Initial engorgement

[weeklyplanner]

DD is 5 days old. My milk came in on day 2. How long should I expect the engorgement and painful breasts to last? I can't recall from my first kid. What about any nipple pain/initial latch pain? I'm trying to decide if some of this is could be related to a poor latch and I should see a LC or if it's just normal newborn stuff.

DD is exceeding all the required wet and dirty diapers and her stool turned to yellow a day earlier than what's considered "normal," so I know she's getting plenty of milk.

[vvvvvfee]

i had about 5-6 days of pretty bad engorgement after DS2 was born. i was tandem nursing DS1 and DS2 at the time, so i'm sure that contributed, but i've also heard that it can be worse with each child. Reverse pressure softening helped a lot- kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/rev_pressure_soft_cotterman/

Also the lansinoh gel packs you put in the freezer (obviously any kind of cold pack works but those were convenient): www.amazon.com/Lansinoh-TheraPearl-Breast-Therapy-Count/dp/B0070767DU

i also had some nipple soreness with DS2, even though his latch was good. i think it lasted about a week or so. i used the lansinoh soothies gel pads for that: www.amazon.com/Lansinoh-Soothies-Breastfeeding-Mothers-Count/dp/B002KGHUL4/ref=pd_lpo_75_bs_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=TC087PHB3TZ158XE7TQR&th=1

you can put a light coating of 1% hydrocortisone on your nipples after nursing as well.

so yeah, my vote is for normal if you have all-over nipple soreness. if you have acute sore spots on your nipples or your nipple looks lipstick-shaped after LO nurses (a sign of shallow latch) then i would check in with a LC to work on latch. and i would expect the engorgement to lessen for you pretty soon.

[saraml13]

With DS1, I was pretty engorged for about a week after my milk cane in. With DS2, I never really got that engorged.

With DS1 I had a lot of nipple damage that was not typical and took a long time to heal. BF was much easier with DS2. I'd have the "10'second sizzle" on initial latching for the first 2-3 weeks, but the pain didn't last through nursing and after a few weeks latching was fine. My understanding is that is pretty typical.

[kensie5226]

I think my engorgement lasted a week.

I had severe pain/rawness on one side b/c the hospital LC suggested football, but when I went to the LC about a week later she showed me how football hold was causing DD to drop her head and pull my nipple down. Maybe try a couple of positions to see if that helps.