Will Cabbage Leaves Help?

Hi J.,
With my first 2 children I used Cabbage leaves to dry me up because I didn't breastfeed either one and it dried me up within a few days. Like 3 or 4.

Hi J.-

I went through the exact same thing with my daughter. She and I were still enjoying the breastfeeding, but I felt that it was the right time to quit a little after 12 months. It was so hard for me to give up that time alone with my daughter! I started by cutting out one feeding at a time. I had done the same thing with my son, and it worked great. I waited 4-5 days before cutting out a new feeding each time. In total, it took me about 3 weeks to be completely done. My daughter is now almost 14 months old and I don't think she even remembers breastfeeding anymore. I never tried the cabbage leaves, but a friend did and she said they worked.

Good luck!

If you are looking for something to dry you up, or tone down your supply, I've got the trick--I had a major problem with engorgement when I played around with pumping when my daughter had thrush and my lactation consultant told me to eat sage (the dried herb) to help diminish my supply (which is why you are supposed to avoid sage in your diet when you are nursing--it affects your supply). Put some peanut butter on a teeny corner of a piece of bread and heap a teaspoon of dried sage onto it and chew it up and swallow. My consultant kept warning me that it would taste really gross, but I loved it. It tasted like stuffing to me :o). I think I ate that 3 times a day for 2 days until I was at a level of comfort. It worked like a charm.

I'm not sure about cabbage, but I'm a mother of 10 children. I breastfed all of them. I found that the more I gave them bottles of water or other liquids, I gradually decreased in my milk supply and they didn't need me any more. Sounds like you must be giving your her liquids via a sippy glass during the day....usually the minute I gave liquids other than myself; that would really slow down my milk production and I'd be weaning my baby soon whether I really had planned to or not. One time my older children drove all the kids including my not-weaned baby home from Florida while my husband and I lingered in Florida for a few more days. That was an abrupt weaning; but they sure kept the baby happy through it all.

It's so good that you've enjoyed your breastfeeding time with her tho'. Just take it graduallly.

Sorry, I never heard of the cabbage leaf method.

B. in Eau Claire, WI

Personally if you want to nurse longer than is fine. I stopped when my boys got their first tooth and started moving around.......my decision. But I did try cabbage leaves with my oldest. It didn't work, except to make me smell like rotten cabbage and cool my breasts for a few minutes. To stop nursing, thankfully he was still young (5 months), I just gave him bottles...but other than that to dry up, I just wore a couple sports bras and didn't allow my husband to touch them at all. Took a good week. Hurt really bad, but it worked.

With my second, I stopped after 6 weeks (PPD meds made me stop) and my milk dried up in 2 days. With my 3rd (5 months), I stopped nursing Jan 1, but even now I have some leakage.....strange.

Hey J. I am here to tell you that cabbage leaves really work I needed to dry my milk up and my mother went and bought me a head of cabbage tore off two big leaves and cruhed the spine and put then in an Ice bath there is a hormone in the cabbage leaves that stop the milk ducts from producing milk. The only weird thing is you have to wear the leaves in your bra so your girlfriends are going to smell like eau du toillete cabbage for a day or two but please beleive that it really works I am speaking from experience

I have an Ella too she is 4 and my little one just turned 2 (Abby). But I nursed Ella till she was 13 months and Abby till 22 months. I would say if you are planning on weaning now is a good time to do so. They are so easily distracted at that age. I would drop one feeding per week or so, and that will feel the best on your breasts. If you quickly weaning that will cause engorgment and pain. I only used cabbage leaf for unclogging milk ducts related to a breast infection. I would use cold compresses like a bag of peas to help with the discomfort from weaning. But if you do decide to wean slowly, you should have little to no pain. Just remember it is your body and your choice, so do what is best for your little one and your family!! Feel free to write me if you had any more questions. Good luck!

I am a stay at home mom of one. I nursed my daughter until 17 months. I had a hard time letting go too but we were both ready. I started to wean her by cutting out additional feedings one by one. First I was at 3x's then I cut out the morning , a few weeks later I was only doing it right before bed. I knew she was ready to let that one go when she wasn't consistently asking for it. Some nights she would be more busy with playing or reading books. Eventually I just replaced the feeding with warm milk in a cup and she still has this as a part of her routine today, at two years old. As for myself, because the process was so gradual I never had a problem with engorgement. I know that if I would have stopped cold turkey there would have been problems. I think you have to give your body time to adjust to the different feeding demands. I still had milk for months after but I was not sore. It was hard to not feed her because I missed it but she really transferred easily to the "booboo" cup so that just reassured me that it was the right thing for her. I just realized that life was going to be full of me letting her go and I am glad that I nursed her as long as it was right for us. You are her mommy and you know what is best for her. Good luck with your decision. Have a great BIRTH day!

J.,

I don't know if the cabbage leaves will help or not, but after reading your post I had to write. It doesn't sound like you are ready to wean to me, if you have to convince yourself that it is what you really want to do.

