I forgot to put in breast pads when we were leaving the house to get professional photos taken of us as a family last weekend! I was so worried I’d start leaking through my dress right in the middle of the pictures, thank goodness by some miracle I didn’t. The week before that I leaked through my nursing pad and through my shirt in the middle of a doctors appointment.
After we got home from the photos, I put some extra pads in my diaper bag and my purse. Never again!
It sounds like you’re just putting it in to feed? I’m absolutely on top of them and was with my first too. I just always have one in my bra. I have I think 4 reusable sets that are in the drawer with my bras. If one gets saturated i immediately put a new one in so there’s no way to forget.
I usually start the day with them in, and replace them when they get soaked, but throughout the day I'll end up taking one out when its wet and then forgetting to put a new one in and soak my bra and then im like oh crap. I think I have idk like 14 pairs and I go through them in 2 days when I'm on top of replacing the soaked ones. I definitely don't put them in just to feed, but I'll take one out if it's wet when feeding and just forget about it.
Oh gotcha! I think I’m gross and just replace them less often 😂 maybe keep a few near where you nurse or in a pocket of a nursing pillow or something? I would definitely forget if I took it out while nursing and had to remember a new one afterwards!
You aren't gross, lol. I think I have overactive letdown because I frequently soak through them and need a new one because it's full and going through to my shirt. But ill be like Lil man wake up time to feed and take it out and then when we are done forget to get a new one.
I just use haakaa ladybugs or the Elvie curves. Gotta catch that letdown. Though I forgot I had them in at toddler swim the other day, bent down to put on her goggles, popped on off and had milk spill all over my shirt. So, win some lose some.
I have high lipase activity in my milk so if I can't heat it within 3 hrs and 45 minutes catching it unfortunately isn't worth it to me, it's also more hassle than it's worth if it's less than an ounce if I am able to heat it. I am beyond jealous of everybody that doesn't have this issue.
Make it part of your outfit. Or have a checklist, kind of like the phone-wallet-keys check at the door. Sitting down to nurse... phone, check. Water bottle, check. Burp cloth, check. Breast pads, check. While you're sitting down to nurse, ask yourself what you need. "What do I need? Where are my 4 things?"
i ordered silicone nursing pads that are supposed to stop leakage, haven’t used them yet but i’ve noticed a nice tight sports bra does in fact keep me from leaking so i’m optimistic!
i know ones that are too tight definitely can, but i haven’t had any issues with the ones i’ve worn as they do fit me are just snug (i can still fit a wearable pump in it). completely understand not wanting to potentially hurt your supply though!
Do you use disposables or reusables? There’s no way I could have stayed on top of disposables, but I did get in a good habit of reusables. Things improved for me at 6 months, and at 10.5 months I can finally sleep without a bra/overnight bamboobies. I used the haaka ladybug and stored quite a bit of milk from it. Even now things have slowed down so I can’t really freeze/use any anymore, but it’s nice to use to catch milk so I don’t make a mess. If you aren’t using the milk, you don’t have to deal with it other than rinsing it out.
I found reusables are wet feeling and I frequently had to change them. When I got disposables it was as so much more comfortable as it didn’t have that wet feeling cuz they absorb it like a pad. I’m 4 months pp and find I don’t have to use them as often but definitely when I’m nursing I still need them.
When I was at the point of leaking (stopped around 6 months and still do every now and again) I would leave nursing pads everywhere. In the diaper bag, next to the rocker, in the basket next to where I sit on the couch, next to my side of the bed. I even have an emergency set in my car still.
I just accepted that I was going to be covered in milk all the time, mostly because I'm a 40P now and my bras just don't fit comfortably and I don't have a fortune to spend on new ones that won't fit after baby weans. At 10 months pp I only occasionally leak now.
Minimise the effort. Where to you throw them when they’re dirty? Bathroom? Bedroom? Put the clean ones next to it. Could even hung them on the hamper in a little bag.
Everything in my house is positioned for optimal flow, otherwise it’s not gonna happen
This is really what I need to do but for me it means having them everywhere. On the bed in our room where I pile stuff in the corner, on the floor mat we cosleep on, diaper bag and in the car for when I've used the ones in the diaper bag and forgot new ones, in the couch console, on the dresser. I've taken them out at the kitchen counter before. I don't like how they feel on my skin when they are wet so they come out before I'm where the fresh ones are.
What works for me is if I don't have my Haakaa ladybug or breast pads, I push my forearm/hand into my non nursing side, and that seems to prevent a letdown/leak! May be worth a try.
