Help! Milk just came in, agony boobs, can't even walk, is this normal?

[Sunnydale]

Sorry to be a wendy, but my milk just came in, and my boobs are so painful that I can barely walk. They are too big to fit into even the biggest bra I possess (H cup), are rock hard and I'd say the pain is worse than the worst contraction I remember from childbirth, though it's a stinging, tender pain. Both breasts are cracked and bleeding from my dd not latching on properly, so I can't even express with the pump, only by hand, which is so slow and useless as to be a waste of time. Any advice greatly appreciated. They are leaking all over the place and I feel a bit like I wish there was a pill I could take to dry them up forever. I just wondered if this amount of pain was normal, and how long I should expect it to last. It kept me awake last night as there was no comfortable position to sleep in... anyway blah blah, sorry to go on

I found it hurt but it wasn't any where near that bad. I would strongly suggest getting on the phone asap to one of the breastfeeding help lines.

NCT: 0300 3300 771
La Leche league: 0845 120 2918
Association of breastfeeding mothers: 0844 412 2949

I had this problem with my DD and found it very hard. In the end we got help with the latch so I could feed through it iyswim.

Savoy cabbage or any cabbage can be really helpful. Do you have any or could you DP get some? Bung it in the fridge/freezer for a few minuts and then hold against your boobs.

Also breast shells might help to take some of the pressure off. You can get them from boots - can you send your DP out to get some. He could take the baby with him while you have a bath. It will make you feel a bit better and a warm bath might let the milk flow out to reduce thge sweling and help your DD latch on.

you can take paracetamol

express just enough so you aren't in pain

warm shower and flannels over them - should be very soothing

also recommend you call one of the helplines ASAP

you may have a blocked duct if you are in that much pain

Thanks v much. The community midwife came this morning and I'd hoped she might notice my boobs were unnaturally large and hard and sore, but no, she just got me to bf my baby, which of course didn't happen, as they're so swollen and hard that the actual nipple doesn't even stick out at all, which means the poor baba had nothing to suck on. Even when I was in hospital with bleeding nips (I only got out yesterday) the midwives were just like "yup, put some colostrum on them and they'll be fine tomorrow". Er, not really! Anyway, thanks again for the advice - really appreciated.

get some lansinoh for your cracked nipples

your baby will struggle to latch well if you are too engorged

hand express a little to relieve the pressure and try

call your MW tomorrow and get another urgent home visit

I found hand expressing in a hot bath helped - also massaging them to make sure you've got no lumps.

Much sympathy - I was dreadfully engorged with ds1.

I found ice packs really worked well. Half an hour before I fed DD I put ice packs on them to ease the pain, then when she latched on it did hurt so much and made them feel much less painful. I did have thrush too and it seemed to calm everything down.

You will get through this and you CAN do it. I know I wanted to just give up, you need supportive friends and family around you.

What you are experiences is not normal. Do you have flu like symptoms. Maybe its worth seeing the GP to rule out mastitis. If you are in that much agony then a visit to the out of hours GP would not be out of order.

I think that jelonet is better for cracked nipples than laninsoh. (However its just my personal opinon, I am not medically qualified.) You can get jelonet over the internet.

Congratualations on the birth of your baby.

I had this too - went from my usual b/c cup to a jj! Agony. Ice really helps (crushed ice in teatowels in a plastic bag down your bra) - then you might need a wee bit of heat or even better a warm shower (though don't spray the water directly on your breasts) will get things flowing when the baby needs feeding. Just express enough off to make your nipple soft enough for your baby to latch and feed her as often as you humanly can. Definitely ring one of the helplines and don't underplay it = and don't wait for the MW to notice, ask for help! You can take ibuprofen.
Nuts as it sounds, you can make a lovely cooling compress with tofu or quark (oh how hippy that sounds) - takes the heat out beautifully.
Congratulations on the birth of your baby though - and rest assured this will only last a few days.

I had thrush while breast feeding it was agony it may be worth asking midwife if there is a specialist midwife on breast feeding as she really helped me. As all my doctor did was give me prescription for mastitis. Would have given up if it wasn't for her. Have you got a breast pump I used one and found it helpful to get rid of excess milk.

Keep up the hand expressing, just before a feed if possible. I found hot compresses (hot water on a washcloth) worked well to ease the expressing. For the cracked and sore nipples, try not covering them up -- let them air dry, forget about a bra for the time being. Drape a towel around your middle and close your curtains. You'll have to get the latch sorted though, or this won't improve and feeding won't be effective.

A hot bath is probably not advisable if you're still bleeding heavily.

When you're feeling better you may need to sort out a nursing bra that fits, I recommend NCT shop. They are very plain, but do the biggest cup sizes available (also generous in the cup), and are as supportive as you can get.
Hope things improve for you very soon.

I had exactly the same as you and it was agony. I couldn't sleep on my side as the weight of my boobs hurt so much.

I tried everything - a warm flannel in the bath was the best. Try expressing before you feed her so you nipple pops out again. Defo need to get help asap for latch. Have you seen these sites www.drjacknewman.com/video-clips.asp and www.kellymom.com/bf/index.html

As for nipples (I had crater nipples which still bear the scars!) I found this amazing at healing them www.kamillosan.co.uk/ You have to wipe it off unlike Lansinoh before feeding though but it was the one thing which actually healed my nipples.

Good luck and congratulations.