Does it matter...

candyfloss · Aug 29th, 2009, 05:19 AM

....that my LO doesn't often empty my boob? I seem to have loads of milk and very fast let down, and he very very rarely empties either boob during a feed. I only offer the one side at each feed, and his feeds last anywhere from 10 - 30 mins. At night he tends to cluster feed between around 12 and 3 or 4 and will be offered both sides.

He's 19 days old and has gone from 7lb4oz at birth to 8lb4oz, and only dropped to 6lb14oz at the start, so I'm happy he's getting enough but wondered if I'm more likely to get blocked ducts or anything as everyone seems to comment on emptying boobs at each feed!

Kitten · Aug 29th, 2009, 05:43 AM

I got mastitis which I blamed this for but things are a lot better now my milk seems to be established and now if he wants more within, say, an hour I put him back on the same boob and when he cluster feeds he does seem to drain them now. My health visitor suggested hand expressing the excess into the sink before feeding him as he started coughing and gagging at the beginning of the feed but I haven't bothered. As long as your LO has plenty of wet and dirty nappies I wouldn't worry but as for you, I'd probably hand express and put a warm flannel over your boob and let it drain into a bottle or whatever for a minute or so before the baby feeds so that when it does, it isn't rushing into his mouth and he also drains more, as it were. I don't know if the other girls would disagree but that's what the health visitor and doctor told me to do when I had mastitis.

candyfloss · Aug 29th, 2009, 06:37 AM

Thank you!
The HV did suggest expressing the excess at the start - as sometimes it drips everywhere which makes it hard for him to latch! I have been doing this but wasn't sure how much to express and would I just be lessening the amount of foremilk he would be getting - is this bad?! - and is that encouraging more milk?

Too many questions!

Kitten · Aug 29th, 2009, 07:16 AM

See I wondered about the foremilk thing too but he seems fine. I used a pump to drain it off at 4 weeks if I'm honest but I got told it was OK by some hv's and told off by others, heh. I guess if you just did the excessively leaky bit at the beginning until you're actually having to make an effort? Like mine will flow freely when he's feeding off the other boob and then stop by itself but I've never tried to hand express so don't know if the same would happen. You could try moisturising your nipple, or just massaging it like you're moisturising as that seems to make mine leak and then just let it leak into something til it stops and then let baby feed? That way you're not encouraging more milk, you're just letting it do what it would do anyway if you were feeding off the other side or having a bath etc.

candyfloss · Aug 29th, 2009, 08:27 AM

That makes sense! I have been sort of doing that - letting it drip out, then massage my boob lightly and stopping when its slowed right down. This morning nearly 1oz came out like that! Full boob!

Aug 29th, 2009, 05:19 AM	#1
candyfloss Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Plymouth, UK Posts: 797	Does it matter... ....that my LO doesn't often empty my boob? I seem to have loads of milk and very fast let down, and he very very rarely empties either boob during a feed. I only offer the one side at each feed, and his feeds last anywhere from 10 - 30 mins. At night he tends to cluster feed between around 12 and 3 or 4 and will be offered both sides. He's 19 days old and has gone from 7lb4oz at birth to 8lb4oz, and only dropped to 6lb14oz at the start, so I'm happy he's getting enough but wondered if I'm more likely to get blocked ducts or anything as everyone seems to comment on emptying boobs at each feed!

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2009, 05:43 AM	#2
Kitten Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Crawley, England Posts: 6,343	I got mastitis which I blamed this for but things are a lot better now my milk seems to be established and now if he wants more within, say, an hour I put him back on the same boob and when he cluster feeds he does seem to drain them now. My health visitor suggested hand expressing the excess into the sink before feeding him as he started coughing and gagging at the beginning of the feed but I haven't bothered. As long as your LO has plenty of wet and dirty nappies I wouldn't worry but as for you, I'd probably hand express and put a warm flannel over your boob and let it drain into a bottle or whatever for a minute or so before the baby feeds so that when it does, it isn't rushing into his mouth and he also drains more, as it were. I don't know if the other girls would disagree but that's what the health visitor and doctor told me to do when I had mastitis.

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2009, 06:37 AM	#3
candyfloss Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Plymouth, UK Posts: 797	Thank you! The HV did suggest expressing the excess at the start - as sometimes it drips everywhere which makes it hard for him to latch! I have been doing this but wasn't sure how much to express and would I just be lessening the amount of foremilk he would be getting - is this bad?! - and is that encouraging more milk? Too many questions!

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2009, 07:16 AM	#4
Kitten Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Crawley, England Posts: 6,343	See I wondered about the foremilk thing too but he seems fine. I used a pump to drain it off at 4 weeks if I'm honest but I got told it was OK by some hv's and told off by others, heh. I guess if you just did the excessively leaky bit at the beginning until you're actually having to make an effort? Like mine will flow freely when he's feeding off the other boob and then stop by itself but I've never tried to hand express so don't know if the same would happen. You could try moisturising your nipple, or just massaging it like you're moisturising as that seems to make mine leak and then just let it leak into something til it stops and then let baby feed? That way you're not encouraging more milk, you're just letting it do what it would do anyway if you were feeding off the other side or having a bath etc.

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2009, 08:27 AM	#5
candyfloss Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Plymouth, UK Posts: 797	That makes sense! I have been sort of doing that - letting it drip out, then massage my boob lightly and stopping when its slowed right down. This morning nearly 1oz came out like that! Full boob!

Status: Offline

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