Breastfeeding - when does it get less messy?!

[QueenOfWeeds]

DD2 is 3 weeks old. DD1 was formula fed for various reasons, so this is all really new for me. When does it get less messy?

If I don’t use breast shells then I leak milk so much that I need to change pyjamas in the night, the floor is covered in sticky spray from where I’ve hand expressed to take the edge off my letdown and it’s sprayed out at a funny angle so I’m mopping every day. I have breast pads but find them really faffy when I’m out and trying to do up my bra one handed whilst keeping the baby vaguely upright. On top of all this it doesn’t help that DD2 is a bit sicky so I feel like I either smell of fresh milk or sicky milk. I’m washing muslins like there’s no tomorrow.

Does it all settle down, or will I just be more efficient at managing it? I desperately want to make breastfeeding work but I feel so out of my depth sometimes.

I smelled milky basically until I weaned at 14 months. It does get easier to manage but I always had a lot of milk and once my baby finally became a less sloppy eater he got distracted and would unlatch mid flow - I once sprayed a lady in a cafe 🙈
What helped was

• breast pads but I didn't bother using the stick to your bra feature, I just kept them loose and repositioned after as otherwise doing the bra up was a faff.
• shoving a muslin into my bra down my belly when the baby fed to catch dribbled milk
• I fed lying down a lot so a folded towel for us to lie on to save the sheets a bit

It does get better. Although mine were projectile vomming multiple times a day until they were six months - hospital said no issues, they were just piggies who loved milk 😂

The first set of breast pads I got were woefully inadequate and needed to get much more robust washable ones. If I didn't have one on you could audibly hear my letdown and one night when my breast pad slipped out off in the night my partner was woken but with a spray of milk to the eye!
My daughter was quite sicky and that turned out to be due to a cows milk allergy and needed treatment for reflux too. At 3 weeks where you are at is completely normal and it should improve but if it doesn't frequent vomiting can be a sign of cows milk allergy.

Well that’s simultaneously encouraging and the absolute opposite of what I wanted to hear, thanks @Springadorable!

I also do the muslin shoved everywhere trick. Fed up of collecting up cold, damp muslins in the morning but there we go. I definitely don’t use the sticky breast pads - just the loose reusable ones. I’m going to try and pump whilst she feeds overnight - just a little bit - in the hope that I don’t leak milk everywhere. DD only feeds from one side in the night so maybe this will help.

We’ve got a big waterproof mattress protector, intended for DD’s potty training but I put it on our bed in case my waters went, and we’re still using it because of the milk.

@Superscientist I’m pretty sure my DH would sleep through being squirted with milk in the night 🙄. DD1 had reflux (and I’m pretty sure a milk intolerance, although testing came back negative) and so far DD2 isn’t as sicky as that, but it’s definitely on my radar as a possibility.

Haha sorry about that @QueenOfWeeds 😂 I found the reusable breast pads made me smell even more milky and felt unpleasantly wet a lot of the time - NatureBond on Amazon were the best I found. for milk collection, especially overnight. I got some super soft no seam bras basically just to hold the pads in place at night so that I didn't wake up drenched.

I had oversupply and a fast letdown. It never got less messy. I used cloth nappies so I used to put the boosters in my bra. Every feed id need a muslin and usually a change of clothes.

Even when I went back to work at a year my boobs would leak all the time.

I feel totally unprepared for this. How ridiculous! I was so ready for all the emotional aggro of not being able to breastfeed again, had got all the kit out for formula feeding again, and I feel so ungrateful for not just being delighted that I’m not charging around making bottles all the time. Nice to know it’s normal though.

I’m assuming a special breastfeeding pillow is mainly marketing hype and wouldn’t make much difference to comfort/positioning?

I remember this with DC1. It definitely gets better. I think your body has to adjust to baby’s feeding patterns/ how much they take in. Don’t give up it does get easier very quickly.

Regarding the bra, I have a slightly looser bra which means I can pull it over the breast (rather than unclipping etc) and it’s so much easier.

I found it settles down - I barely leak now and I’m 11 months in. Took a few months I’d say. One thing I noticed this time round was that i haven’t used a Hakka and I leak way less. Are you using anything similar? As with my first I think it was causing oversupply and I was often engorged and leaked way more.

waterproof mattress protector is a good idea! All my sheets have weird stains now!

I found I always had to wear a bra or I just leaked. As in out the shower, into a T-shirt for bed, then 30 mins later I’d have two huge dark circles.

I think it all got better after 2 months? Maybe less? Maybe the time it stopped feeling sore/uncomfortable. But, I couldn’t pump/express as it would throw my body out of kilta.

I definitely felt like I had it much easier than formula fed babies as I didn’t have to faff about with bottles/disinfectant etc.

It’s worth it. You’ve got it momma.