I nursed my son until he was 15 months, and by that point, he really seemed much more ready to quit nursing than he did at 12. We had just started cows milk at 12 months, and he was still nursing 4 or 5 times a day (it sounds like your daughter nurses less than my son did). Either way - it seemed harsh to me to go cold turkey and expect him to all of a sudden get used to a cup and cows milk with out the nursing to help him get through it.

As far as her not needing the breast milk after a year, she may not need it, but it is still very good for her. All the benefits she received from it before a year are still there for her now. Justifying weaning because she doesn't need it at 12 months really a nutritional reason, unless you really want to wean.

From my experience, at 12 months, my son would never have understood if I told him no nursing, but by 15 months, he could understand what that meant. He also was ready to start skipping 1 nap a day, and was eating a lot more solid food so skipping other day time nursings was much easier.

We started by dropping the early a.m. (first waking) nursing, then we dropped the morning nap and that nursing, and he was so tired by lunch time, that it was easy to then drop the pre afternoon nap nursing as well. After a few weeks we skipped the bed time nursing (he was used to our nap time routine and it went pretty well), then the last one to go was the middle of the night nursing (he still woke once at night to nurse). That was the hardest one to get rid of but it only took a few days and then he was sleeping through the night and completely weaned.

Your pediatrician might have some suggestions for weaning as well, mine did. I was pregnant with my next baby (20 weeks) when I weaned my son so I didn't have any engorgement at all, but I don't know if that is typical.

Hope that some of this advice helps. Good luck!

J. (mom to 18 month old and #2 due in Nov.)

HI! My little girl just turned one too! I stopped breastfeeding by eliminating one feeding at a time and replacing it with milk. She took to the milk just fine, it was harder on me than her.

The cabbage leaves will help with engorgement, but they won't dry you up if you are still feeding. It took me almost a month to get back to normal once I stopped breast feeding entirely.

I hope this helps! Good luck!
A.

I used cabbage leaves, but you go through them fast because of how cool they are! I didn't breastfeed so I was BADLY engorged with both kids. I used a thin ice pack wrapped in a towel on each side and it also helps to wear a sports bra. Don't let them near ANY stimulation...like water in the shower or initmacy for a couple days and it should be better soon! I just stood with my back to the water in the shower and wore a tight bra. You may want to wear nursing pads with the sports bra because you will leak for a few days too!
Good luck!

Most doctors recommend breastfeeding until 22 months. But the best way to do it, is to do what works best for you. If my son had been willing, I would have kept going. But he was ready to quit before a year. I didn't completely give it up until 13 months, and I am still said for the loss. It was a great experience that I loved, and a great way to bond with my son. Do what you feel is right for you and for your daughter!

Hi J.,

I was in the same boat as you are now. I nursed both of my kids for 13 months each and it was difficult when it was time to wean because it reminded me that my baby was growing. I really think you should wean when you're ready and not do it cold turkey - it'll be too hard on you and your daughter. At a year old, I made the decision to wean because that's the age cow's milk can be introduced (my kids were not fans of formula so that wasn't an option for us). Since my kids were well established on eating solid foods, etc. we really weren't nursing a lot anyway, but I just dropped a feeding every couple of weeks to ensure my kids could tolerate cow's milk and to ensure they got used to our new routine (my son especially needed to be nursed before bed so that was the hardest part). I dropped the most 'needed' feeding last - my son was the before-bed feeding and for my daughter it was the morning one. The first week following weaning was great but, boy, it hit me the following week! My breasts were so engorged, lumpy, and sore. My OB/GYN recommended cabbage leaves and it worked so well. It sounds really old fashioned but it does work. I tried frozen breast pads and they didn't do anything. If you decide to try it, take a head of cabbage, separate the leaves and remove the spines and thoroughly wash them. I put the prepared leaves in bowl in the fridge so they were always accessible. Within a couple of days the engorgment subsided significantly and I felt a lot better. As timing would have it, my in-laws were visiting us during this time and they thought I was nuts to be walking around the house with cabbage stuffed in my bra, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do! :)

Plain and simple: if you don't want to stop nursing, don't! I personally wouldn't care if my husband was uncomfortable with me nursing my toddler but that's just me, I'm very pro-breastfeeding and if he doesn't like it, well then, they're not his breasts, are they? :) You can continue to breastfeed while TTC and pregnant too, I have many breastfeeding friends who have breastfed while pregnant and tandum nursed their toddler and newborn.

To answer your question though: yes, cabbage leaves are thought to help with engorgement. You may want to check out kellymom.com, lots of information on there about breastfeeding and weaning including this bit about the use of cabbage leaves: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/engorgement.html#...

- J. (mama to ally, 2.5 and sophia, 9 weeks)

You don't have to wean yet ... sounds like both you and Ella would be quite content to keep it up, and Ella may be healthier for it. If your husband can't get used to it, send him to some informational web sites about the benefits of long-term bfing, say La Leche League or a number of others. Seek other moms who breastfed while pregnant.

