Stop Leaking Milk
from Showing on Your Shirt
Leaking milk can be pretty embarrassing when you’re new to the whole breastfeeding in public thing.
Having a wet spot right there where your nipples are can bring unwanted attention to that area, especially if you're shy.
Even though I’ve been breastfeeding as long as I have, sometimes I still get red cheeks when my milk starts leaking while I’m walking through the grocery store with a fitted red tank top on that shows my wet spots extremely well.
Then there are times when it doesn’t bother me at all.
One time was when I was at my oldest son’s baseball game. While I was standing up nursing my baby (when you know how to breastfeed good, you can do it anywhere, anytime, anyway!), cheering and watching the game, my other breast started leaking milk too, with the letdown. A lady that was sitting next to me started pointing at me, obviously trying to tell me about the wet spot that was appearing on my shirt, but she didn’t speak English.
I looked down and saw the wet spot and told her it was ok, it’s just milk, in Spanish. Both of us smiled and started back cheering.
But I’m not always interested in explaining my leakage or having someone look at my wet spot. And when you think about it, that’s good milk that’s coming out being lost! I want to be able to catch it and save it for my baby! Wouldn’t you?
Leaking milk is going to happen, especially in the early months when your body is learning to produce just the right amount for your baby. So you might as well learn to adapt until then.
Here are 3 solutions to help you control leaking milk while in public or anywhere, and also save it if you want to:
• Wear breast pads
I’ve used several different kinds of breast pads during my years of breastfeeding. I’ve had good experiences and bad experiences.
Imagine walking in the mall or anywhere in public and all of a sudden your breast pad falls out of your shirt.
Or, your breast pads are not staying in place period. You put them over your nipples and the next thing you know, they’re on top of your breasts!
Breast pads can prove to be irritating, and there is no perfect pad, but they come in handy when you’re going out and don’t want to be concerned about wet spots showing up on your top.
I believe that you should let your skin breath, so wearing breast pads all the time is not a good idea, especially if you leak a lot. You can get thrush or an infection in that area because of it being wet all the time.
So when you’re at home, go breast pad less. Let your nipples breath and dry.
When you’re out in public there are two types that I have found to be very useful:
The washable kind , (only because I’m cheap and don’t want to keep buying the disposable kind every week or month) and Lilypadz.
Lilypadz are good when you’re concerned about your pads moving all over the place, because they stick to your breasts. So if you don’t like wearing bras, but still don’t want milk leaking on your clothes, wear Lilypadz.
Lilypadz aren't absorbent though, like the other breast pads. The milk you leak will stay puddle around your nipples. So take these off when you get home and let your nipples air out.
These come in real handy when you feel like you could be saving all that milk that’s leaking out.
Some mothers actually save up to 20 ounces of milk in a week for their babies using this….without pumping!
That’s a lot of leaking milk that’s being wasted if you’re not using Milkies Milk Saver.
• Fold your arm over your breast
If you don’t have breasts pads or Milkies Milk Savers, as soon as you feel a strong let down, whether it comes by nursing your baby or just thinking about him, press your forearm or wrist area against your breast right where the nipple is.
Do this until you feel the sensation of the milk flowing out go away.
If you do this as soon as you feel the milk letdown sensation and hold it there until the feeling goes away, you won’t see a wet spot.
But if you wait until your milk actually starts coming out and then do it, you might see a small wet spot.
Leaking milk is unavoidable, especially in those early months of breastfeeding. So you might as well learn to adapt and deal with it, either by wearing breast pads; washable , disposable or, Lilypadz, by saving your milk by wearing Milkies Milk Savers or by wearing nothing and folding your arms against your breasts to stop the leaking.
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