Have a baby. Expect your breasts to become bulbous milk-producing mountains. Experts call this breast engorgement and it’s just one of the many things to look forward to post-partum.
While some mums’ milk may come in at a normal rate, others notice their breastmilk has zero chill and decides to rage through their bodies at rapid speed.
Three babies, triple the milk!Â
One such mum is Linda. She recently gave birth to triplets and is pumping milk for her trio – Megha, Micah and Malakai – who are in the NICU for a little bit longer.
![Triplet Mum's Viral TikTok on Crazy Breast Engorgement 1 mum central](https://mumcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/JOnes-triplets-TikTok-breast-engorgement.jpg)
Linda is a mother of six (three older kiddoes plus the triplets) and often shares updates on her TikTok account, Keeping Up with 3 Joneses.Â
In one update Linda explains how she’s now 6 days postpartum with her triplets. She sprouts a recovery band on her tummy and a nursing bra as she explains what’s been going down in triplet town.
‘Just keep pumping’Â
When Linda first tried to express milk for her triplets, she didn’t get much. A bit of colostrum and that’s about it. After consulting with a lactation specialist, Linda was told to “Just keep pumping”. And so she did. Every two to three hours.
“But I was just pumping air—there was nothing happening,” Linda explains.
Now, anyone who has pumped in the first few days of bub’s birth knows that this can result in some serious milk overflow. I did this with my third baby and it did not end well for my boobs. On day three, they were insane. Like those lasses on OnlyFans had NOTHING on my assets.
Anyhoo, I digress. Linda discovered that her milk came to the party on day three and was ready for an epic bender too.
Not only did her milk overflow her breasts, but the overflow ended up travelling into her armpits.
I was in so much pain, my armpits were filled up, and my breasts were huge,” she says. “Just rock hard.”
Check out Linda’s video below where she showcases her armpit engorgement – which is called “pitties” in the post-partum world. What a name, right? *eye roll*
@keepin.up.with.3joneses Engorged! #exclusivepumping #pumping #postpartum #milk #engorged #colostrum #lactation #lactationhelp #breastfeed #momlife #tripletpregnancy #newborn ♬ Stories 2 – Danilo Stankovic
Fun Fact: Pitties are commonÂ
Okay, so it seems strange, right? But it’s actually not as strange as we thought.
Science lesson of the day: Lobules are the milk-producing clusters found in your body. Parents who lactate typically have 15-20 lobules per breast. But sometimes, like in lucky Linda’s case, they’re found in the armpits. When these lobules are blocked, they become engorged. And then you get to experience “pitties” in all their glory.
Linda’s engorgement was the talk of the TikTok town this week with millions of views.
Linda has since shared an update on her armpit engorgement, explaining that the swelling and pain are subsiding but she’s still got “squishy sacs” under the armpits.
Linda, we salute you and your ‘pitties’. Thanks for keeping it real and showing the world ALL the sides of postpartum!
![Triplet Mum's Viral TikTok on Crazy Breast Engorgement 2 armpit engorgement](https://mumcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/TikTok-breast-engorgement-2.jpg)
So there you go. Armpit engorgement. Pitties. Another badge of honour our bodies wear during pregnancy and postpartum.
What to read next
There are a few other badges you will probably discover – and not just the stretch marks. We know all about those!
Check out this mum’s video on the truth about postpartum hair loss.Â
Or how about this mum’s viral video on mastitis and what a clogged milk duct really looks like.
![Triplet Mum's Viral TikTok on Crazy Breast Engorgement 4 clogged milk duct](https://mumcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Clogged-Milk-Duct.jpg)
This mum also gets very real about the truth of your tummy after giving birth. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t just ‘bounce back’.
![Triplet Mum's Viral TikTok on Crazy Breast Engorgement 5 Mum's postpartum selfie](https://mumcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Post-Birth-Selfie-Sammy.jpg)