Need Help Stopping Engorgment Pain from Weaning Baby.

I agree with the other mom about cabbage leaves, it helped me. Get yourself a nice big head of cabbage, peel off the leaves and roll over the leaf with a rolling pin or something just to break the veins and let the juice seep out. Put it in your bra against your breast and change when the leaf is limp and no longer has juice. Sage tea is supposed to work really well as well. God bless on your surgery. I have had 2 lumps removed myself when I was in Jr. High!

Good luck!

M.

P.S. I have heard that all the wonderful things breast milk does for babies has been done by 6 months, so you've done great!

Cabbage leafs are supposed to help with engorged breasts. I have heard it is really hard to start breastfeeding after you have stopped, but it is possible. When you stop breastfeeding your child is a personal decision, I stopped at 12 months, a friend of mine stopped at 18 months and my sister stopped at six. Really you have made it this far and that will really help your son, but he will be just fine if you don't continue to breastfeed. You already gave him that leg up in life. Don't feel guilty for stopping though, many women don't do it at all. You have to make sure your healthy so that he has a mom to take care of him.

Call your obgyn and talk w/ the nurse about the pain and the need to get the milk dried up. There are meds you can take, I think, that can help with both.

Yes, you need to have the milk dried up if the surgeon said so...i suspect that the breast engorgement will affect his ability to remove the lump completely, and will affect how well and quickly you heal. If you don't heal quickly, your quality of life and ability to care for your son will be affected.

And, forget the guilt. You gave your child 8 months of great nutrition...that is more than some mothers can give, or other mothers want to give. I produced milk for a whopping 3 weeks before it dried up and went away to the great unknown. Your son got benefits many don't. He will be ok, the most crucial time is the first 6 months, if I remember correctly.

Think positively! You have a wonderful child to see grow and enjoy life. Focus on the positive...we have enough guilt we drag around with us everyday...this is not something to feel guilty about. Good luck, God Bless.

Hi, I am sorry to hear about the lump and I will pray for you that your surgery goes well. I remember when I was drying my milk up and it was very painfull. You do have to completly stop breast feeding and pumping. I have heard that you can wrap an ace bandage around your breast to help dry them up but I not sure. As far as going back to breast feeding I would not do that. Since your child is close to a year old I would just swith to formula, because at 12 months they should be on whole milk anyway, not formula or breast milk. Good luck with your surgery.

If I were in your situation I would take care of yourself now so you can be with your baby for a long time.
If the doctor is so concern about you being completly dried up by the 26 he should have giving you some medication to do this. There is such a thing and it was given back in my moms days. Also can you postpone the operation? If you can I would until after the holidays.
You are right you will confuse him more by going back and forth with breast feeding. You have done a great job by breastfeeding for eight months already.
Hope this helps and best of luck to you.
L.