Milks in today, engorged

[kanga]

Hi everyone.

I had my baby on Thursday. He's really small and was early so being tube fed DBM plus whatever I'm expressing.

My milks in today so ive switched to the electric pump but not getting a lot out. My boobs are very hard. I've double expressed 3 times today already in the hope little and often will soften them up and get the milk flowing.

Am I Doing the right thing? Should I do it less often so I'm less engorged? Any help or advice much appreciated. Thank you. X

Does the engorgement naturally subside after an amount of time, how long?

 

[Noo]

I'd use a hot compress/face cloth on your boobs whilst pumping. Pump 2-3 hourly. It should settle. You might find it useful to nipple tweak or hand express a little prior to pumping.

How much is not a lot?

 

[kanga]

Thank you. I'll try little and often and the it compress. . I'm on now and have Been on about 20 mins and have 10ml per breast thereabouts.

 

[kanga]

I've just come off and they are still rock hard and full!

 

[Noo]

use heat first xx

 

[Rachel_C]

Could you try hand expressing or a different pump? I can express far more by hand than I could with the two different pumps I tried. Try and do it near your baby too, so you can see him or take a photo and think of him while you express.

 

[sheldonsmommy]

I agree with Rachel_C. The let down is mostly mental. Get yourself relaxed, taking deep breaths helps me, and try not to stress. If baby isn't around, a picture and something that smells like baby can help.

 

[Peppermint25]

Mine where a nightmare to pump and relieve the hardness at first. Jumping in the shower, massaging your breasts and turning the temperature from hot to cold really helped when I was badly engorged. It helped to get things stimulated and flowing. The more I pumped the more began coming out and as the days went on I went from getting less than 10ml to about 100ml then I stopped pumping all together and just LO nurse.

 

[annio84]

Try hand expressing a little first and then put the pump on.

 

[willowblossom]

Def use heat on them before and during pumping. Then cold on them after to relieve the swelling a pressure. I found that helped alot for me xx

 

[kanga]

Thanks everyone. Trying a combo of all of the above today's much better. Still working on the let down which is hard when your baby's in an incubator