I loved my breastfeeding pillow for the first few weeks, but once my baby was happy feeding in any position and had a good latch that I didn't have to do much to maintain I either just put a normal pillow on my lap to boost them up a bit or let them slob. So if you are finding you're leaning forward over the baby or trying to hold them in position I'd recommend one.

I slept on bed wetting pads. I found it so much more comfortable than a towel or muslin.

During the day I like the silicone breast pads best as they stop the milk coming out rather than catching drips.

Pumping at night might create more of a demand for milk and lead to more leaking.

I think my supply settled down after about 12 weeks. Before that even looking at my baby made them leak like a tap 😂 but now I can go most of the day without a breast pad (although I wouldn't chance it if I go out). If I'm in the house I stick huge muslins down my top as they are more comfortable than wearing a bra and breast pads.

yes, I’m a bit worried about creating at oversupply at night @DrJump but at the moment I’m just waking up really engorged, so I thought maybe a 5-10 minute pump might just relieve that pressure? Not a full pump to drain it.

I’m not using a haakka- I tried it in week 1 but found it hideously uncomfortable.DD1 has stolen it for a bath toy now!

Reading this breastfeeding in bed and chuckling, I’m having the same problem! I’ve currently got a couple of strategic muslins but also using tea towels tucked under the spare boob when feeding 5 week old DD on the other, they absorb a lot more. If it’s any comfort that’s a big improvement on where I was at three weeks, I had to buy extra large cups to catch the overspill on the boob DD wasn’t feeding from as I was flooding the normal catch cups. I’ve got lansinoh reusable breast pads and they seem to cope with the random let downs, but no good once I actually start feeding. I had the same problem with DS and I found as my supply stabilised a couple of months in the leaking mostly stopped, unless I missed a couple of feeds. We’ll get there!

We will, @HerbaceousPerennial!

nice to know it’s all normal - makes it seem easier to put up with. And I’m sure it’s definitely worth it.

I had a big oversupply and fast letdown with both of mine, and with both it settled down after a few months. My second is now 6 months and I never feel engorged (occasionally a bit full). I haven't been aware of any leaking for a long time, until recently when I was on holiday and ran out of breast pads (which I was still using but thought I probably didn't need to any more) - I did actually have a couple of small leaks without them. So I do still leak a tiny bit, but not enough to be aware of with breast pads. I do tend to have a flannel on hand when I feed in case baby decides to do the mid-feed unlatching trick if there's something more interesting than my boob to look at 😄

I still ocasionally use my breastfeeding pillow at 9 months, it positions baby really nicely if I'm on the sofa...although I mainly feed side lying now. I used it LOADS in the first 6 months, I found it perfect for feeding while watching TV.

It got progressively less messy from 6 weeks and by 16 weeks all leaking stopped.

I hated pads. Didn't wear them. Would rather change my PJs even in the middle of the night. Put a muslin in my PJ top.

Pumping really will not help. Don't do it. The engorgement will go away by 6 weeks. It will come back as baby stops sleeping in the night and then randomly sleeps through and you'll be sitting by his crib crying because baby is sleeping but you can't because your boobs are too full.

My lactation consultant told me to only express a bit by hand to relieve pain/engorgement. You really really do not want to end up with an oversupply.

I found breastfeeding until around 4 months quite frustrating. And then one day baby became so much more efficient, and started sleeping more and I started LOVING it. You can just lie next to him on the playmat, feed him, 5 minutes and BOOM you're done. Travelling is so so easy too. And when you start weaning, you'll be grateful you don't have to also make bottles on top of cooking.

Don’t pump when she’s 3 weeks old that will only increase your supply more even if you only do a little

There's no reliable test for dairy intolerance. The only way to test for dairy intolerance or delayed dairy allergy is through eliminating dairy from their diet and see if symptoms improve then reintroduce dairy to see if they come back.

@Superscientist thanks, will keep that in mind for DD2. DD1 is fine with it now - I did the milk ladder with her once we had weaned but it took a while.

Message received about pumping - thanks everyone. DD2 obviously felt the same way and made sure she was up every hour, feeding from both sides, so I didn’t haven’t a chance to do it 😂.

I didn't bother getting one, then used one when staying with family and wished I'd had it from the outset.

I had to pump for the first couple of months and that seemed to create most of the mess. Do you need to hand express - is your baby getting overwhelmed by the letdown otherwise? If not I wouldn't bother.

I'm still BFing at 16 months, it hasn't been messy for best part of a year, I'd say.

I have large heavy boobs, I have up on breast pads pretty quickly and just washed my bras more often.

Oh - and it never occurred to me. Cleaning wipe or damp cloth with my foot (i had a c section)

Sorry posted re pumping!

Wish I'd never seen a bloody haakka - they are designed to tip over and spill.

Have you got let down collector shells? At least they go in the dishwasher instead of the washing machine and you get to keep the milk!

If you've got a bit more money to spare, we've also just bought a roborock mopping robot. Between dripped milk, baby pee, spilt coffee and pram mud it's the best €300 we've spent on the baby!