Engorgement at day 6 - is this level of pain normal?

[CinnabarRed]

DS2 is 6 days old, and the pain in my breasts from engorgement is intense. Started on day 3 and has got steadily worse. DS2 is a very, very good feeder but I suspect that the issue is that I have more supply than he can take. I couldn't sleep last night due to the pain (and was gutted because DS2 slept from 10pm until 2pm after a particularly big feed and I really could have used the rest).

I don't remember it being anything like as bad as this with DS1 - a couple of uncomfortable days and then it all settled down.

How much longer will it take?
Can I take painkillers?
Would expressing create future supply problems?
Should I see a doctor/midwife?

Any advice gratefully received...

Have you thought about expressing to relieve the pressure?

Yes and I would be delighted to express, provided that it won't interfere with establishing the milk supply that DS2 needs - if anyone can reassure me on that point then I'll be on the old pump in an instant!

I am no tiktok but I would have thought as pumping mimics (to a certain extent) breastfeeding then it wouldn't diminish your supply at all and you would have a great stock to freeze if your DP/DH wanted (and you didn't mind) give a bottle at some point.

Thanks Libra. With DS1 I breast fed him during the day and from 4 weeks also expressed so DP could give him a late night bottle of EBM (and give me more sleep!). Worked well for us, and if DS2 is willing we'd like to do the same again. So no issues with freezing/bottles.

DS2 feeds like a demon during the day - it's at night when he doesn't need the same volume that I have the worst pain!

Cinnabar

This isn't normal at all. It's not necessarily serious, and it is dealable-with, but it isn't right.

Of course you need to see or at least speak to a midwife - sometimes expressing 'right out' sort of re-calibrates things, sometimes just gentle hand expressing to a minimal level is right, sometimes amending the way the baby is held and fed helps....whatever, a talkboard won't help much except to say 'hang on in there' The right option for you has to be discussed with the midwife, IMO.

Thanks Tiktok - will call my MW now.

Just called my MW. She said to ride it out and come back if it's still a problem by day 10.... Painkillers but ideally no expressing because doing so might trick my breasts into producing even more.

The more I think about it, the more I think that there's a mismatch between the amount of milk DS2 needs during the day and the amount at night. During the day he takes both breasts every three hours, gorging for 1.5 hours. At night it's only one breast or the other and only for 15 mins before falling asleep.

Bump?

This is ridiculous - my baby doesn't actually have to suckle - as soon as he puts his lips to my breast the milk just starts to pour out - and the pain is still intense. I'm going to have to express or he'll never get any hind milk.

Any advice would be great.

Cinnabar - don't be afraid of expressing in these circumstances. Express to achieve comfort.

(Please don't worry about hindmilk - it should not be a problem)

Thank you so much, Tiktok. It is a bit scary.