leaky- is this normal?

[sssheri]

I'm typing with 1 hand as i bf my lo.

I have a 3 week old, my first. We are doing great with bf, but i am finding that I leak a lot of milk. I've soaked through really thick pads. At night when i bf, the other breast squirts out tons of milk. Is this normal? If so, will it stop. I can't go back to work like this!

[dakotablue]

Totally normal...I don't remember when It stopped, but I went through tons of spit up rags this way.

One piece of advice I wish I taken if you can manage Catch the milk and save it. The few times I did I got like an entire ounce. Pumping is better, but having any milk stored is also great.

I just held a cup under it.

[RaeDyCo]

NAK

Sorry, you won't like this answer -- with DS1, I leaked for 9 1/2 months. DS2 is just older than that and I am still leaking. The leaking isn't as bad but I can't go without nursing pads.

Thankfully I bought washable pads with DS1 so I didn't spend a fortune on disposables. In the early, very leaky days, I had to double up the pads or I would leak through very easily.

[neonalee]

I leak through everything I hate using disposables but I finally accepted it and bought the lansinoh ones (on subscription through amazon). They're the only thing I don't leak through, even overnight when 1 side isn't used for hours.

[Marissamom]

leaking is normal. some leak more and for longer than others. Usually it will decrease as your supply is more regulated. I leaked for about 8 weeks, then stopped. I did use the disposable pads for the first 6 weeks. I liked the Johnson and Johnson ones. cheap and they were softer than the others I tried.

[DisplacedYooper]

I leaked for several weeks after my DS was born, and then continued to let down in the non-nursing breast for several months! Pressing hard on the whole nipple region with the palm of your hand or your forearm will stop letdown from occuring if you're in a situation where you really need to avoid leaking.

[nikwik]

Milk Saver -- I've never used these myself, but figured it might be worth looking into.

[Erin77]

I bought one of the Milkies Milk Savers and it's awesome! The only thing is that it's silicone, so it warms up really quickly and it's open on the top, so a few times I've forgotten I had it on, gotten up and bent over and dumped an ounce of milk out down my front.

[mossimo12]

I found applying direct pressure to the side I was not nursing on helped to slow down the leaking. I leaked like a faucet for about the first 3 months.

[TabithaB]

Yeah. Same here. I leak like a faucet if I haven't fed my baby for a while. Or every time she cries I tend to let down before I can get to her. I have learned to carry an extra shirt in my car.

[MamitaM]

lol i was never told just how much i might leak and had no idea i'd leak while nursing on the other side. after weeks of to many laundry days (1 set of sheets) i started to sleep on a receiving blanket and now i have a small baby change mat under it. my son still wakes up all wet from my leaky boobs and me cuddling him.

[sammymama]

This was my biggest question PP! I had no idea leaking could be such an issue! I was also a faucet, and only just stopped having to wear pads at night (DD is 14 mos old). I couldn't keep the washable pads dry enough; I was literally changing them constantly and started to get a rash on my boobs from being damp all the time, lovely, so I gave in and went for the Lansinoh disposables. I don't like having to use them, but if you think you're getting a rash it seems worth it. I sometimes felt crabby about always having to wear a bra at night, but I now look at it as the best b-f "problem to have. Good luck!

[sssheri]

The Lansinoh disposable pads are so thin, do they really work? I am fine with leaking around the house and have been using really thick washable pads, but I can only wear them under a sweaty or something baggy. I am worried about going back to wok in a few weeks. I'm a teacher and won't have time to change out the pads!

[texasfarmom]

I have found the Lansinoh pads do work really well. They can actually hold a LOT of milk. I too had really bad leaking problems. You probably do want to change them at midday though. They (rarely) can get so full they will leak out. I hope this gets better for you soon! I know how frustrating it can be!

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by texasfarmom 

I have found the Lansinoh pads do work really well. They can actually hold a LOT of milk. I too had really bad leaking problems. You probably do want to change them at midday though. They (rarely) can get so full they will leak out. I hope this gets better for you soon! I know how frustrating it can be!

  I totally agree.  I tried 3 different disposables and always came back to the lansinoh ones. 

[neonalee]

Originally Posted by sssheri 

The Lansinoh disposable pads are so thin, do they really work? I am fine with leaking around the house and have been using really thick washable pads, but I can only wear them under a sweaty or something baggy. I am worried about going back to wok in a few weeks. I'm a teacher and won't have time to change out the pads!

I have yet to leak through them, though I do carry an extra set with me daily.  I sleep with them in a nursing tank and some mornings when I wake up and toss them out the pad in the side I wasn't nursing on is heavy!  If you are worried buy a box before you return to work and wear them all day to see how they work for you.

[kismetbaby]

Hi mama.  I leaked like crazy for about 4 months. . .then only moderately till my son was about 9 months old.  Now I never have to wear a nursing pad at all (13m).  You body will adjust.  In the meantime, I certainly second the rec for the lansinoh nursing pads (although I also liked another brand of disposables, can't remember which now). . .and if you are leaking quite a bit you will really need to change them once during the day.  Just carry an extra set in your purse and do it at your lunch hour (won't you have to pump then anyway???).  You run the risk of getting thrush if you let wet pads sit on your nips all day.

Good luck!