Too much milk
When it comes to milk production I am a champ to the point of embarrassment. Yesterday all of my nursing pads were in the wash. I was at home alone so I figured I’d just hang out and if I leaked a little it was no big deal. I was wrong. Within 20 minutes my entire belly was soaked and I had huge wet circles on my shirt reaching from my breast to my waist.
This extra milk production is probably the cause of my mastitis. Ben eats when he’s hungry and I can’t force him to take any more when he’s not. I haven’t been engorged this past week, but I’ve definitely been full and block nursing is the only way to ensure each breast gets emptied. That means one side is visibly larger than the other and depending on how long he waits between feedings, one side is noticeably lumpier and wetter than the other. I can’t pump for relief since that will just encourage production, so when he nurses on one side I have to make sure I have a burp cloth nearby to catch the drips that sometimes soak through my nursing pads.
Since Ben’s my second child I’m better at anticipating my flow so I’m less likely to squirt milk across the room when he latches. But I still have no way of controlling the flow when he unexpectedly lets go mid-feeding. The poor little guy’s hair is often plastered to his head with breastmilk.
The biggest problem is that the force of the flow laves little Benny gaping for breath and gassy. The kid can burp like a trucker.
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June 6th, 2008 at 8:05 am
That’s really fabulous….I’m sure you don’t think so while in your wet shirt, but I’m glad you have ample milk for him! Yay for no squirting. I hope you can keep that pesky mastitis at bay!
June 6th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I had the exact same problems in the first month or so; I was never clean and dry for more than 15 minutes. I had a few-day period where my boy would only take one breast and where both would be super full in the morning; the lactation consultant from my hospital said I could pump just a little to relieve some fullness, just not to sit and allow the pump to empty the breast. It worked well enough without seeming to cause any further excessive production issues.
June 6th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I have the same problem.
Can I aks what kind of breast pads you use, I don’t like the kind I have now and would love a recommendation.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:03 am
I’m sorry you’re having a hard time, but… I am so jealous! (We’ve always had to supplement.)