How on earth do you remove breast shells without spillage?

[theshooglypeg]

Have just started using breast shells because when I'm feeding from one boob, the other leaks massively. The concept is great and should save me having to change my top so often - but so far every time I've tried to remove the shell after feeding, I've ended up with half the contents down my top/all over the baby.

Have I just got rubbish shells? They are Boots own brand. Is this a common problem, or is there a technique I've not mastered yet?

Thanks!

[yellowhousewithareddoor]

Practice, with just water in them! I used to lean over in the bathroom /kitchen until I was almost horizontal and slide them out and then discarded in the sink.

[glorious]

It is a bit tricky if they're full. I lean forward at the same time as tilting the shell into my breast iyswim. The main thing is to remember you're wearing them and not bend down to change your baby's nappy sending little jets all over them

[theshooglypeg]

Thanks, I've tried again a few times and managed to spill less, but still finding it tricky. Am off to Boots to see if I can find a less fiddly model!

[stargirl1701]

I used Medela ones and found them excellent. They are available from Amazon.

[glorious]

yes me too on the medela

[theshooglypeg]

Thanks, Boots didn't have any so ordered Medelas from Amazon.

[Victoria2002]

But did you know...just press the heel of your hand against the breast for a few seconds when you feel the let down and it will stop the leak. I didn't know that for ages and used to collect 100ml+ in the breast shell (repeatedly emptying of course) till a lovely nct peer supporter advised me. Ha ha Glorious I also used to do that a lot!

[yellowhousewithareddoor]

I tried that Victoria, back in the day, but I really did make milk for Britain (first time around I donated lots to the milk bank!)

[Victoria2002]

Good girl yellowhousewithareddoor me too-I just gave up on pumping my daily donation though in the hope that alongside night-weaning it might help my fertility return so I can ttc #2. I was mildly annoyed that the best advice I got from the NHS about my oversupply was 'well why not donate' and much later I found out about the heel-of-the-hand trick and about block-feeding to reduce my oversupply. My overactive let down is still pretty full-on though 8 months later. Anyway...hoping anyone with generous milk supply reading this will look into milk donation as I really felt grateful for the safe delivery of ds and liked being able to 'give something back' by providing milk for sick and premature babies at my local special care unit. I found it's not very common or well publicised.

[yellowhousewithareddoor]

Well done! I didn't actively pump - I just held the (sterilized) collecting bottle to one breast as baby fed on the other. I am so glad I donated the milk but I felt a bit of a fraud as hadn't actively had to do anything! Couldn't have done that in public though.

You're right about lack of nhs help. I actually got told 'oh a lot of mine that can't make enough milk would love your problem'. Not much help when soaking through tops out in public! I didn't go out much initially.

I'm glad donating was recommended though as I don't think its something many people thing about. You're right it needs more publicising.

The block nursing did help but I had to read up on it on Kellymom. I think eventually time helped as well. And an awful lot of breastpads.

[yellowhousewithareddoor]

Op - actually you sound a lot like me that you leak substantially from the non feeding breast when feeding. Have you thought about milk donation? As long as what you collect milk in is sterilized you can donate. In my case all I needed was a blood test and they both dropped off sterilized bottles and collected when I had a few litres.

Not that that helps the shell problem I know! It was something I found I could do though.

[CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs]

Not all areas accept donations - I donated with my DD and my DS1, but by the time my DS2 was born just 18 months later, my area had stopped taking donations.

[CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs]

And with the shells, lean right over and hold them to your chest with one arm, undo your bra with the other hand, then slide them out of the bottom of your bra.

And try the heel of the hand thing too. Slowed down my flow enough for breast pads to mop up!

[glorious]

Yes do think about donating, I'm just starting and it's very easy, they even send a courier for it.

[glorious]

Here's a link: www.ukamb.org/

[theshooglypeg]

Thanks all, have managed less spillage today and will try the heel of hand thing. Am hoping this is a temporary issue while my supply settles down, but if not will investigate donation.