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For me engorgement lasted at least a week. Maybe longer, I've kind of blocked it out. I remember thinking that it would never end. But cabbage helped a lot, and I also just stuck ice packs inside my sleeping bras (wrapped in a paper towel). I also did cabbage and ice at the same time. Also taking Advil or Motrin because engorgement is partly inflammation of the tissue. I basically had ice packs in my bra all day for at least a week or so. Good luck! At least you know you've got some good milk flowing.

Also wearing a properly fitting, snug bra. At the beginning I was just wearing my stretchy sleep bras, but if you can handle wearing a snug (but not ill-fitting) bra, that helped me a lot. It can't fit improperly or it could cause clogs, but it helped a lot more than I thought it would.

It was like a week for me. It was awful! LO was not eating as much as I was producing so I constantly felt full even after feedings. I ended up pumping when she went more than 2 hours between sessions, and that really helped. I only pumped 3-4 minutes (but still got like 3-4 oz!) so it didn't cause an over supply or anything. ANd I think it helped ward off mastitis. Also, I ran hot water over a disposable diaper and stuck that in my bra.

Ugh, hang in there. I think it lasted about 3 days for me with the LO on the boob a ton (I remember thinking nursing every 2 hours seemed like a dream.) +1 for chilled gel packs. I also found it easiest to express in the shower and then feed her right after. Just a heads up, my doula mentioned that the cabbage leaves can work too well and hurt your supply later on so I'd be careful with that. I had to express into her mouth a little at the start of each feed when they were as hard as you described for her to know to latch. If all else fails I've found it easier for my baby to nurse through an engorement when we are lieing on our sides facing each other (also easier when she's tired or you have oversupply... Really just easier). Good luck and congrats!

Pumping was the only thing that helped me.

There is also something called reverse pressure softening which helped me get her latched when I was super engorged.

@Foodnerd81: I think I pumped after she ate if it felt like I still was really full, and I pumped if she went more than 2 hours without eating/if I felt really engorged and she was sleeping.. To help her latch, I would un latch her once I felt my letdown, an I would massage while I let it spray into a cloth, Then re latch. It was definitely tough and a multiple hand operation.

I had to pump. I was too engorged for baby to latch. And I had SO much milk that he was getting all foremilk and getting so much he was just spittting up like crazy (he still has bad reflux but the milk situation made it worse).

Baby is 4 months now and my milk has kind of regulated, although I still make more than he needs. I still have to pump some to manage the engorgement, usually before I go to bed, in the MOTN, and 1st thing in the morning. And occasionally 1x during the day if I block feed. I always feed just one side.

It sucks but I had SO much milk from the beginning that if I hadn't pumped a little I would have gotten mastitis.

@Foodnerd81: I would pump when I was painfully engorged just enough to relieve the pressure and then I would pump for about 5 minutes before feeding. I only really had to do that for a few days and my body started getting the memo

@Foodnerd81: Just when it was really painful to take the edge off a bit.