Of course, weaning is fine IF that's what's best for you and your daughter--and you're the one who knows best. Your husband would do well to ask you what you need.

Lynn

I also breastfed my son for 13 months. I then found out I was pregnant and quit within the week. We were down to 2 to 3 feedings a day/night at that point too. For me, it only hurt for 3 days and I just switched him to a sippy cup with warm whole milk or Next Step milk based formula. I would lay down with him during nap or whenever we were brestfeeding and give him the sippy, so he still had that cuddly time with mom.

I don't know anything about cabbage leaves for engorgement or drying, sorry.

J.,
Just wanted to second a thought that has already popped up here. From reading your post, it seems so clear to me that you don't want to do this. Don't convince yourself that it is that right thing if it's not! IF it is the right time to stop, and you are just have some "separation anxiety" than there are ways to deal with that(a few people listed some ideas but remember, there are other ways to be close and intimate with your child), but if you really don't feel like it's the right time, give yourself more time to breatfeed. Your husband should understand and you'll find the time that works best for everyone. Whenever you do decide to stop, the leaves did work for me, as did a gradual weaning.

No, I don't think cabbage leaves will help dry up your milk enough so that your nursling loses interest.

Weaning is tough. I would recommend a gradual approach, cutting out one feeding at a time over several weeks and introducing milk as a replacement. I'd probably have your husband take over bedtime, especially since he's advocating weaning! With my oldest, I cut out night-time feedings, then bedtime, then wake-up.

My other big piece of advice is to be sure you're ready, because it will take some resolve and being inconsistent will only make it harder for both of you.

There's nothing wrong with breastfeeding past a year, either. You and Ella will keep getting lots of benefits from it as long as you choose to continue! Sorry for getting on a soap box, I hate to see women feel pressured to wean.

sorry i didnt see that you wrote this in sept. how did everything go?

The cabbage leaves will definitely help! I quit nursing, cold turkey, with my son and the engorgement was awful. I used cold cabbage leaves in my bra and it eased the soreness and seemed to dry me up pretty quickly.

As far as weaning, just drop a feeding for a few days, then drop another one until you're done.

Good luck with #3!

After I returned to work after 3 months I began to wean my 2nd off the breast. I had terrible trouble with leaking, I just couldn't dry up fast enough. My lactation specialist suggested cabbage and it worked. I was dried up in less than a week. No pain with it either. Wish I would have known about it with my 1st child :) Anything is worth a try, really. As long as it is natural and safe.

Good for you for breastfeeding a year!! You have done something very special for Ella. It doesn't sound like you are ready to stop, though, and if your husband being uncomfortable is the reason maybe he would be open to education rather than resentment which could come if you stop before you are ready.
Breastmilk and formula CAN NOT be compared. The benefits of breastmilk will continue for Ella and YOU as long as you breastfeed and longer. ALL health organizations recommend bf for AT LEAST a year and several are up to AT LEAST TWO years including the World Health Organization and UNICEF.Many of the benefits of breastfeeding are reaped from long term bf. You can consider them "dose dependent". For instance, the longer you breastfeed in your life, the more you protect yourself from breast cancer in the future.
I don't think cabbage leaves will help in weaning. If you begin to dry up, she will probably just want to nurse more to try and build up the supply. Getting pregnant might help. The taste of the milk changes and is sometimes a deterrent.
Other ways to wean would be offering something else at the feed, distraction and cutting out feedings slowly. Going cold turkey would be stressful on you and probably will lead to engorgement/plugged ducts/mastitis. It would emotionally distressing on your daughter as well. Go slow. You might want to check out www.lalecheleague.org for great info. on bf and weaning. Enjoy Ella's birthday!!~~W.

Hi J.,
I have a 2 year old daughter, we breastfed until about 18 months. I don't think you should worry so much about the 1 year marker. ( I had the same goal ) Sounds like your just like me and when you set a time line you feel the need to stick to it, even if your not quite ready. (trust me I don't think you ever feel ready, it's such a special time) Anyway, it sounds like you already have started weaning. I did the same thing with Lola, first I only breastfed her before bed (starting at about a year). Next I started cutting down the time of her feeding until she would only eat for a minute or less at a time. ( I also made sure to tell her at every feeding something like "we're not going to do this for much longer",or " you don't need it anymore, you're a big girl now" etc.) I have no idea if she understood me or not, but it made me feel better about cutting her off and when I finally did she was fine. Actually, it was so easy it almost hurt my feelings! Anyway, I have no idea about the cabbage leaves? I've never heard that before...best of luck to you and I hope this helped!

P.S. Since I was only breastfeeding at nap/bed time I started reading her a book (or 5!!) right after her feeding. That way when I stopped breastfeeding the overall routine wasn't much different.