Breastfeeding Diaries: "Strap 'em Down!"

I did not breastfeed, so I had to wrap up the girls pretty tightly shortly after the birth. They suggest bringing a very tight sports bra to the hospital which you can put on afterwards, then the next 1-2 weeks basically living in it and also icing your boobs down to keep the milk from coming in. This is soooooo important. I didn't do it right away, to be honest I just "forgot" to ice them once I got home, and waited until my boobs really started to hurt before I started icing them. I think they must have weighed about 15 pounds each, seriously! So uncomfortable and painful. I looked like someone who had just gotten a boob job - they were huge, firm and up to my neck - and so painful! So make sure to pack your boobs with ice packs nonstop that first week (unless you are breastfeeding). I did not expect my boobs to be so sore. It got to the point where I sent the hubs out to the store late at night to buy me cabbage, because I read online in several places that putting cabbage leaves on your boobs is supposed to help (cabbage leaves have some vitamins or herbal something in them that is supposed to help) - it actually worked. I felt silly putting cabbage leaves down in my bra, and combined with the bag of frozen peas and carrots I was using to "ice" them - I had a freaking salad in my bra! Ha Ha!