How often do you feel empty?

[Katteh]

As the title of the thread asks... How often do your breasts feel "empty"?

I realise they are never actually empty as such, but at the end of bedtime when he has taken a mammoth feed, sometimes my breasts feel like they have nothing left in them (similar to post cluster feeding as a newborn). They never feel like this during the day though, i always feel like theres some left, although after a feed they are soft, just not to the extent that they feel empty. Is that normal?

Apologies if this is a silly question, I have just always wondered the answer!

 

[Tjkitty]

Mine quite often feel empty...they are not, but I feel as if there is nothing left!

 

[Jaymelynn]

Mine never really feel empty either except after a cluster feed, like you said. I was thinking about this last night too because they felt empty for the first time in a while. Now I wonder what is "normal" too.

 

[FAB mama]

I think at that age (you're talking about a 3 month old right?), I often felt empty. However I was pumping too and felt like I would run out sometimes. I don't think I did though, LO managed to get all the milk he wanted. Anyway I stopped pumping months ago and I never really feel "empty" anymore. I don't get much engorgement either. It's seemed to adjust very well.

 

[calliebaby]

I only feel empty when i pump after a feed.

 

[dan-o]

Floppy and empty once he goes to bed for the night. They also used to empty after I pumped, but I'm not pumping at the mo, just bfing only x

 

[Katteh]

Thanks everyone! That's reassuring x

 

[9jawife]

Mine feel empty after feeding also..except for the early AM feeds.

 

[lily28]

Very empty only during growth spurts and cluster feeds. Generally they feel soft after a normal feed, the later in the day the softer.

 

[embeth]

Very rarely and when they do they seem to fill up again really quickly. It's one of the things I find annoying, they are just always so big and uncomfortable especially at night. I am trying to build up store in the freezer for when I give him breast ill from a bottle if I need to go out but only like to pump 3oz once a day as don't want to increase my supply too much x

 

[Katteh]

Do you all just feed from one side then or both? If both, if they don't feel empty, how do you judge when to change sides?

 

[lily28]

I usually feed 1 boob each meal, rarely both. I think the best cue to change boob is baby unlatching but still hungry/ rooting/ latching again.

 

[Noo]

Boob 1 usually feels empty after a feed but he only takes around half of boob 2 per feed. Both boobs are usually empty by bedtime as he feeds for about 2 hours before settling and neither feel empty after first morning feed.