I just had my baby on the 19th and we've been working really hard at breastfeeding. She wouldn't latch on at first but after a few rough days we finally got the hang of it for the most part.
Now I seem to have SO much milk, I don't know what to do. I'm not sure what's normal and what's not since I've never breastfed anyone before. When she nurses there is milk all over, we soak everything! She has no problem drinking what's coming out of the boob she's on, unless she's just comfort sucking then she'll spit it all out. And the other side pours milk out at the same time soaking everything! She's gaining weight and having plenty of wet diapers (though a lack of poopy ones).
I feel like I can't go out in public because my shirts are constantly soaked no matter how much I stuff my bra, even if she's just nursed half an hour ago they're already almost engorged in a short period of time! Pumping out all the excess helps temporarily, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not. I'm afraid it might cause my body to think it needs to make even more milk or something. My breasts get sore so easily, they feel bruised. They're aren't really any hard lumps or anything, they're just tender all over from having so much milk (I think.) At night I can't hardly sleep due to the tenderness and the leakage. I stuff a towel in my shirt and wake up an hour later with it soaked! The baby cannot eat that much milk, she will easily sleep 4 hours at night without wanting to nurse.
I feel like we're drowning in milk over here. Is this normal for the first few weeks until things even out, or is there something I can do to make it stop??? I would love to go somewhere or do something without constantly being soaked in milk.
Now I seem to have SO much milk, I don't know what to do. I'm not sure what's normal and what's not since I've never breastfed anyone before. When she nurses there is milk all over, we soak everything! She has no problem drinking what's coming out of the boob she's on, unless she's just comfort sucking then she'll spit it all out. And the other side pours milk out at the same time soaking everything! She's gaining weight and having plenty of wet diapers (though a lack of poopy ones).
I feel like I can't go out in public because my shirts are constantly soaked no matter how much I stuff my bra, even if she's just nursed half an hour ago they're already almost engorged in a short period of time! Pumping out all the excess helps temporarily, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not. I'm afraid it might cause my body to think it needs to make even more milk or something. My breasts get sore so easily, they feel bruised. They're aren't really any hard lumps or anything, they're just tender all over from having so much milk (I think.) At night I can't hardly sleep due to the tenderness and the leakage. I stuff a towel in my shirt and wake up an hour later with it soaked! The baby cannot eat that much milk, she will easily sleep 4 hours at night without wanting to nurse.
I feel like we're drowning in milk over here. Is this normal for the first few weeks until things even out, or is there something I can do to make it stop??? I would love to go somewhere or do something without constantly being soaked in milk.
Sounds counterproductive I know, but what you are doing is encouraging a larger supply. At least that's what it sounds like to me. What you might try is nursing your baby from one side and then only expressing enough milk from your other breast to release some of the tention and take it down a notch under rock hard status.
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