cabbage leaves

[logrrl]

Hi
bf questions...

18 days of bf in and loving it, but I have a burny burny nipple! My used breast pad soothes it (TMI?), so I am guessing that a nice cold something or other in my bra might help, even if only briefly?? Do cabbage leaves really work, and if so, perhaps this is a daft question, but which kind of cabbage ??

Also, is it normal for the breast that's not being fed from to leak profusely whilst the other one is being fed from? My wee one never wants the other breast after his feed and I am getting through a lot of bras and breast pads!

I hope these questions don't make me sound too stupid . I've been discharged by the midwife and have not hit it off with the HV, so no one else to ask.

i have been told a savoy cabbage can help, not used it myself

hiya
Great to hear your enjoying BF, sorry can't help re the cabbage leaf thingy but yep it's normal to leak from the breast your not feeding from you may find you leak even when not feeding if you happen to think about baby oh and sex (when you decide to try it again they even leak then! The good news is that over time the leaking happens less often I've now been BF for 6months and don't leak any more now
hope things keep going well for you

Cabbage leaves have a chemical in them that can help to relieve the initial engorgement that some mums experience during the first week or so. After that they tend to be less helpful, other than the coolness feeling soothing perhaps. It's savoy.

Leaking is common in the early days, but not biologically necessary. If you are experiencing leaking from the other breast, try pressing the heel of your hand firmly into the nipple when you feel the sensation start. If you do this consistently every time it happens for several days then you may find it helps to get the leaking under control. Mums who leak loads and loads unchecked can find that they end up with oversupply issues.

Sorry to hear you don't get on so well with your HV. Have you checked to see if there's a support group near you? You can check here.

Savoy cabbages the green ones

I just asked green grocer for the outers - he let me have them free.

oh and it's not stupid - it would be more stupid to not ask and struggle!

you can change HV if you aren't getting along
sometimes like any other "relationship"
you don't hit off - maybe give her another try.

I wasn't keen on my MW intially I found her scarily scatty - but when I needed some reassurance she was there and bending a few rules for me and moulded into my life.

my HV is so pro formula and I felt her comments were not right and told her that I'm sure she is a great person but I want someone to support my choices.
and I see a HV at BF group