Engorgement won't go away, lopsided

[E m i c h i e e]

My son is seven weeks old. Recently I dealt with a low milk supply. I took fenugreek to increase it, which made my left produce a tad more, and my right blow up.

For almost two weeks, my right has been very full during the day and very hard and engorged in the morning. 

I tried remedies I found online at kellymom.com, I don't pump on the right and let him spend an average amount of time on it and try to put him more on the left side.

It is hard though because my left produces so much less, I have tried to increase the production by pumping but it does not really do much.

All together I have a bit too much milk now.

Would anyone know a good way to nurse in my situation that gets him full, gets my left up and my right side down?

PS: I weaned off a nipple shield about 2 weeks ago, we are all nipple now.

[E m i c h i e e]

The engorged breast started bleeding it seems my skin ripped at one spot, the doctor wants to give me meds to dry up my milk but I don't want to, there must be something else I can do? :(

[Megan73]

Yikes! That sounds so painful! Is the nipple damaged?
I would call your local La Leche League or the national hotline at 1-877-4-LALECHE (1-877-452-5324).
My impulse would be to keep nursing as much as possible to empty the breast along with the comfort measures for engorgement that Kellymom.com suggests. I suspect that if you keep nursing on demand and stop taking the fenugreek - which you clearly don't need! - your supply will quickly regulate.
It's totally normal - and fine if baby is gaining well - for one breast to produce more than the other.

[homemademom]

I don't understand why your doctor would want you to dry up your milk. What a strange suggestion that doesn't address the problem of oversupply.  I agree with the previous poster. Have you heard of block feeding?  I would try to nurse him on the right side to try and drain it.  Offer that breast first for two nursing sessions. Try not to offer the other breast until the 3rd and 4th sessions. You might need to pump the lower producing side after the first 2 sessions, just to keep the supply up. But doing it this way (which is what I would do if I was in your shoes) would hopefully regulate the full breast. Until eventually, you could just offer them both or alternately at each feeding.  Best of luck! Oh, and usually, nursing with a cut won't hurt the baby (breastmilk is full of antibacterial properties), though it might be painful for you until it heals.  I hope it gets better soon!

[Megan73]

I hope you're doing better today, mama. Have you been able to talk to a LLL leader or lactation consultant?
I would be hesitant to block feed without their advice because you've battled low supply in the past and the advice has changed about it in the latest edition of The Breastfeeding Answer Book, I heard at my last meeting.

[homemademom]

Megan, you make a good point. I hope the OP can get in touch with LLL soon!  

[E m i c h i e e]

Sorry for the late reply, my internet was giving me problems.

I did get the reply but was not able to reply before my internet went bad. I contacted two la leche league leaders and they both suggested different things. One said to block feed and the other said to make sure the left gets enough attention and the right only gets drained enough to be comfortable, but not to have him feed on it primarily because it will get really full again.

It made sense because thats what has been happening, the left was just so very weak that he nursed mostly on the right. The left is not even that weak naturally, but his side preference messed with my supply there.

Right now it is working okay, when he is patient he is doing a good job, the flow is a bit faster.

The right is still full in the morning but not as painful and engorged, during the day I am able to keep it somewhat soft.

My nipples are always sore because he has a bad latch that can't be corrected, but they are not cracked. A bit purple~ish red though. The cut seems to be a stretch mark where the tissue started bleeding, it looks like a small scratch or crack. It has not bled since so fingers crossed.

The doctor was saying I am risking getting mastitis and an abscess and since I had already breastfed for 2 months it would be okay to stop :/, not very breastfeeding friendly...

[Megan73]

Originally Posted by E m i c h i e e 

Sorry for the late reply, my internet was giving me problems.

I did get the reply but was not able to reply before my internet went bad. I contacted two la leche league leaders and they both suggested different things. One said to block feed and the other said to make sure the left gets enough attention and the right only gets drained enough to be comfortable, but not to have him feed on it primarily because it will get really full again.

It made sense because thats what has been happening, the left was just so very weak that he nursed mostly on the right. The left is not even that weak naturally, but his side preference messed with my supply there.

