Weaning...OUCH

Yes it is normal, but I don't recommend your method of pumping either to anyone else reading this. Both can cause lack of milk and mastitis. It is better to pump more frequently and for only 10-15 minutes.
Mastitis is caused by milk left in the breasts too long and causing an infection. You really need some relief. So go ahead and pump, take warm showers and slowly taper your breasts off so that the hormone levels that tell your breasts to make milk can go to lower levels and your breasts can stop filling up.

For a more definitive answer I really recommend you either contact your Lactation Consultant or feel free to call me for a consult @ ###-###-#### in Grapevine
K.@ The Nestingplace

E.,

I tried the cold turkey thing and then I called my lactation consultant when I was in pain and she told me not to do what I was doing. She told me to gradually stop pumping by decreasing the lenght of time that I was pumping and removing one of the times that I was pumping untill I was dried up. That took me 2 or 3 weeks and I was never in any pain at all.

Hope this helps
M.

i also had to pump with my son but when i quit i would still hand express some in the shower just to relieve the pressure a little bit & help with the pain....it took awhile for me to completely dry up, at least a couple of months.

Yes, it will hurt. I nursed for 1 year and did the gradual weaning. Even 6 months after I stopped I still hurt. I was told by my doctor that I could hand express (30 seconds) just to make it through the pain. Now your goal is not to get milk, maybe you just get a drop or two. This helped me, but she also told me that part of it is mental and as soon as I get comfortable with it in my head, then the milk will stop too. To help with that part I ALWAYS made sure that I had bottles prepared in the fridge ready to go that way my body did not want to start making milk.

Hope this helps, trust me it will go away soon.