Holy boobs, Batman!

[GreyhoundsRUs]

So, little A is a hungry peanut The issue is that she is totally cluster-feeding right now. It's great for her to sleep for 3-4 hours a few times a day, but it's killing my boobs! If I pump in between (like after 2 hours), will it mess up my supply? The rest of the day, she feeds about every hour/90 minutes. She's getting her 8-12 feedings, and having more than enough wet & dirty diapers (thank you iPhone app!)

[HouseofWool]

I wouldn't suggest pumping. If you are becoming engorged (which is totally normal - I thought I was going to die with Sophie it hurt so bad), I would suggest hand expressing just enough to ease the pressure without triggering the let-down reflex. If you let-down, that is the signal to increase supply.

http://breastfeeding.about.com/od/br...andexpress.htm

[scrub-jay]

Her cluster feeding is telling your body to produce more milk in a few days (she is getting what she needs now, so don't worry about that). If you start pumping, you won't mess up your supply, just increase it a bit more and you'll see that a few days later. (This is good for building freezer supply for example). Be consistent though, don't pump 1-2x one day, 6x the next! You should be just fine pumping, I recommend putting lanolin (or w/e nipple cream you like) before you put on the horn - that helped prevent blisters (learned this one the hard way...) And, check out the gel pads you can stick in the fridge and then put on while you are healing from the first week or two. I'll post more from the computer later.

[Thirteen]

Chilled cabbage leaves in between feedings in your bra.
Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter!!! So awesome!
Hand express for engorgement, and if you're having problems triggering letdown, a hot shower works well. Or, your DH if he's up to it...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[moonlight]

No advice, just lots of well wishes more congrats sent your way!

[MDPhDWife]

Ditto to what Rapunzel said! I tried waiting it out initially to avoid over producing, but it just made me miserable and impossible for the baby to feed because my boobs were so enormous and hard. In the end, I ended up with a freezer full of milk but it worked out well for returning to work and having to pump there. As a bonus I was able to wean three months ahead of schedule because of my freezer stash!

[TigerLily]

I would say to try not to pump too much, just enough to make yourself comfortable. But, everyone is different.
My experience with A1 was kind of annoying. I pumped and then had to pump all the time because my body was tricked into thinking it was feeding quadruplets or something. With this baby I haven't pumped at all, I've just suffered through the uncomfort and now I don't have an over supply at all.
However, I do not have the back up supply this time that I had the first time. Which was definitely nice!