Help - baby 3 days old and I my boobs are really engorged - baby can't latch on.......

[KaylaC]

Hi,
I don't know if anyone can offer me advice, I had elective c section on tuesday, and have been breast feeding fine since, we got home yesterday and fed fine until 8 this morning, she managed to latch on to one side but my boobs are so engorged she can't latch on :-( I tried to express but can't get much out, was hoping to just loosen them so she could latch on, I've just had a really hot bath and I'm going to try and express again now. Has anyone else had this - what do i do - I really want to breastfeed!!
DH has been out to get formula to keep her going til i get sorted.

I had this too. Its quite normal your milk has 'come in'. Try placing hot flannels over your breast before you try expressing to get the milk flowing. Or try a hot shower and your boobs may just leak some milk.
If you try to express just enough so that your baby can get a latch. Are you hand expressing or using a pump?

Thank for coming back to me.

I tried hand expressing in the bath and some came out, but I've just started using the pump - i'm not getting much out - is this normal to only get a bit?

I had it too. Just express enough to soften the areola area. A pump is probably too much stimulation - you only want to get the absolute minimum of milk out, just enough to get the baby latched on, or else you signal to your body that the milk is needed and you will be in the same position next time.

It was uncomfortable for me for a couple of days but that was all. Savoy cabbage leaves in your bra help too.

Could you cool the bath down a bit and put the baby in the bath with you to feed? If you can just hand express a bit off, then pop her on, hopefully the warm water will relax both of you and encourage your milk to flow.

From the little that I know about expressing, it's quite normal not to get much out at this stage - your milk has only just come in, and has not been stimulated much by the baby.

When do you think she might want to feed again? Can you just keep offering. Babies are more efficient than a breastpump (if you can get her to latch on).

Hang in there! It really will pass, and the more you can feed over the next day or two, the better, as that will relieve the discomfort and help your supply get established.

Here's what I used to do when my milk came in: have a deep warm bath; while in the bath, lie on your side, support your breast with one hand, and with the other hand very gently massage downwards from the outside of the breast towards the nipple; this should get a bit of milk flowing, and make you slightly less engorged. Repeat with other breast! Then try to feed dd straight away while your breasts are a bit softer.

If you can possibly hold off giving her formula then do. Giving her formula at this stage will only make you more engorged, and will also not help you establish your supply at the most important time.

Sorry, got to go - dd3 crying. Massive sympathy to you - it's a really uncomfortable time, but it should pass within 24 hours. hth

Oh and try very hard not to give the formula. You need the baby to get the milk - she will do it much better than a pump just as soon as she can latch on.

try getting in the shower and let the water hit your breasts. the warmth and massaging will eventually encourage the excess milk to come out. it worked really well when i was super engorged.

Kayla - all sounds normal, and you are doing the right thing in trying to make it easier for your baby to latch on if she is finding it impossible. Hand expressing is likely to be more effective than the pump, but either way you will hardly get much milk - the volume produced on day 3-4 is very small.

If your baby has formula, you risk interfering with the establishment of bf - it really is a major risk (babies who have formula in the first days are much less likely to breastfeed at all - the stats are clear. This is probably as much to do with the mum's confidence in bf as any technical or physical reason, of course, but the link is very strong). Call the midwife and ask for someone to come and see you to help you...or call one of the bf helplines if you cannot see a midwife.

Think it is normal to just get a little bit out for now. Hand expressing might be worth trying and then get your dd to latch on straight away.

Maybe hold off introducing formula at this stage as this may have an impact on your supply establishing and will mean that your engorgement will last for longer as you won't be getting rid of your breastmilk iyswim?

Has she fed at all since 8am? Is she having wet nappies?

Have you had a visit from your midwife today? Might be worth calling her out?

Congratulations btw!

Reverse pressure softening may help. If you Google it you'll get lots of links with diagrams to look at

Thank you all so so much - you've made me feel better already! I feel guilty for dd when she is struggling to latch on, which is making me all tense which obviously isn't helping the situation. I thought I was the only one this happened too! Thanks again

She did have an ounce of formula about 3.30, i was worried because she hadn't had anything since 8 - would you just keep putting her to the breast? How long would you leave her without a feed?

I would offer the breast more or less constantly. Can you sit in bed/on sofa together and do nothing except snuggle and offer at slightest sign of interest?

Thanks - yes I've got her now but shes not interested, I'll just keep her here and keep trying. Thank you

Second provincial ladies suggestion.

V. important you have her skin to skin all the time, Kayla - that way you are maximising opps to feed. If she continues without feeding call the midwife - it's her job

Actually, I think it would be sensible to call the midwife now --- a baby who has had nothing since 8 am but an oz of formula needs a midwifery opinion, at least.

The only thing to avoid - and this happened to me - is letting your DD get too tired and hungry to feed, so she just sleeps. If she shows no interest and you think that is the reason I would give some expressed milk on a sterilised/boiled spoon just to give the energy to feed. I was also advised to use a cold flannel to wake my DS up because he just couldn't wake up to feed (hadn't fed for 6 hours and was very sleepy). This worked for us and I made sure he went no longer than 3 hours after that.

Morning,

Thanks again for all your responses! Managed to get her to feed last night and during the night on one side which has got rid of the engorgement, and kept trying with the other side - she managed to latch on early this morning which has relieved that side a bit too

Hi Kayla - well done for persevering! This is a normal phase on day 3 or 4 - it WILL pass and become easier.

All the advise on here is true - try hand express (in warm bath or shower especially good). Once baby has feed boobs will be relieved and settle over next few days.

Try not to feed formula (unless really need) as baby will fill up then be less interested in BF (so you'll get engorged again).

Is can be very sore when engorged but it will pass and settle down. Don't hesitate to call BF councilor or midwife as learning good latch at this stage will make the next few weeks much easier.

congratulations and hope goes better today...

Oh that's good news KaylaC. Just keep offering. Get her into bed with you, skin to skin and just stay there! It's cold outside, so snuggle up and have some lovely cuddles and get dh to wait on you, hand and foot .

Have you got any savoy cabbage leaves? Put them in the fridge for a while, then take them out and tuck them into your bra. No idea why, but it is very soothing.

I used just green cabbage, even better to place in freezer then just tear a leaf off when needed & tuck into bra, you smell gross but is such a lovely relief!
Very best of luck with sticking at it, hopefully you'll arrive in wonderfully lovely place where b/f is so special, for you both x