Sorry, couldn't think of a subject line!

Basically I am blimmin fed up with BF and if it wasn't for the fact that it is best for Robert, I would've given up ages ago!!

The main thing I hate is that Robert and I always end up in such a mess!!

My boobs are so uber sensitive or uber stupid, that Robert sometimes doesn't even need to feed or even cry for them to be literally squirting out milk like a pair of super-soaker water pistols! Then when he does feed, he has a reasonably good latch, but guzzles so fast that he has to keep 'coming up for air' causing my boob to squirt even more, and he sometimes forgets to swallow his last mouthfull, dribbling it all over me and himself. Add to that the fact that my other boob is by then also leaking so fast that I have to change breast pads mid feed - I just feel like such a mess as my bra, clothes and body get so covered in my own breast milk that I hardly see the point in washing anymore as I'll just get freshly covered when he has his next feed. ~(though obv I do wash anyway!) Even our bed and sofa havent escaped getting a dousing!!

Because of this I can't BF in public, or at anyone elses house and have to express into a bottle instead!

It's really gettin me down and I don't know what to do about it! :cry:

Ah bless you hon. It sounds like you have a really fast let down. My boobs are like that too and if he comes off mid feed (like he usually does) then it looks like mini hosepipes or something, often more than one in each nip, (TMI!) lol!
I use loads of muslins and never go anywhere without at least one and/or a feeding bib for lo. If I am only using a muslin I make sure to put it between me and him before he latches on so it covers my clothes and his and then if he comes off I use the rest of it to shove over the water pistol nip. This tends to work okay but you have to remember to always have it to hand and to put it in place before he goes on. My other boob will sometimes leak when he is on the other side but if I have breastpads in it usually contains it, You could always use two breastpads instead of one?
My lo is also a great fan of not swallowing it all and letting it dribble out onto me or him! He will break off and send the hosepipe spraying then finish off by smiling at me and dribbling some more, lol.
I know some people say to express a bit before you start feeding to try and slow the flow a bit but this will increase your supply and could make it worse. Leaning back rather than forward when you feed should help a bit though.
My let down may not be as fast as yours but I do bf in public and family/friends houses, just with an extra muslin so one to put between us and one to cover up or I pop a bib on him. We did manage to spray a friend's sofa before Christmas but no one noticed so I kept quiet cos you couldn't tell (she wouldn't have minded anyway, it has plenty of drink spilt on it at parties)!! Ours is wipeclean so I just sponge it down every now and then!

Please don't feel down about it all, you are doing a fantastic job and as you say it is best for your little man. Yes your washing machine has to work a bit harder and you and Robert might have more than one outfit a day each but it is not forever and your boobs should settle down a bit. The good news is that it shouldn't take as long to do each feed so at least you shouldn't be stuck on the sofa/bed all day and night! If it is seriously getting you down then you could look at combination feeding so you ff for some of the feeds and carry on bf the rest?

Take care and try to be proud of your super efficient boobies!!

Tam xx

Oh bless you. Please don't get yourself down about it. You don't say how old robert is? If he is still quite young it maybe that your body needs to settle down and adjust to the amount of milk your body needs to make to feed him. I use to be so full when Keira was new born, I would leek constanly and be soaked. and always full. Now she is 16 weeks old I don't have this problem.

Sorry I don't really know what else to put. I jsut didn't want to read and run.

Hope it all settles down for you soon.

Sounds like you're having a horrible time with it. I'm afraid I don't really have any advice to offer but didn't want to r&r. You haven't said how old Robert is- is it possible that it might settle down a bit as he gets older?

I hope you find a solution soon.

I can sympathise, I was exactly the same when Barney was little. If I was going in the shower I had to take my bra off at the last possible second or I would end up standing in a puddle in the bathroom!! For me it did settle down at around 3 months so hopefully it will stop for you too.
xx

hugs hun! i was like that with my first milk every where!!!! it hasnt been so bad with freya but still if she comes off mid flow as she very often does especialy when we are out! she gets a good squirting. you will find that it settles down in time as you fully adjust to supply and demand.

the only thing that i can think of that might help is if you try to feed lying on your back as it will slow your let down down. it might be a bit tricky to master at first but it can be done, obviously you cant do it when you are out, but when you are home it miht save you both the soaking.
good luck hun, if you can stick it out it will get easier and less messy i promise. xxx

like the others say it sounds as though you have a fast letdown and it will settle!!how old is robert?i had this too and grace would get soaked if she ever let go midfeed!! xxx

I suffered this problem as well and used to squirt, my lo used choke because he couldnt handle the strong letdown and come off and spray him in his face and everywhere else! It soon settled down but still spray sometimes when he comes off to have a nosey just i get my letdown! ahh!
It will settle down and get a lot better, hope it will soon for you xx

Thanks girls - will def try all the advice suggested - it's all worth a go!!

Robert is 5 weeks old tomorrow so he's still very little, so here's hoping it will settle down later on! Good (in a way) to know I'm not the only one though!

Now just my potentially very split stitches to worry about..................lol! (It never ends does it! )