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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

milk all over the place...

15 replies

RozzieR · 08/03/2009 12:35

i know this probably isn't such a common problem, and i'm very aware that lots of women don't have (or worry that they don't have)enough milk, but is there anyone else out there feeling like a big cow?

when dd is feeding off one breast, i'm leaking out of the other. i put a breast shell in place, but unless i empty it after about 5 mins it overflows and leaks all over my bra and clothes. i'm having to change breast pads several times a day, and clothes nearly as often, and doing so much washing. i feel like i smell of stale milk, no matter how often i change or shower.

and as for nighttime...Over 3 weeks now of no night feeds, dd sleeping from about 11.45pm - 7.15am, and usually i need to wake her up for her morning feed. Hooray! But still being woken by leaky boobs, soaking wet at 5 or 6 am. change of bedding every other day, and in too much of a state to share bed with dh.

asked the HV on Thursday, she seemed amazed and had never heard of similar. it seems my boobs haven't adjusted themselves to dd's needs, even at nearly 10 weeks.

does anyone else have this, and how did you contain it?

OP posts:

Trinityrhino · 08/03/2009 12:37

I was like this with all three till they were 8 or 9 months or so
even now gecko is 2.1 and if she misses a feed she normally has then the next feed will cause the other boob to leak

I used to squeeze hard the nipple of the other one to stop the flow
sometimes works

BouncingTurtle · 08/03/2009 12:40

Well, it can vary from woman to woman, but it can take a few days for supply to adjust. But your baby is only 10 weeks so it may take a bit longer - she still has a few growth spurts to go! Think you may have to resign yourself to breast shells/pads... are you collecting the milk btw?

Original poster

RozzieR · 08/03/2009 12:48

No BT - most of it seems to be all over my clothes/bed before i can catch it. and the time taken up in sterilising shells/expresser would mean i never got to do anything else. also if i expressed on top of all this, wouldn't my supply increase even further?

will try the nipple squeezing tip, trinity, but NOT encouraged to hear this may go on for months more!

OP posts:

belgo · 08/03/2009 12:51

Have you tried Lilypadz? I've heard they can help.

Also my midwife adviced feeding from one side for two fees in a row, then the other side for two feeds in a row.

It does get better.

Original poster

RozzieR · 08/03/2009 13:10

Thanks all

No have not heard of lilypadz - what are they and where can i get some?!

did you try that advice about same side twice in a row? did it work? Can't see how it would, but prepared to try anything!

OP posts:

belgo · 08/03/2009 15:15

Lilypadz are a sort of gel pad that stick to use, and they use pressure to stop the milk. I'm not sure how well they work if you have a strong let-down though.

DitsyMe · 08/03/2009 15:21

I have ridiculously leaky boobs too. DD is nearly 2 and I still have to wear breast pads!
In the early months I used to wear a terry nappy square in my bra at night and during the day a microfibre cloth folded in each cup.
I find that if I press the heel of my hand against the nipple when I feel the milk coming prevents a let down.
I did cosider lilypadz but heard that they weren't effective for people with strong let downs.

ommmwardandupward · 08/03/2009 20:46

I am a leaker for the first few months. about 6 months last time. My mother says supply settles down faster with each baby.

I'm a watering can, me. Babe on one breast, spraying across the room from the other one. 'tis an impressive sight.

Use muslins. gently squash other breast with one while feeding. can tuck one up inside tshirt if out and about - feeding in a sling helps to disguise what you are doing.

resolve to have twins next time?

Knickers0nMaHead · 08/03/2009 22:39

My ds is 18 weeks and I still leak, badly.

Pempe · 09/03/2009 11:00

i am in the same position. my baby is 5 weeks and when he feeds my other breast leaks a LOT. I have to put a muslin square in my bra to stop soaking the baby (was getting through a lot of babygros). about 2 hours after a feed both my breasts leak, which is causing to be a problem as i get out and about more . I am sleeping on a towel in bed but it's really not pleasant.
I am wondering what will happen as my baby starts to go longer between feeds, whether my boobs will adjust or if the leaking will be worse.

Original poster

RozzieR · 09/03/2009 13:34

ommmwardandupward, there will not BE a next time!

i'm glad i'm not the only one spraying across the room and soaking towels, muslins etc.

there's also the dripping boobs after a shower thing. does anyone else get that? lovely, isn't it!

will try brutally squashing my poor old boobs...

OP posts:

PrettySprinkles · 09/03/2009 13:57

Found this www.lowmilksupply.org/oversupply.shtml I'm not lucky enough to have overspill but this might help?

Anglepoise · 09/03/2009 23:01

I am so glad I'm not the only one, though a bit surprised to hear that not everyone has this! You have my utter sympathy, OP - not as leaky as you but bad enough and I absolutely hate it I quite often soak through one pad while feeding off the other and have got through a couple of pairs a day every day since DD was born 23 weeks ago (though sadly leaking in the morning because of DD sleeping through is not a problem for us at the moment! ). Pah.

I did start with Lilpadz, but once my milk came in they just filled up and then fell off - keep meaning to try them again now things may have settled down a bit but not got round to it.

The only glimmer I can offer you is that I have now stopped leaking immediately after a shower - a few months ago I couldn't make it from bathroom to bedroom without beginning to drip and had to take pads into the bathroom with me, whereas now I can at least get dressed without getting soaked. I still do a mean fountain impression actually in the shower though.

Block feeding (one side for two or three feeds, then the other side for two or three feeds) can help with oversupply because it means that the unused breast stays fuller for longer so the message is to produce less milk (I think - hopefully someone will correct me if wrong). I did try this for a while but didn't really notice an effect and got scared of messing up my supply, and eventually decided I'd rather have too much milk than too little and just grin and bear it.

Just wanted to let you know (lengthily - sorry ) that you're not alone (and if any other long-term leakers want to reassure me that it does get better, that would be great).

Original poster

RozzieR · 10/03/2009 21:00

Thanks for the reference, PrettySprinkles - very detailed and a few good ideas in there.

Anglepoise, thanks for your sympathy! agree i'm a bit scared of using the same breast for 2 or 3 feeds, but might give it a go.

i'll keep you posted...

OP posts:

Original poster

RozzieR · 18/03/2009 20:56

No improvement...

presumably all the feeding during the day stimulates them to produce milk at night? Does anybody know what is the actual time lag between stimulating the boobs and them producing milk?

have now stopped using breast shells to catch leakage from the other boob while we feed - am using a folded up muslin square stuffed into my bra. catches all the milk so less soaking of clothes, but more washing of muslins, which is better.

OP posts:

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