Help me!

[Nunyabiz]

DD was born 5 days ago.

My breasts are so so engorged and painful. I am doing everything I can but the problem is getting worse not better.

I can't put my arms down they are rock hard. I called NCT helpline.

She just encouraged me not to pump and said it will get better, but have just woken in agony at 3am to feed DD and she has taken a little but I feel like someone is hacking off my breasts!! The community midwife was meant to come 48 hours after I was discharged but I haven't heard anything. I called the number on my papers today and the recorded message said they are closed weekends.

I'm getting desperate. I have been following all the advice but I can't cope with this pain!

I have used crushed ice to relief pain and paracetamol. I have hand expressed under a warm shower to take pressure off. I have tried feeding her little and often, although she won't finish a feed and keeps falling asleep.
My milk comes down so fast she chokes on it and then I have to burp her. (Meanwhile the milk gushes back in and fills up my breast again to exploding levels!)

I feed her laying down so she won't choke but then she 'de-latches' constantly and I have to sit up to get her to latch, which is also excruciating (I know it's not meant to be but I am doing EVERYTHING by the book!)

I just want to cry! Someone help me I'm not coping with this at all!

And I have to take DD1 to a school interview tomorrow and I feel like I won't even be able to put clothes on the pain is so much!!!! Please someone tell me about some magic medicine to stop the milk! I can't do this!

you poor thing
ouch and more ouch!!

you are doing everything right - you just need to express a small amount to ease the pressure, keep them cool (packs of frozen peas, or cabbage leaves down your bra help), your baby is still tiny, so she can't take much at each feed.

This is just how it is - and it will get better, maybe even by tomorrow.

One thing - can someone else not take your DD1 for the interview? you literally just pushed another person out of your body, you shouldn't have to be doing normal school stuff yet

Ouchy, you poor thing, hv suggested to me a warm bath with warm flannels over breasts to let some milk off, warm shower too should work, without wanting to overdo the expressing just enough to ease the pressure!

I don't think there is a magic formula, i had similar when ds1 arrived, was pumping frantically trying to get my milk in and on day 5 it did, in style!! With ds2 it didn't seem to be such a lot;

Do hope it all settles for you soon, i think you are awesome for even contemplating your dd school thing!

Thanks tanterose. Just had a major meltdown to DH at 4am he feels a bit helpless as it was like this with DD1 too but I caved and expressed which meant the engorged stage lasted a long time. I just need to know it will be over soon as I can't do much more of this. I am at the stage where it's like... No more! No more pain! Pregnancy... Then childbirth... Now this?! Why why why can't the pain just stop?
DH was. Thinking to cancel this interview tomorrow but I'm not sure it's a good idea. They wanted to meet all of us and it's kind of a prerequisite for her getting into the school we want. Ridiculous really as she's only just turned 3! But I don't want to ruin her chances. Maybe it will be ok if DH just shows up with her. I would post pone even but the head teacher is going off to have a baby hence the urgency to meet the applicants now. Anyway sorry that was about 2 paragraphs of unnecessary information! But you've helped take my mind off the pain for a while so thank you

Thanks redcaryellowcar. Glad to hear it's not just me anyway. Yes I think that's what happened DD is a big girl (9lb 12oz) and came out HUNGRY. First 2 days she was frenzied feeding non stop, but obviously only colostrum, must have over stimulated supply as now she's getting what she asked for and some! But has decided to sleep rather than eat!
I have done the bath and shower thing to relieve pressure. Just got some ice on them now.

Has she been checked for a tongue tie? This could be the reason she is having trouble latching and emptying the breast. This is a good article about it.

Otherwise you can use cabbage leaves, have a look at Kellymom for info on this

Hope you get it sorted soon - so painful!

It won't last long honey.

Take painkillers and spend lots of time in warm baths expressing a little off, only just enough to make it bearable though.

I think your milk coming in is worse than childbirth but it will all of a sudden feel more comfortable and 3 months down the line will be a. Distant memory.

Do do the cabbage leaves in the freezer and then onto your boobs trick, the smell makes you want to gag but it was the best thing that I used.

I was like this too, it is horrible. Try to cling on to how much better you will feel in a week or two. Personally I would express a bit as I am prone to mastitis. Take ibuprofen as well, it is fine. There is no way I would do the school thing - surely a few days old baby is a pretty good excuse?! You can bet the head won't be doing interviews when her baby arrives.

It's awful isn't it? Second time around I'd forgotten how painful it is.

Right from the start second time I decided to sleep without a bra and just stuck a couple of breast pads down each side of a vest top. I definitely felt better for not having my bra compress my sore breasts.

Sorry responding individually as I'm on my phone- thisisyoursong
Yes they checked her for tongue tie before we left the hospital. She's quite good at latching usually but because I'm so full she can't get a good grasp and ends up with the tip of the nipple. Am trying to hand express to release tension but there's milk everywhere! Poor baby is SOAKED!

Thanks Madame.
I will be buying cabbage leaves and ibuprofen today. I used them last time with DD1 and they did provide some relief momentarily.

Fruitpastille- I know what you mean. I think honestly the HT would understand and it's just me being a perfectionist and having to be super mum. But it just frustrates me so much I want to be able to do normal things and I would kick myself if she missed out on this school because we couldn't rearrange. I am going to go there and will suck it up for an hour then head straight home with my bags if cabbages....

Yes please call the hospital you have fallen through the system!

Pasta and cheese- I had the same mentality and bought a couple of those nursing vests from JoJo's which i must say is more comfortable than a nursing bra to bed!

Sleepysheep- I know I am a bit annoyed at the hospital. They weren't that great when we were in (had to ask for paracetamol 3 times before I finally received it... And considering I have birth without pain relief I didn't think it was too much to ask but that's another story). We also effectively discharged ourselves as when DH asked when we could leave they just handed us some papers and said make sure you check out at reception. I wish they had been a bit more attentive. I have left a message with the community midwife on the machine (they open at 8) so I will be calling back if I don't hear anything this morning.

I survived the school trip! Thanks to everyone for all of your support and advice. I am now armed with cold/hot gel pads, ibuprofen and nipple guards (it made feeding so much less painful and I now have relief in one boob!) DD finally took a good feed and I think since she was working so hard to stay attached it was wearing her out and she kept falling asleep- a vicious cycle! So as soon as this engorgement levels out a bit I will be ditching the nipple guards and hope she will go back to being good at latching! But it's one less challenge I have to deal with right now.