Questions After Weaning

Don't know about the drying up part, but I heard getting your period can take up to a year and that is still considered "normal". My sister in law went a year with no period after she weaned and that is what her doctor told her.

Everyone is different. I know that I kept ice packs in my bra and used Ibuprofen to help with pain and swelling. I even took a Sudafed once daily becuase the pseudoepinephrine sometimes can help dry up milk. I think it did help a bit. Sometimes I even had to squeeze a little milk out for comfort. I think it was rough for maybe a week then I just kept nursing pads on maybe for another week. But you can still get little bouts of milk out for a month! Everybody is different though. It should get better for you. I think almost 2 months after nursing I got my period.

I noticed no one answered your menstruation question:

http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com/menstruation.html

copy and past that into your web browser, i don't know how to make it a link =(

It will answer your questions!
@}~>~~

Hello, congratulations on successfully weaning your daughter!
I have come accross a few tips while looking for help increasing supply.
There is a great company Motherlove Herbal Company
(motherlove.com) that has a sage product:

http://store.motherlove.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&...

The following is from kelly mom and here is the web address:
http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksupply/herbs-oversuppl...

Sage
This is best used only if you are in the process of weaning, though it may also be used in extreme cases of oversupply when the usual measures are not effective. Be careful with this if you are not in the weaning process! Don't overdo it once you're seeing some results.

To use dried sage (Salvia officinalis) for reducing milk supply, take 1/4 teaspoon of sage 3x per day for 1-3 days. You can mix the sage in vegetable juice (for example, V-8), but it won't mix well into other juices. You can also mix it into other foods. If you don't like the taste of sage, try putting it into a tiny piece of sandwich and swallowing it whole - peanut butter or something else a bit sticky seems to work best for holding the sage in place. Tear off the corner of the sandwich containing the sage (it should be a very small section) and swallow it without chewing (that's why you need a very small section).

To use sage tea for decreasing milk supply, infuse 1 tablespoon of dried sage in 1 cup of boiling water (or 20g dried sage in 50 ml boiling water). Steep for 5-15 minutes. Drink 1 cup, 2 - 6 times per day.

You can use a tincture of sage instead: 30-60 drops of tincture, 3-6 times a day.

See Sage for additional safety information for nursing moms.

Cabbage
Green cabbage leaves can also be used topically on the breast to reduce milk supply. Again, be careful with this if you are not in the weaning process.

Jasmine
Another effective treatment is to apply fresh, crushed jasmine flowers (Jasminum sambac) to the breasts to decrease milk flow. A study has shown this to be effective: Shrivastav P, George K, Balasubramaniam N, Jasper MP, Thomas M, Kanagasabhapathy AS. Suppression of puerperal lactation using jasmine flowers (Jasminum sambac). Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 1988 Feb;28(1):68-71.

Other herbs
Other herbs that can decrease milk supply: Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Spearmint, Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Chickweed, Black Walnut, stinging nettles (not nettle - that increases milk supply), Yarrow, Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), Lemon Balm, Oregano, Periwinkle Herb (Vinca minor), Sorrel (Rumex acetosa).

Sage, peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, oregano, and cabbage leaves can all be incorporated into a pressed oil (cold pressed or hot) to make massage oils for milk suppression.

Peppermint essential oil has been used traditionally for decreasing milk supply. Peppermint tea is a very weak form of peppermint and only large amounts (quarts) would be expected to decrease milk supply. Some women have successfully used the strong peppermint candies (for example, Altoids® Curiously Strong Peppermints) for decreasing milk supply (a few per day aren't likely to affect supply, though).

I hope this helps!!!

A. H.

I just weaned my daughter, and the engorgement lasted around 2 weeks. It was painful and one breast was quicker to dry up over the other. I just woke up one morning and it was over. I also began sleeping on my stomach again, something I haven't done in 2 years. As for the period, I barley had one about a month or 2 before I began weaning, so like you almost 2 years w/out one. My daughter just turned 15 mos as well. It should be over before you know it! good luck!!!

Everyone is different. It depends on how often you nursed, how much she drank, and how quickly you weaned. With my first daughter it took about a week for the pain and engorgement to go away. I laid on the sofa with ice. With my second daughter I weaned very slowly, and had no engorgement, by day 2 I stoppped producing milk. Try not to do anything that stimulates more milk production, hot shower, pumping, sometimes just touch. Wear a tight fitting bra as often as possible. Good Luck. The ice helped me.