Right now it is working okay, when he is patient he is doing a good job, the flow is a bit faster.

The right is still full in the morning but not as painful and engorged, during the day I am able to keep it somewhat soft.

My nipples are always sore because he has a bad latch that can't be corrected, but they are not cracked. A bit purple~ish red though. The cut seems to be a stretch mark where the tissue started bleeding, it looks like a small scratch or crack. It has not bled since so fingers crossed.

The doctor was saying I am risking getting mastitis and an abscess and since I had already breastfed for 2 months it would be okay to stop :/, not very breastfeeding friendly...

I'm glad to hear things are going better! From my understanding, the latter advice is the current wisdom for oversupply. It's great that it's working for you. The doctor is so wrong - abrupt weaning would CAUSE mastitis and potentially an abscess. It sounds like you're doing exactly the right thing.
About the latch, why not attend a few LLL meetings? The leader might have some ideas about how to improve matters and it's fun to meet other moms. Has your babe been checked for tongue tie?

[APToddlerMama]

I dealt with these issues as well. DS was preterm so I had issues with low supply initially and pumping like crazy to get supply up, and then bam, oversupply issues complete with the whole lopsided thing.  What worked for me was emptying the engorged side just enough to relieve the pressure and pain and the focusing on the other side.  I also chewed on peppermint altoids like crazy for a while since peppermint is supposed to reduce supply and that is what my LC suggested to me.  Seven weeks is still early in the game.  It probably took three months for me to work out the over/under supply issues.  Hang in there. 

[E m i c h i e e]

Originally Posted by Megan73 


I'm glad to hear things are going better! From my understanding, the latter advice is the current wisdom for oversupply. It's great that it's working for you. The doctor is so wrong - abrupt weaning would CAUSE mastitis and potentially an abscess. It sounds like you're doing exactly the right thing.
About the latch, why not attend a few LLL meetings? The leader might have some ideas about how to improve matters and it's fun to meet other moms. Has your babe been checked for tongue tie?

Yeah I think going to a meeting would be a good idea. It is a bit hard for me to get to though because we don't have a car and it is a bit far. So I have bee going to WIC breastfeeding classes and the lady there said I might always have sore nipple because his tongue looks heart shaped when he sticks it out, as if he would have a tongue tie, but it was corrected and re-checked...she said to be on Tylenol and grin and bear it..but there must be a way I can improve it at least a bit??

Originally Posted by APToddlerMama 

I dealt with these issues as well. DS was preterm so I had issues with low supply initially and pumping like crazy to get supply up, and then bam, oversupply issues complete with the whole lopsided thing.  What worked for me was emptying the engorged side just enough to relieve the pressure and pain and the focusing on the other side.  I also chewed on peppermint altoids like crazy for a while since peppermint is supposed to reduce supply and that is what my LC suggested to me.  Seven weeks is still early in the game.  It probably took three months for me to work out the over/under supply issues.  Hang in there. 

Oh wow....I hope mine regulates soon, I have had so many ups and downs and he is frustrated either way, my flow is never right it seems.

I do drink peppermint tea daily....did not know it can reduce supply..hmm.

I was engorged again this morning but at least it is okay during the day.

My let down has gotten very powerful it seems, I freak out when it sprays all over the place, he randomly pulls off and it gets all over him and me, thick streams that spray far  
 

[~Adorkable~]

i just want to give you a hug and hopeful though that i have drastically different supplies on each side, my left was slow to let down, slow flow and less over all, but in time it really balanced out and my babes have no issues drinking form with side 9 the right was fast and furious from the start and was a issue a bit in the beginning like yours.

the baby will train it, i was amazed how that all works

[E m i c h i e e]

Originally Posted by ~Adorkable~ 

i just want to give you a hug and hopeful though that i have drastically different supplies on each side, my left was slow to let down, slow flow and less over all, but in time it really balanced out and my babes have no issues drinking form with side 9 the right was fast and furious from the start and was a issue a bit in the beginning like yours.

the baby will train it, i was amazed how that all works

Thank you! :)

The flow is much better on the left now and he is less fussy and willing to work with it.

My engorgement is better, I'm just really full in the morning now, but nothing painful.