how long will these rocks be on my chest:?

[joannek]

I mean, of course, my very large, full of milk, breasts.
Its one of those things that I just dont remember from last time. I remember the morning I woke up and said "Holy crap!, how on earth did I get these!!" But I dont remember how long it was until they were somewhat normal and I could return to sleeping on my stomach again.
Any recent mommas out there, what's your experience?

[trish]

The painfully engorged "rocks" only last a couple days in my experience. Then they start to even out to baby's demand. (((HUGS)))

[amanda]

One suggestion. When that was happening to me I always went ahead and pumped - even if it was just to the point that they weren't so swollen. I was told that letting them get engorged and stay that way could lead to mastitis which thankfully I only had once - but once was enough.

Trish is right about they even out when your baby starts to 'regulate them'.

I'm so glad you are having such a great experience last time. By the way, I still think Sara is a doll!

[kara]

Yes, I pumped just enough to relieve myself. However, I had to sleep on my back with a bra on and pads in for weeks in order not to leak. I'm a side sleeper and it was NOT fun. Hang in there!

[susheli]

Hi Joanne,
and huge belated congrats on Caroline's birth!
My "rocks" were bigger after my second (or rather, I didn't really have any after my first) and lasted a while - maybe up to two weeks? She's over three months now and I still can't sleep comfortably on my stomach ... but my milk supply adjusted perfectly to my baby when she was around a month old (no rocks and no leaks either).
I also found that my newborn had a really hard time both latching on to my full breasts and then digesting the overflow of foremilk. Hot showers before breastfeeding helped a lot, even just warm facecloths on my breasts and letting the milk flow out. Careful not to pump too much or else your body will get the message to produce more milk than your baby needs.
Wishing you courage (as they say here in France),
xox Sush

[kbunsey]

Oh my goodness, good description - ROCKS! My milk cam in rock solid the first night we were home and I felt like something out of a science fiction book. I have to say it is a blessing and somewhat of a curse - obviously having a generous milk supply. I did/still do a lot of the things the other gals suggested: pump a little or a lot depending on what baby is doing (and getting my supply in the freezer for when I return to work). Warm washcloth compress. Hot shower or bathtub and just let the milk run off. It is hard for the baby to latch when my breast is over full and swollen and it is hurty for me too so I do express a little before feeding, especially when he goes for longer periods w/out nursing. I've recently started sleeping on my belly a little b/c the pressure feels kind of good on my full boobs.

Kyle is 6 weeks old today and I'm still wearing 2 breast pads on each breast - a softer fabric pad (highly recommend Bravado's pads w/ wicking) and then I put disposable pads behind the cotton pad. I can't count how many times I've had to change the baby b/c while nursing the other breast leaked all over him. Poor baby.

Hoping you find some relief soon.

[sheri-ct]

I'm 10 weeks PP and I still have them, but Meredith is STTN, so I go from 10pm until 7am when I pump. I have just started sleeping without a bra, but I do leak if I sleep on my side.

[joannek]

thanks for all the advice!
I am happy to report that all is well, the "rocks" are gone, and I am sleeping comfortably on my tummy again!

Caroline will be two weeks on Friday, and so far is a very easy, but sleepy, baby. I have been pumping and nursing, because she is hard to wake up and feed, and i just want to get her fed and bigger! I figure who cares HOW the food gets in her, just as long as it gets there, and as she gets bigger she'll do it on her own easier.

[kbunsey]

That's right! I gave Kyle a bottle of breast milk earlier today and said the same thing to myself - he's getting the food and growing and that's what matters.

btw...I pump daily, especially if he naps trough a feeding and our schedule is a little off. I either bottle feed him when he wakes or freeze it for when I go back to work. I also have to pump at night even if he's sleeping my boobs wake me up around 3. I said "schedule" that's funny. ;-)