Milk everywhere!

[Nattimam]

Hi ladies, I have been breastfeeding for 3 weeks now since my LO's birth and all this time I have been battling overactive letdown which results into extremely messy BF sessions. My clothes, bras, sheets, and baby's clothes are all covered in milk and I have to do laundry almost daily just because of that! I tried catching milk with towels.. but since she moves at breastfeeding, the milk still escapes onto everything it shouldn't be. I wear breast pads inside my bra and they get soaked in half a day, and if I don't wear them my milk goes in big leaks on my clothes. I don't know how else to manage this, it is quite difficult to live with.

 

[Angelica]

Could u express? Or would that just make it worse?

 

[Nattimam]

yes I tried that, not much difference and it is hard to time because when she is hungry (esp. at night) there is no time to spend on expressing. I am also doing leaning back bfeeding positions, it helps a little but still leaking.

 

[NoodleSnack]

Could you buy some cheap towels and breastfeed with no tops on it when you're at home? I really hated the leaking, the pain and tiredness I expected, but the leaking, the sticky feeling afterward, just really got to me, but it does improve when your supply normalize. I still leak but a breast pad is enough, whereas before it would soak through two pads easily or a towel stuffed down my bra.

 

[CupcakeBaby]

My DD is 3 months but I have to change pads much more frequently than half a day. So you should start there!

Change them every feed. It's much better for your nipples too. You don't want to get thrush.

When my leaking was really bad I'd put a nappy/diaper in the side I wasn't feeding from.

And I still have to wear bras and pads at night. As long as I put on a new pad before I feed it doesn't leak.

 

[SarahBear]

All I can say is, it gets better with time. At 9 months, I do still have to worry about my other side (the one not being nursed on) leaking, but rather than getting soaked no matter what I do, I can just put a bit of pressure on it and it keeps things under control. Keep up the good work and it will get easier with time!

 

[deafgal]

Yep, this was a huge problem for me with both of my LOs. I would soak through breastpad which never feels good on me. But will get better. It took me a couple months before it stop leaking so much. While it is not 100% perfect,especially if you are engorged, I found silicone breastpad (lilypadz) very helpful.

 

[dan-o]

I get this to begin with too, my oversupply and letdown are quite rediculous lol... it settled right down, from about 6 weeks first time round and about 8 weeks this time. I no longer need pads and never leak overnight even when LO STTN.

 

[dan-o]

Ps. When feeding in bed with no clothes on, I would drape a terry nappy or small towel over the boob I wasn't feeding from to catch the leaking milk. I also put a small cotton blanket type thing under my sheet at boob height. Stopped needing these at about 6-8 weeks too.

 

[dan-o]

I can just put a bit of pressure on it and it keeps things under control. Keep up the good work and it will get easier with time!

I do this too if I feel myself letting down for no particular reason. Probably looks a bit odd standing in a supermarket queue pressing both nipples but hey ho, it works lol

 

[SarahBear]

I can just put a bit of pressure on it and it keeps things under control. Keep up the good work and it will get easier with time!

I do this too if I feel myself letting down for no particular reason. Probably looks a bit odd standing in a supermarket queue pressing both nipples but hey ho, it works lol

I walked out of the grocery store almost immediately after walking into it today to try to stop sudden let down without having to push on my boobs in the store... Also tried to nurse Violet while out there. She wasn't interested.

 

[Bevziibubble]

Wear breast pads to soak up the milk from the other breast when you're feeding. Or you could catch the excess in a small cup and use it again if you have a lot of excess milk.

If your LO is struggling with the letdown of your milk then you could unlatch and let the excess spray into an old towel so that your LO can more comfortably feed.

It does get better in time though, I never spray now apart from when my LO leans on my boob awkwardly and squirts me in the eye!