Help! DS with cold Me with engorged/blocked: do I express?

[monkeybird]

Hi all you BF experts

I'm stuck and out of practice and need advice: DS3 has (another! Is he - as number 3 consigned to a winter of non-stop bugs?) cold and blocked nose and is screaming and sleeping a lot and not feeding much...

He fed at 9.30 last night, then 6am then 10.30 and nothing since then (is sleeping now) Sounds like heaven but for the fact that I've had two bouts of blocked ducts in the same place already from previous colds and feel very full and tight already...

So: do I express? Just got my electric pump back from friend but not got any storage stuff at the moment so couldn't keep milk very long (is this right? not sure I have any thing sterile to cover the bottles that come with pump)

Also haven't expressed since DS2 so can't remember anything:

do I wake up DS now and try to feed him; if he doesn't feed and I express should I try and give him the expressed milk (ah, braindead, do have some emergency bottles - could put expressed milk in that?) in a bottle? Argh! seems like slippery slope? Or try cup feeding him with it (have done that before a long time ago with DS1)

Or just express and feed from boobs but risk him being frustrated cos I've just expressed and let down is taking ages....

argh dunno what to do please advise!

(Manic) Monkeybird

hi monkeybird, im not a bf expert, but heres a laypersons opinion!
how old is your ds? if he's under 6 weeks i'd say try not to express because of it debalancing your supply. if he's older than it's probably worth it.
expressed breast milk can keep at least 4 hrs not in the fridge.
this might disgust you but have you tried sucking the snot from his nose before he feeds? it might help him get a better grip.
every sympathy for the sore breasts!

LOL snot sucking - ohmigod I'm so desperate I might even try that

DS is 11 weeks I think (have lost plot - v tired and got 3rd child syndrome: you know when you take no photos and forget their name but love em all the same! )

Not sure about waking him to feed but woudl try and feed him wheever you can even its if its a v short feed.
And I would def express. Personally find it easiest to hand express in the shower, hot water and flannels over your boobs also good for engorgement.
Poor you and DS...

ps i meant to imply all you bf ladies ARE the experts btw not that i wouldn't take advice from laypeople!

Hi Monkeybird.

For bunged up baby...try massaging the side of his nose gently downwards to encourage the flow of snot outwards. Maybe put some snufflebabe or karvol on a hankie pinned to your t-shirt when feeding (or would that put him off too much?) Also if you raise the legs of his cot at the head end a little it should make it easier for him to breathe/keep his nose clearer.

On the blocked ducts, I can't help I'm afraid as I've recently worked out that it was the expressing that was causing mine to block.

Can you get out to the supermarket and get some storage bags? then you can freeze the ebm?

sorry, that doesn't sound like much help.

Poor you, I hope you both feel better soon!

thanks all - baby actually woke up just as I finished last message and fed well but still pretty snuffly (no snot sucking just yet!)

Hoping supply will build up easily again tonight and tomorrow but any more tips for future colds very welcome still...