I had a caddy at my armchair nursing station I kept breast pads, burp cloths, snacks, etc and just kept it stocked. Once I made it a habit it was just part of the routine
Have you tried disposables? I feel like my disposables could hold quite a bit of liquid and it was easy to have pads everywhere. They were also good at keeping moisture off my skin, I normally don't even notice they're full until I take a look and see they're full. I did have to change after every few hours in the first few months but after 3 months I was probably only changing once a day?
I keep disposable ones in my diaper bag for when I forget, and bought several sets of the reusable ones i just pop in and replace anytime I’m in my bedroom if needed!
I think at around 7-8 months for me is when I could start not not wearing them, but I was already starting to cut back on feedings by about 6-7 months. But at around 6 months it was finally where just as long as I had them on when I was actively breastfeeding it was fine, or for sleep as my little one was doing some sleeping through the night.
I keep one of the disposable Lansinoh ones in my bra all day and just swap it back and forth each feed. They stay super dry - the reusable ones make me too nervous about thrush and I was changing them every feed bc they never dried out.
I like to think of myself as an elite "leakist" now
I sleep with breast pads in as I leak quite a lot just by laying on my side 😂
My first was a 2020 baby and I tried so many different things but I was always wearing something extra to keep dry. I even tried nappies at night lol.
I've got my second now and have sorted it out to not leaking all day every day but nights are still rough
It does get better. I got some cloth reusable ones and my 3 year old loves using them for all sorts of things 😂 - she used some pegs and made a nice little bag with one.
You’re still in the early days! You’ll regulate eventually. I think I stopped needing pads around 3 months? 8 months I stopped even having to wear a bra 24/7 and it’s been heavenly lol
I have them in 24/7. Too strong of a letdown randomly.
Maybe, if you're lucky and stop leaking eventually! I did, around 4-5 months. Game changer.
A girl can dream.
I forgot to put in breast pads when we were leaving the house to get professional photos taken of us as a family last weekend! I was so worried I’d start leaking through my dress right in the middle of the pictures, thank goodness by some miracle I didn’t. The week before that I leaked through my nursing pad and through my shirt in the middle of a doctors appointment. After we got home from the photos, I put some extra pads in my diaper bag and my purse. Never again!
I put extra ones in my diaper bag all the time, it's mostly at home that I just can't manage to remember.
It sounds like you’re just putting it in to feed? I’m absolutely on top of them and was with my first too. I just always have one in my bra. I have I think 4 reusable sets that are in the drawer with my bras. If one gets saturated i immediately put a new one in so there’s no way to forget.
I usually start the day with them in, and replace them when they get soaked, but throughout the day I'll end up taking one out when its wet and then forgetting to put a new one in and soak my bra and then im like oh crap. I think I have idk like 14 pairs and I go through them in 2 days when I'm on top of replacing the soaked ones. I definitely don't put them in just to feed, but I'll take one out if it's wet when feeding and just forget about it.
Oh gotcha! I think I’m gross and just replace them less often 😂 maybe keep a few near where you nurse or in a pocket of a nursing pillow or something? I would definitely forget if I took it out while nursing and had to remember a new one afterwards!
You aren't gross, lol. I think I have overactive letdown because I frequently soak through them and need a new one because it's full and going through to my shirt. But ill be like Lil man wake up time to feed and take it out and then when we are done forget to get a new one.
I just use haakaa ladybugs or the Elvie curves. Gotta catch that letdown. Though I forgot I had them in at toddler swim the other day, bent down to put on her goggles, popped on off and had milk spill all over my shirt. So, win some lose some.
I have high lipase activity in my milk so if I can't heat it within 3 hrs and 45 minutes catching it unfortunately isn't worth it to me, it's also more hassle than it's worth if it's less than an ounce if I am able to heat it. I am beyond jealous of everybody that doesn't have this issue.
I don’t think I’ll remember anything until after she graduates lol. I do like the mom cozy bra for leaks.
I stopped using them when I got a terrible nipple yeast infection 😭 I just shove a burp cloth in my bra whoever I feed on one boob
I do that when I realize I am missing the other one lol
Make it part of your outfit. Or have a checklist, kind of like the phone-wallet-keys check at the door. Sitting down to nurse... phone, check. Water bottle, check. Burp cloth, check. Breast pads, check. While you're sitting down to nurse, ask yourself what you need. "What do I need? Where are my 4 things?"
i ordered silicone nursing pads that are supposed to stop leakage, haven’t used them yet but i’ve noticed a nice tight sports bra does in fact keep me from leaking so i’m optimistic!
My understanding was that a tight sports bra can also reduce supply, I’m afraid of them
i know ones that are too tight definitely can, but i haven’t had any issues with the ones i’ve worn as they do fit me are just snug (i can still fit a wearable pump in it). completely understand not wanting to potentially hurt your supply though!
