Weaning and in MAJOR Pain. Need Some Advice!

cabbage totally works. I thought it was crazy but desperate enough to try it. The coolness is so soothing and it works quickly!

Hope you find relief soon!

Hi M.,
I recall how painful it was when I weaned both my girls from the breast. I would recommend moving away from the warm showers/baths as I was told that keeps the milk production going. Just be patient and if the pain it too unbearable, take an over the counter pain reliever. It will get better.

I had the same problem my friend told me to wrap myself in ace bandage tight then i would apply ice packs. I used the ace bandage for about 5 days.

Hi M.

I agree that you should stay away from warm showers, as it produces more milk. i just weaned my 13mth old son about a week and a half ago and have felt no pain at all. i slowly decreased the feedings and pumping. i brought it to once a day so my breast were already producing a lot less milk and its been wonderful! good luck and i hope your pain goes away soon. if you've already weaned him off i would maybe try pumping a little at times, i would even say just about 1oz when you feel engorged. theyve said that can also slow down your milk.

gradually decrease feedings rather than going cold turkey, and ice packs would be better than warm showers- warmth will stimulate milk production. Also, a really tight sports bra. Just be careful of lumps- you don't want mastitis. After a day or 2 of serious fullness, it should start to go down. You know when your baby had a growth spurt and it took 24-48 hrs for your milk supply to "catch up"? same principle. your body just needs to process the hormonal signal to make less milk. and don't worry if you can still express milk for a while, when I weaned my kids I could still express a month later if I tried- but everything else was back to norma a week or two after I first weaned.

Hello M.. What I did was pump a little every day. I gradually was able to stop this, and the pumping was much less than my son's actual feeding so it did not keep the milk supply up. This relieved the pressure from my chest. Hope this helps, M.

Great job nursing so long!!!
Only drop one feeding about every 2 weeks, healthiest for you & your son.
Pump just enough to relieve the pressure, but not enough to create more milk. Supply & demand.
Ibprofen, heating pad, shower & hand express...rest, treat yourself like you have the flu.

HI M.. I had the same horrible pain when weaning both of my babies from the breast. I'm sure you've heard it all, but here is what worked for me in the end:

-Wean baby off of one feed at a time, dropping one feed only every few days to a week.

-TIGHT sports bras, and I would sleep in one too as that was when the pain was the worst for me.

- I have heard countless times about putting cold cabbage leaves in your bra. I tried this and it didn't work for me. But it has worked for others, so it is worth a go.

-When I was at my pain limit, I would hand express a bit of milk off into the sink (this was usually in the night when I couldn't take any more pain!) just to take the extra fulless off. Not too much though, or your body will make more to keep up with the demand.

-I wouldn't take the pill to dry you up. I have heard that it is really harsh and has some nasty side effects. I am always happier to take the more natural route, and there should be some herbal remedies that you can try, at your local store. Up to you.

Hope this helps. I truly feel your pain, It is the worst! But no regrets about breastfeeding.... :)

Take care!

H.

Hi M.,
I highly recommend getting some green cabbage. You take the full cabbage leave and clean it, then cut a V in the bottom by the main vein. Place the leaf to cover your breast, but keep the nipple exposed. Do this with a cold raw cabbage leaf and it will feel wonderful and get rid of the engorgment. I also recommend just dropping one feed at a time.
I hope this helps! I am a birth and postpartum Doula and this has happened to many of my clients. Don't pump because that will increase your milk supply. Your body needs to get use to not nursing at that same time everyday and not produce milk. Warmest and good luck!
Lauren V.

I dunno if this works or not, but I heard from a nurse that putting cabbage leaves on your breasts and leave then there till they wilt will help dry out your milk...worth a try.

The cabbage works! Do it! I was skeptical but willing to try anything. Just put the cabbage leaves all around your breasts leaving your nipples exposed. Make sure your bra is nice and snug so they don't fall out or move around. I actually just slept this way so I didn't have to walk around like this during the day. I went to sleep in pain and woke up totally relieved. I only did this for two or three nights and then I was pain free. The cabbage gets kind of warm and gross from your body heat but it was well worth it to relieve the pain!

Well, i think gradual weaning is the first line of defense. That's what I did with my twins. I was so so worried I would get engorged and be in pain because i had so much milk. After all i was nursing 2. But when we stopped, we had been down to maybe 1 or 2 feedings a day--they were quick feedings too, and i never had one single issue after we stopped. To my amazement! This time around i am worried again, 21 months and still going strong. I have him down to 3 feedings a day and that is crazy hard to do. I just now had to deal with a 15 min screaming fit because i wouldnt give in! Anyway, once I stop I plan on pumping off if it gets unbearable. As I cant imagine he will be as easy to wean down to 1 feeding a day as my twins were. So Im sure when I stop, it will have to be cold turkey and i will still be making quite a bit of milk and therefore get engorged. I imagine it will fee like the beginning all over again, when your milk comes in. I know that rock feeling and it is awful! So to sum it up. I say wean gradually and then if that didnt/doesnt work, pump off just til you feel relief...then see how long you can go before you get uncomfortable again. It might drag it out a week or 2 but who wants to be engorged, that pain sucks. I also know binding works for women who have lost babies after birth. My friend used an ace bandage for several days after she lost her baby at 23 weeks. Good luck with it!

