Question for the breastfeeding experts
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Support
Forum Name: Infant/toddler feeding
Forum Description: From breast/bottle feeding and starting solids, to fussy toddlers, discuss it here!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31649
Printed Date: 22 July 2025 at 12:36pm
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Topic: Question for the breastfeeding experts
Posted By: arohanui
Subject: Question for the breastfeeding experts
Date Posted: 14 February 2010 at 2:21pm
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My friend's milk has just come in with a vengeance - her baby is 4 days old. Baby feeds every 3 hours, and my friend has so much milk that her boobs are getting really engorged. She just feeds one side (cos it never 'runs out') and then does the other side the next feed. Which means that the boob that she didn't just feed off gets really full and painful.
So she was asking if she should/could be feeding for say 10 mins on one side and then switch to the other. My boy always fed one side then I offered him the other and he often took it, so I couldn't answer her question! I guess I didn't have as much milk lol. So I'm asking the ohbaby experts.... what do you guys think? ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 14 February 2010 at 2:36pm
| When my milk came in and did that I only fed off one side and just expressed a little into a towel or something on the other side to release some of the pressure. It did settle down but I had rock hard boobs for a few days until it settled down. Just gotta be careful not to express off too much or it will just keep producing |
Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 14 February 2010 at 3:30pm
| Yeah, I was going to say it will settle down in a few days and to just hang in there. I'm a fan of empty the boob (so to speak as you cant really empty them). |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 14 February 2010 at 3:41pm
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what kebakat said.. she will only need to express a little bit off to make it more comfortable. i fed off only one side the whole day so baby definitely doesnt need both boobs!
In the beginning they will feel full and there is no harm in offering both or feeding off just one either. so which ever she is more comfortable with. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 14 February 2010 at 3:45pm
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It will settle down. Tell her not to switch sides before baby's "finished" on the first side though, cos that could mean baby would only get the watery foremilk and not the lovely fatty hindmilk - not great for baby's weight gains etc.
When you say baby feeds every 3 hours, do you mean that's when she's letting it feed or does that happen to be when baby demands it? If she's trying to space out the feeds already (if that's the case, please try to gently discourage her from doing that if you can) then in the short term that could be contributing to her engorgement (but would be bad for her supply in the longer run). As always  - have a read of the http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/engorgement.html - relevant kellymom page 
(Although I just had a read of it and for the first time ever I'm not 100% comfortable with recommending that page, just because so early on I would be VERY cautious about the use of a cabbage leaf compress.) ------------- 
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 14 February 2010 at 6:50pm
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I was the same, I would undo the other bra cup and put a towel over that breast and it would just leak away and take the edge off.. later I would catch in a cup LOL
Cant you get wee little plastic thingys to put in your bra to help with that???? I only fed off one side at any feed (unless a growth spurt). -------------   
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Posted By: rachelsea
Date Posted: 15 February 2010 at 9:57pm
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I also only fed off one side per feed until DD was about a month old and started wanting the other side too. In saying that I never noticed my milk coming in (but it must have seeing as she is still BFing at almost a year old) ------------- DD 4yrs DS 2yrs http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: FionaS
Date Posted: 15 February 2010 at 10:02pm
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Once sided feeding can definitely work. My first fed off one side for the first few months and my second also did / does from time to time. ------------- Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley |