The pregnancy books tell you that your breasts will get engorged (HUGE) right after you give birth as your milk is coming in. It makes a flat chest look like heaven. While it's fun to look like Pamela Anderson for a second or two, what comes after is so not sexy.
When I got home from the hospital with our new bundle of love, I couldn't wait to get in my own shower, put on my new fluffy robe and enjoy my first week of motherhood. I had been cautious not to take hot showers when I was pregnant because I was convinced it would hurt the baby.
So, I jumped in the scalding hot shower and to my surprise, milk sprayed. It was like Water Works for babies. Oh, how I wished I had bottles to capture the liquid gold that escaped. I felt a little weirded out by my body, but at least I was clean. Only when I made it down the hall, did I realize I was drenched in milk, again!
I quickly learned that warm water and physical contact with the nipple stimulates the "let down" reflex. For the next 8 months, I lived with nursing pads in my bra and wore one to bed until I finally weaned my baby.
Why didn't anybody tell me that I was going to spray milk, wear nursing pads non-stop, and become a prisoner to a bra? At least I'll know what to expect next time!
Camper
Taillissime
Gorgeous
Ugh! I still remember the first time I was out in public and realized I had a HUGE wet spot on my breast! I was wearing a red top too, so it was EXTREMELY noticeable. I'll be better prepared when I go for baby #2!
1wow...i'm just 5 weeks and i already have big boobies. this is frightening
2Yah, that's quite a shock the first time around. And, it was totally frustrating to get all clean and then..wait, not.
sweetnsour - You're in the best part! All boobs, no tummy.
Live it
up!
3No one ever tells you that it hurts like hell when you're letting your milk dry up either! I think that pain was worse than birth. I had heard (and I don't remember where) to put cabbage leaves in your bra when you're drying it up. I did it, and felt stupid. I don't know if it worked any better or not. It sure did creep out my husband.
4hey sweetnsour Im 5 weeks too!! its my fourth though so I could probably write these columns!!
5uh oh i am not looking forward to this. lol
6I'm fascinated and devastated at the same time. I guess thanks for warning me babysugar
7The things to look forward to some day...
8I used to carry and extra top in the diaper bag, I had over active let down, it took about 4 months to get under control.
9Did you not read
10"what to expect when you're expecting"? Best baby book, explains all of the "fun" side effects of being a new mom.
Ugh, I remember waking up in the hospital recovery room the day after I gave birth, and my sheets were absolutely SOAKED. That was sure a shock!
11I guess I always just expected it, especially when warm. I did the same thing as erinflower, I always had extra shirts, bras, and breastpads in my diaper bag or car. In fact, my nearly 5-year-old has been weaned for almost 2 years and I still leak from time to time, although now that's more due to pregnancy.
I hate the What to Expect books, though. *lol* They're woefully uninformed about a lot of stuff like natural childbirth and breastfeeding.
12I found this out after my first shower at home. It was the worst!
13ITA with greggie about the what to expect books. not really a fan.
I never felt the pain of my milk drying up because it was a natural process that goes along with the kiddo nursing less and less over time.
14wow 8 months using nursing pads, thats a long time. My mom told me to stop being a big baby,I'm sure she said it nicer at the time, she said i didn't need them. When i felt my breast like tingle,( basicly they were fill up) that i needed to put some pressure on my breast (flatten palm put pressure on the areola) it took a few times, but i got it under control, and i didn't need the pads any more. I think i used them for about a month. My mom thinks nursing pads are a waste of money. I had a lot of help though, my mom gave me the 411 on pregnancy and raising a kid. It was great, there were no surprises for me. She told me straight up, labor hurts like hell, she once told me to remember a time when I was in so much pain, then times it by 100, and that still don't compare to what labor feels like, and she was right. I love that my mom talked to me, and shared her experience with me. My Auntie was very helpful also.
Ohhh, she also had me go to all her lamas classes, and I was there the entire time for my brothers birth, I was 16 then. She called it birth control, and it worked for 6 years. I will never for get it, and it let me know what i was in for.
And now I have a beautiful 5 year old girl,and 9 weeks away from having my lil boy.
15I would've paid ten times as much for breastpads. *lol* I disagree that they're a waste of money. All putting pressure on my breasts did was make the milk squirt harder. Between my two boys, I basically wore breast pads for about 6 years straight since I always leaked. The leaking after weaning has been controlled with a moulded cup bra.
16I'm 31 weeks and started leaking a few weeks ago. It seems so early and kind of freaked me out at first. I didn't have any leaking prior to birth when I had my son 9 years ago.
I remember going to Target a few weeks after I had my first son to buy a nursing bra. My mom had my son outside of the dressing room and I could hear him fussing a bit. Then I started hearing this drip drip drip sound and assumed the roof was leaking. Only to look down and see that I was flowing out all over my shoes
I had reusable/washable breastpads that worked fine for me. I had just read recently that
you have to be careful with the pressure on the breast thing. Everything is so constantly changing it is annoying. I also just found out that they don't do Episiotomies any longer either. 9
years ago they scared the life out of you telling you it was necessary as if you tore you could severely damage your lady goods. Now they just want you to tear. aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh 
17i am so glad to read all of this. i am really into haveing a child. not anytime this year or next but after that..... i had a dream last week that i was breast feeding and it gave me the most heartwarming feeling... it makes me want a child even more. i was sorta embarrassed when i woke up. dont know why for sure but i was...???
18Jenn76...I'll take the big boobie in stride for now, but by the time I'm 9 mo I think the girls will strangling me....
macgirl--what's this I hear...no more cutting....they just want you to rip in half??? What's the rationale for not cutting anymore????
19Jenn76...I'll take the big boobie in stride for now, but by the time I'm 9 mo I think the girls will strangling me....
macgirl--what's this I hear...no more cutting....they just want you to rip in half??? What's the rationale for not cutting anymore????
20Oh the other thing sweetnsour, enjoy the big knockers. I've got some double D's currently but they look like a couple of A cups next to this belly of mine
21macgirl
that's so funny...i'm carryin around some DD's myself. so its good to hear that the big tummy will keep it all proportioned.
it's all about balance...LOL!
22How far along are you?
31 weeks as of tomorrow!
23Congrats Mac---it won't be too much longer now!
24My milk didn't come in until the 4th day postpartum. I was wearing these little plastic cups to try to help my nipples poke out more or something... and all of a sudden I noticed they were full of liquid. I thought that the little sponges inside of the cups were still wet from when I'd taken a shower or something. It took me a few minutes to realize that it was *finally* my milk. I was sooo relieved. I desperately wanted to breastfeed but after 4 days of trying I thought I was going to have to do formula. Anyway, it was one of my first Mommie hurdles.
25Welcome lilsugar
26This whole idea is so great.
The no more cutting thing (episiotomies) is for a few reasons.
271 - it's often done prematurely by doctors in a hurry
2 - the cut is often longer/deaper than a tear would have been
3 - the body actually heals better/faster from a natural tear
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