Hey M., your doctor can give you a pill to dry up your milk, that is what i used after each one of my babies were born. J.

I heard cabbage leaves on your breasts help with the discomfort!! And a tight sports bra!! I will be weaning my daughter in about 4 months!!!

Try cool green cabbage leaves (in the lining of your bra). Sounds crazy, but it works like a charm. I remember it taking a few days for the pain to subside. Good luck.

Cold cabbage leaves in the bra work and I don't know why....but Mammary PMG from Standard Process worked even better.

Everthing I was going to suggest is already listed from the cabbage leaves to the slow and gradual process, It should take a while, cutting down on a feeding or two a day and then adding more the next week. The baby will want to eat more "food" and therefore not "need" you as much. Again relax and don't beat yourself up.and go get some cabbage!!
Good luck!
jeni

You can press/massage the breasts in the shower to release. If you have a pump I would pump just enough to release the pressure. Your body will naturally make less. Usually if you wean slowly/gradually you body will slow the production. You do need to release what is there so that you don't get blocked ducts or mastistis (an infection). Soothies are a gel insert, (there may be other brands)that can help with pain, but that is more for nipple discomfort. Good Luck.

Hi M.! I know it's hard but great for you that you breastfed for so long. I have two boys and nursed them 15 months and then 20 months. When I weaned them I remember cutting back to sleeping times only(naps and bedtime); then just bedtime, then every other night. It worked great for me and helped relieve pressure and my milk decreased gradually. Good luck and God bless.

When I weaned my daughter, it took about two days before most of the discomfort from being very full went away.

I was going to suggest pretty much the same as the others...a tight sports bra(at night to!)...cold cabbage leaves. Also, I was told to AVOID warm showers/baths...even though this gives some relief it also makes you express more milk...so you produce more and you are just prolonging the process.
Good Luck...I know it is painful!!!

Weaning is not supposed to be cold turkey...it should be gradual, for both you and baby, better yet, you would follow child-led weaning.
Check out kellymom.com and type "weaning" in the search box. they have info on child-led and mother-led weaning, signs your weaning to fast, how to help your toddler adjust...and many other great articles.

I know you have a lot of responses. I weaned my oldest one at 17 months because I was pregnant and having issues so we ended up going cold turkey. Crazy as it is, the cabbage leaves worked. I did feel like I was a walking salad bar, but I was mostly comfortable. I have used some of the other Earth Mama Angel Baby teas and supplements and really liked them so that may be an option. Great job of keeping up the breastfeeding!

M.,
Heat will make the milk come, so use cold compresses. You can take a small diaper, wet it with water and put it in the freezer, then place them on your breasts. There is a tea made by Earth Mama, Angel Baby that helps stop milk production. You might consider pumping your milk and then taking the tea and tring the cold compresses. Ouch!
You might want to also think of weaning as a process. It's like taking one step forward and two steps back sometimes. So, you can stop cold turkey, but it will be painful and difficult. You might want to reduce the amount of nursing gradually. I nursed my son until he was only nursing once a day. And when we finally stopped, there wasn't hardly any pain or swelling.
Good luck!

M.,

Do you have a breastpump? If so, pump just until you are comfortable. You don't want to empty your breasts completely, you just want to relieve the pain. If you don't, you are risking a breast infection. If you don't have a pump, consider renting one from a hospital or pharmacy. When I weaned my son, I only had to pump a couple of times over 3-4 days before I was able to stop. I have to say it made the experience a lot more pleasant. Sore boobs is nothing to laugh about!

I've also heard great things about cabbage leaves (cold, stuck into your bra), ibuprophen, sudafed and sage tea (cabbage and ibuprophen for pain, sudafed and safe tea to help you dry out faster). If you develop a fever (infection!) get to your doctor right away.

T.

If I am correct in saying so, I believe there is a shot you can get from your OB to stop producing milk. I had to do as you said, take hot showers with it showering right on them and then press on them to get the milk out to relieve some of the pressure.

Good luck! I feel your pain.

Congrats on breastfeeding so long! Try cold cabbage leaves..if you can put them in the freezer and handle frozen, try that. Also, take it easy on yourself and do this gradually. Also, there are teas you can drink that help lower milk production. Good luck!

Hi M.,
Wearing cold cabbage leaves on the inside of your bra may work and alleviate pain.
I was skeptical when reading about this but when I tried it, it really worked! I hope it helps you too!