Clueless with breastfeeding

[Kmx]

LO is almost 8 weeks and EBF but I feel a bit clueless. I've had mastitis 3 times now so I'm desperate to breastfeed correctly in the hope of preventing this.

I have a question I was wondering if someone could answer.

I have been advised to ensure LO emptied my first breast before moving onto the next one. When she pulls off I squeeze my boob now and milk still comes out. So I put her back on the one. If she is full up I keep squeezing my boob to get the last of the milk out and stop once no more milk comes out. This can take between 20 seconds to 2 minutes. Is this what I am supposed to be doing. I never really know how to tell my boob is empty.

 

[minties]

There is always milk if I squeeze my boobs, I've never tried to have empty boobs etc etc. I would think you were signalling your body to make more milk than it needs to by expressing afterwards? I'm not sure though, I don't really know much about how expressing works/changes things.

 

[happynewmom1]

If you are expressing a lot after feeding then yes, it can make your body decide to produce more to keep up. If your breast still feels really full after she feeds it is a good idea to just hand express a small amount sometimes to try to avoid clogged ducts. The breast will never been completely empty.. At least in my experience. There will always be milk I can squirt out. But you just don't want it to feel really full or heavy after feeding her. If you don't, then I'd quit hand expressing anything after. That's my opinion on it anyway.. Hope it wasn't confusing.

 

[Kmx]

Thanks for clearing it up. They never feel full after she feeds that's why I got a bit confused when I was advised to make sure she empties them - I didn't know how to tell. I'll stop hand expressing afterwards because I think I have over supply so don't want to be signalling my body to make more.

 

[BunnyN]

I never got mastitis but I did get clogged ducts a few times. It caused itchy lumps. It wasn't very painful but is apparently what leads to mastitis. My MW said feeding in different positions, like the rugby hold can help. I also massaged and squeezed where the lumps were during feeding and that seemed to help a lot.

 

[babyjan]

Even when my son drinks for ages on one boob there's always milk if I squeeze. Don't think you can ever empty them but maybe just give them a good feed on one side and they'll come off when they're satisfied.

I've seen a few of your threads and seems your having a tough time. Breastfeeding is definitely hard work (I have a sore wound on my boob now from my 7 month biting it with his new teeth) the early stages are hard but it will get easier x

 

[Kmx]

Thanks! I guess that clears that up then - I didn't know there would/could always be milk there even if the breast was "empty".

I am really struggling but think I can get through it as long as I don't get sick again with mastitis/clogged ducts for the foreseeable future. I've been so ill due to it and I am terrified of it happening again that I'm trying to educate myself as much as possible as I am just a bit clueless about it all. I'm hoping it gets easier soon - everything else seems to be getting easier apart from the feeding so fingers crossed once I start putting into practice the things I've been reading/asking I will see a difference

 

[BunnyN]

I always struggled with the 'empty' breast thing too. I dont get an obvious let down and I have quite big breasts anyway so they dont feel much different before or after feeds. I only noticed that my boobs got a bit uncomfortable if I went a long time between feeds. To add to the confusion DD had real problems with putting on weight so I was double guessing everytyhing (in the end it turned out she had CMPI that was causing digestive issues). I Breastfed DD for almost two years and through pregnancy. I breastfed DS until he was one so was BFing for 3 years without stopping. I am getting ready to breastfeed number 3 and I still feel a bit clueless to be honest .

 

[LoveCakes]

I find it difficult to tell when a side is 'empty' too, I usually only know when life starts coming on and off and getting annoyed but that doesn't happen more than twice a week. I remember reading it 'your milk is a river not a pond.' There will always be some even if it's just a trickle.

Do you have any breastfeeding groups near you that you could ask for help with preventing mastitis again?

 

[Bevziibubble]

Your boobs will never be completely empty as the body is constantly producing more milk. The boob will feel much softer when the baby has had a good feed but I can usually express a few more drops even after that

 

[noon_child]

I agree with previous posts; your breasts will keep making milk "Breasts are a factory not a warehouse" is the phrase we use. When you get advice to ensure LO has emptied breast, what they mean is
- don't time feeds
- don't encourage LO to unlatch if she is still feeding
- don't assume that falling asleep means she is finished, as a 10 minute nap might be just a break in the middle of a feed (so if she's making hunger signs, try feeing her again rather than trying to distract her or draw out the gap between feeds).
So basically follow her cues and let her finish in her own time. If you are responsive to her cues and needs rather than trying to get her to fit a pattern of what babies or feeds should be like, then this should be all it takes to ensure a breast is "emptied".

If you are feeding to demand, common causes of mastitis are:
1) incorrectly latched babies
2) tongue tied babies
3) over production of milk (there are a few medical conditions that can cause this to do with hormones but most often it is in women who are trying to express additional milk to get a stash or because they falsely believe their supply is poor when it is not).

Some women are just more prone to it than others but it is worth ruling out the above just incase. Are there any other symptoms such as nipple pain, damage, slow baby weight gain etc?