Switching to formula after 4 days of breastfeeding

[MissRiss]

Hi,

I had my baby on thursday by elective cesarean. I have been breastfeeding from the start but since yesterday ive been suffering from what I'm told is engorgement. My breasts are like a pair of rugby balls. They are so hard and incredibly painful. I've been told that expressing milk should relieve it, however after breastfeeding and expressing using the breast pump, it doesn't seem to go down at all! I'm expressing alot of milk too, half hour on the pump (15 mins each breast) produces 70ml of milk so I have no idea why this isnt relieving the engorgement.

This is all stressing me out so much, I can't hold my baby or cuddle my partner as any touch on my boobs is so painful and uncomfortable! I'm wanting to just make the switch to formula now and get my boobs back! Has anyone gone cold turkey and stopped expressing so soon? Ive read that this has got to be done gradually but I just want to stop now!! Pls help!

Who told you to express? That's really bad advice. Your supply is adjusting - by expressing and feeding your baby you're telling your body that you need it to make much more milk than your baby needs, which will make the engorgement worse.

OP, this is really normal. I absolutely would not give up breastfeeding because of this, not least because it will only get worse if youre not using the milk. The engorged feeling will go away in a few days - stop pumping, hand express a very little bit if you're really uncomfortable and keep putting baby to breast. Cabbage leaves in your bra, hot flannels or a warm bath can also help.

Engorgement is common when your milk comes in, it won't last. Your body just needs to get used to how much milk your baby needs. Getting them to feed rather than pumping will actually help sort it quicker as your body will adjust to how much your baby needs. Pumping too much will just make you create more and more milk.
If you really do want to stop breastfeeding you can't just stop at this point as you will likely get mastitis. You will need to express a little bit every now and then to stop them becoming blocked and then reduce how much and how often you do it. It took me about 10 days to stop producing milk but a friend took about 3 weeks. It won't hurt for al that time but it's not an instant thing.
If you do want to try breastfeeding you could get advice from health visitor to make sure baby is feeding properly, which should help.
Either choice is fine but stopping won't be the quick fix you want.
Good luck x

I was coming on to say exactly the same as the PP!

Definitely stop expressing, that's telling your body to make more more milk! Before each feed, hand express a small amount, just to make it easier for the baby to latch and then feed.

Cold cabbage leaves in your bra after a feed (or you can buy gel pads that do the same thing).

Stopping cold turkey is likely to be more painful, so I'd try the above first.

Apart from the engorgement, would you want to keep on breastfeeding? Because it honestly does get much easier!

Engorgement is horrible OP. Hot Rocks I called it.

What helped ease it was to stand under a warm shower and gently hand express just enough to take the edge off. It would also help relax me, too.

The easiest way for you to relieve it is to feed your baby - hand express a little if the baby is struggling to latch.

Feeding on demand is the most effective way for your supply to match the needs of your baby, but it can take a while.

If you do want to continue to BF then it's very possible.

Congratulations on your baby 😊💐

As others have said, engorgement is completely normal when your milk comes in and it's fine to hand express a little to ease it but anything other than that and you're encouraging your body to make more milk which will make matters worse!

Keep putting baby to the breast to drain them a bit and your body will begin to adjust in a few days. Cold cabbage leaves in your bra in-between also helps - strange but true.

All that said and done, if you want to switch to formula then go for it. There's no sense forcing yourself to do something you're not comfortable with when there are other options but please do keep in mind that it will still take a while for this stage to pass.

That's only lasts a while as well, I remember being I the shower crying wondering how long it would last that they'd say so sore and sensitive. And baby had a tongue tie so feeding hurt as well, damned if I do, damned if I don't. But it all calmed down after a few days and I'd only feel engorged if the baby had slept longer than usual. You only need to express a tiny amount until you are getting immediate relief and then stop so that your body doesn't start making even more milk to meet demand.

Also see if you can get a lactation consultant and ask about massaging the breast when you're feeding. I needed to pump from the start because baby was in hospital and he needed bottles at night, and a nurse was amazing showing my how to push the milk down by kind of kneading with my knuckles and that provided so much relief. But I'd defo check with someone first in case that's just for pumping and not for feeding.

To be honest it will take a few days to go down if you carry on feeding, your body will adjust and just make the milk your baby is regularly taking. If you stop feeding, it will still take a few days to go down .
Don't base your decision to breastfeed on this few days engorgement that you will have whether you continue or not.
Of course if you really don't want to breastfeed there is absolutely nothing wrong with formula

I went cold turkey after 3 days of breastfeeding hell. The midwife told me to just wear a supportive bra and not touch them.

I lasted three days bf Dd last year. I already had ds (not quite 2 at the time) and it was hell. Midwife came round and I cried. I was in pain (boobs and also from the birth) and actually asked her if it was ok to switch to formula. (I know it is just think I needed someone to tell me it was ok iyswim). She sent dh out to buy some.

I was told to pop on a sports bra keep it on at all times apart from showering and leave them alone.

Boobs were painful to the touch for a couple of days. But after that all good.

Do what you need to do. I know people might tell you to continue bf because it’s the best way etc. But you need to do what works for you.

I was in so much pain I hated the thought of feeding Dd. I didn’t want to put myself through the physical pain and also the mental pain of not being able to spend time with ds because Dd constantly needed feeding.

You do you.

If you choose to give formula that's completely your decision and your baby will be fine. BUT! If you do want to continue breastfeeding then unfortunately enforcement comes with the territory. If you are very engorged, express just a bit off to ease the pressure. Don't express a full boob as like PP have said, it encourages your breasts to make more milk.
I expressed from day 1 too as I always wanted my DH to be able to feed my LO. If you express just a small amount after each feed your boobs will regulate themselves eventually. At the beginning I fed DS from one boob and expressed a bit off the other.
It take a a few weeks for the engorgement to truly go imo but if you really want to breastfeed then unfortunately there's no real way around it.

@MissRiss

I was exactly the same. The other factor was I never really planned to breastfeed but thought "oh I'll try it" and after a week I was diagnosed with mastsis. My hubby said why not go onto formula as that's what we planned originally anyways- best decision I made. My little girl is now 8 weeks old and thriving. Extremely content and gaining weight. I went "cold turkey" and wore my bra constantly for a few days. Also get some Savoy cabbage and store in fridge -put a leaf in your bra and change morning and night. 8 even wore bra in bath.The cabbage is supposed to her dry up your milk. I don't know whether that does happen but the coolness of the cabbage leaf helps with the pain anyways!! It is your decision whether you stop or not but don't feel pressure from anyone to continue if that's not what you want. Xx

@MissRiss- apologies for typos in that last message 😂 I am currently feeding a hungry baby after she slept 10.30-8 so typing one handed!! Xx