Tearful and engorged at nearly 5 months, not sure if I can carry on BF...

[Soph11]

So, I am EBF my (almost) 5 month old. I really struggled at the start to establish BF, but we made it and I have loved it.
Almost 3 weeks ago she started sleeping 12 hour nights, which is wonderful and something I of course do not want to interfere with - but I am engorged each morning and it really hurts!
I sometimes hand express a tiny bit to relieve the pressure, as I get sharp, shooting pains in the breast tissue. One breast is very sore and I am constantly massaging hard lumps away. It feels like I am right back at the start of BF, and I'm not sure I can go through all that again.
Has anyone else experienced this? I fear I will have to stop altogether and I don't think either of us are ready for that. Any advice would be great!

Is there any sort of support group you can go to? Or do you have a la leche league leader in your area to talk to?

Normally your breasts would adjust fairly rapidly to a change in feed patterns. However it sounds as though you are struggling with blocked ducts. I am also a bit concerned about the shooting pains, is it possible that you have thrush?

I would very much suggest that you try to talk to someone in real life.

You have done fabulously to have come so far exclusively feeding :)

Thank you, I am pleased we have got this far and hope we can keep on... Yes, blocked milk ducts sounds likely. I will find a BF clinic to visit and get some help. Will also ask about thrush, tho don't have any other symptoms. Thanks again!

get some microwaveable wheat bags and drape them over your boobs when they engorged, it'll soothe the pain but also help to let the milk flow. I got this around the same time DD started sleeping for long periods and they settled down eventually. Have you tried a warm bath and just some gentle hand expressing in the water? The warmth of either wheat bags or bath water will help to unblock the ducts and just lots of massage. Some people also have a warm shower and blast the blocked areas. And well done EBF this far, you've done fantastically well and I hope you feel proud because you should.

I second the other poster suggestion of finding a BF support group. I'm so glad I started attending my local LLL meeting and the BF cafe, helped me through some tough times

Thank you so much, have just fed her after hot flannel and massage. Also changed her position. Am now off to warm bath etc. Feel very supported by mumsnet folk, thanks!

with microwave wheat bags and the like do NOT put directly on your breast, wrap in a cloth and don't keep it on for too long or you could end up with some lovely blisters and burns to add to the pain.

Yes, I put them across my breasts but on top of my clothes and didn't heat them up for the full time or if I did, let them cool a bit first. But they particularly helped me within the first few weeks of BFing, so glad my DH tramped all over town to find one for each boob (I have big boobs :))

I had exactly the same problem and really feel for you. I ended up expressing at 4am as I couldn't bear the discomfort .

In the end I just expressed a little before going to bed at around 10pm (crazy eh) and it took the edge off it, IYSWIM!

The breast and bottle feeding forum will be super helpful too, I'm sure. Hope things improve and congrats on the 12 hour stretch!

Thank you for all your advice, it all helped and we are through it now! Phewf. 5mnth birthday coming up and EBF continues! Hooray!

Ah glad you weathered that little Storm. I found between 4-5 months the hardest time, was so glad when she hit 5 months lol