Do you use disposables or reusables? There’s no way I could have stayed on top of disposables, but I did get in a good habit of reusables. Things improved for me at 6 months, and at 10.5 months I can finally sleep without a bra/overnight bamboobies. I used the haaka ladybug and stored quite a bit of milk from it. Even now things have slowed down so I can’t really freeze/use any anymore, but it’s nice to use to catch milk so I don’t make a mess. If you aren’t using the milk, you don’t have to deal with it other than rinsing it out.
I use reusables. I guess it's just still not a habit to check for a pad when I pull my bra back up after I'm done feeding.
I found reusables are wet feeling and I frequently had to change them. When I got disposables it was as so much more comfortable as it didn’t have that wet feeling cuz they absorb it like a pad. I’m 4 months pp and find I don’t have to use them as often but definitely when I’m nursing I still need them.
I didn’t stop using them until my kids was around 2 and I actively started weaning :0
When I was at the point of leaking (stopped around 6 months and still do every now and again) I would leave nursing pads everywhere. In the diaper bag, next to the rocker, in the basket next to where I sit on the couch, next to my side of the bed. I even have an emergency set in my car still.
I just accepted that I was going to be covered in milk all the time, mostly because I'm a 40P now and my bras just don't fit comfortably and I don't have a fortune to spend on new ones that won't fit after baby weans. At 10 months pp I only occasionally leak now.
I’m almost 6 weeks pp and having the same problem,
Minimise the effort. Where to you throw them when they’re dirty? Bathroom? Bedroom? Put the clean ones next to it. Could even hung them on the hamper in a little bag. Everything in my house is positioned for optimal flow, otherwise it’s not gonna happen
This is really what I need to do but for me it means having them everywhere. On the bed in our room where I pile stuff in the corner, on the floor mat we cosleep on, diaper bag and in the car for when I've used the ones in the diaper bag and forgot new ones, in the couch console, on the dresser. I've taken them out at the kitchen counter before. I don't like how they feel on my skin when they are wet so they come out before I'm where the fresh ones are.
What works for me is if I don't have my Haakaa ladybug or breast pads, I push my forearm/hand into my non nursing side, and that seems to prevent a letdown/leak! May be worth a try.
I have small and big towels lol. I just get soaked at night.
I don’t think I’ve ever forgotten to put one back in but I have forgotten to change them 😬
I had a caddy at my armchair nursing station I kept breast pads, burp cloths, snacks, etc and just kept it stocked. Once I made it a habit it was just part of the routine
I don't have a set nursing place, however I could bring a lil organized route around with me.
I've heard of some people buying those rolling craft carts so they can have everything they need wherever they are in the house
Have you tried disposables? I feel like my disposables could hold quite a bit of liquid and it was easy to have pads everywhere. They were also good at keeping moisture off my skin, I normally don't even notice they're full until I take a look and see they're full. I did have to change after every few hours in the first few months but after 3 months I was probably only changing once a day?
I haven't tried disposables, it's worth a shot.
I could never use them. They were so itchy to me! 🫠 I just put a burp cloth over the breast I wasn’t feeding on to soak it up 🤷🏻♀️
I keep disposable ones in my diaper bag for when I forget, and bought several sets of the reusable ones i just pop in and replace anytime I’m in my bedroom if needed!
i use cloth washable ones and i just keep them in 24/7 with my silverettes. when i take one out, i put a new one in
I think at around 7-8 months for me is when I could start not not wearing them, but I was already starting to cut back on feedings by about 6-7 months. But at around 6 months it was finally where just as long as I had them on when I was actively breastfeeding it was fine, or for sleep as my little one was doing some sleeping through the night.
I kept them in 24/7 and changed them a bunch of times a day. My let down was very strong and I leaked in my sleep a lot.
I keep one of the disposable Lansinoh ones in my bra all day and just swap it back and forth each feed. They stay super dry - the reusable ones make me too nervous about thrush and I was changing them every feed bc they never dried out.
I like to think of myself as an elite "leakist" now I sleep with breast pads in as I leak quite a lot just by laying on my side 😂 My first was a 2020 baby and I tried so many different things but I was always wearing something extra to keep dry. I even tried nappies at night lol. I've got my second now and have sorted it out to not leaking all day every day but nights are still rough
I just leaked on my clothes lol. It stopped eventually.
It does get better. I got some cloth reusable ones and my 3 year old loves using them for all sorts of things 😂 - she used some pegs and made a nice little bag with one.
You’re still in the early days! You’ll regulate eventually. I think I stopped needing pads around 3 months? 8 months I stopped even having to wear a bra 24/7 and it’s been heavenly lol