2014 05:40

thanks everyone.... Currently on a towel with many muslins to hand!

OP posts:

FrankelandFilly · 08/04/2014 07:09

If you are on the look out for nursing bras, I've just bought some more from this site as they are slightly cheaper, for what I wanted, than other sellers.

gemmal88 · 08/04/2014 22:02

I've been waking up in milk puddles since I was 25 weeks pregnant - still got four weeks to go so God knows what it'll be like by the time my milk actually comes in!

I've been sleeping on a towel, I can't wear clothes in bed either!

CaptainSinker · 12/04/2014 20:05

you might need to try a few brands of breast pad til you find the right ones. I found boots and Superdrug ones rubbish. best were nuk and Johnson's.

you could wear these in a loosely fastened bra or in a stretchy vest. I hated sleeping on a towel as it was uncomfy and I would be all sticky with milk.

BlowjobGirl · 13/04/2014 16:38

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Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

TeWiSavesTheDay · 13/04/2014 16:47

I wore normal bf bras (mine are from bravissimo v comfy) and I stick 3/4 pads down there. It does eventually settle down, I can just wear one set now at 6m. I also have a minimum of 6 bras so that I can change them twice a day and always have clean ones available.

This is one of the parts where I laugh hollowly at people who say bf is free though!

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