HELP!!! Engorged, in Pain and Need Help Weaning!

I know this sounds crazy but it worked for me...a cold, red cabbage leaf on each breast. My doctor told me to try it when engorged and it really seemed to soothe. It was a little stinky but it took most of the pain away so I dealt with the cabbage smell for a little while.

Also, my sister breast fed her first baby got pregnant with her second child while still breastfeeding. She told me it wasn't possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding and now they have a precious baby girl...conceived while breastfeeding baby #1.

Hi H.,

I just got my period back after 10 months. I did some research and found out that it will usually come back once you've stopped b/feeding in the night. And that's exactly what happened to me.

I slowly weaned and have had no engorgement problems. If you have the time, maybe try weaning over a few weeks.

Best of luck!

As silly as this sounds, I "released" my milk while I was in the shower. In all fairness, my son was 1/2 formula, 1/2 breast fed when he decided to quit breast feeding. As for the period, I got mine almost 28 days exactly after the last time I pumped.

This may sound weird but it really does work. I've had two sets of twins, so I should know! Take clean cabbage leaves and place them around your breasts. (I preferred them cold because I also had mastitis, a breast infection.) Fill a small sized diaper with the hottest water you can stand and place that over the cabbage leaves, one diaper on each boob. It sounds like you want to completely stop breastfeeding, so leave them on like that all night while you're sleeping. Change cabbage leaves and diapers in the morning. Keep on a few hours, and change again as needed. Keep doing this until you are back to "normal"! This tip came from the lactation specialist at Central DuPage Hospital back in 1994. For those who don't want to dry up completely but are engorged or suffering from mastitis, try a night with them on and see how it is in the morning. You may not want to do this for too long since it can dry up your supply completely. Good luck! I hope this helps you! It brought me quick relief. Oh, I think I got my period back within about 8 weeks after birth, but I'm not sure what the norm is.

I know this is gonna sound weird but try using cold cabbage leaves. Buy a head of cabbage and stick it in the fridge and when your feeling engorged and in pain peel a couple of leaves from the head of cabbage and recline with the leaves covering your breast. If you're not able to sit back and relax with them, put them in your bra. Sounds dumb, I know and I'm not sure why but it helps. It was the only thing that got me through.

I used the cabbage leaves cooled in the fridge. Also works...two diapers (one for each breast) filled with water, place in ziploc then place in freezer. The diaper will absorb any leakage and the frozen water will help cool. I used the diapers overnight and the cabbage leaves during the day. I was pain free in 10 days.

I just weaned my daughter the weekend before Easter and this is the advice I received. Use cabbage leaves and wean during a full moon!! Good Friday was a full moon. I was pumping 3 times a day, so on Wednesday I only pumped in the morning and evening. On Thursday I pumped in the morning but did not get much out. I put the cabbage leaves on and went to work. By noon, I was feeling very full and had some pain. I got home around 2 pm and pumped 8 ounces!! I put the cabbage leaves on again and didn't pump for 24 hours. I was not in pain. I was not full. I tried getting a little out on Friday afternoon because I had a little lump and only got out 1 ounce total! That was it. I couldn't believe it. Women are connected to the cycle of the moon, and I believe in that now! I had a little leakage for a few days after, so you still need a few breast pads. Another tip...pick a couple of the outer leaves from a few different cabbages. Do not buy the whole cabbage. You want to use the large outer leaves. Good luck.

Everyone is different, obviously, but I read in The Breast Feeding Book that you have to breastfeed AT LEAST every 4-6 hours around the clock in order to supress ovulation. FOr some, that's not even 100%. The point is that you have to play by some very strict rules to get the birth control advantage of breast feeding so you may be ovulating right now! That ought to give you some hope...

It is easier to wean a little bit at a time -- your body responds to less demand from baby with less production of milk. Less production of milk means less pain for you. But, while you are experiencing ths engorgement, there are a few things you can try. Cabbage leaves are about the right size to fit around your breast, and if you freeze them, they act like cold packs to help releive some of the pain. If cold doesn't work, you can try warm damp washcloths (heat treatments). Also, ibuprofen is safe to use while you are nursing and may help provide pain relief.
As far as fertility is concerned, you may find that you have your period rightaway after cutting back on breastfeeding, and once you have your period, you know you are ovulating. But, ovulation is controlled by a mix of hormones which are hard to predict from person to person, so I can just say that theoretically, you should be fertileas soon as you stop breastfeeding.

I know this sounds crazy, but what really worked for me was cabbage leaves in my bra. I put them in right out of the fridge, and they felt great. I would put new ones in every few hours. There is a chemical in the cabbage that helps dry up the milk. I did this with all three of my kids and I swear by it, both for pain relief, and "drying up."

Here's what I did: Go buy the cheapest pump you can find. Pump until the pressure is off, plus a little. It will take a week or two, but it takes all the pain out of it. You can just pour the pumped milk in her bottles of course.

It has to be a cheap pump because it has to be a crappy pump. I mean, you could do hand squeezing too, but I found it to be a pain in the butt. You want to remove the milk but not encourage your boobs to produce more. Its not instantaneous but it will tell your breasts that they do not need to feed anybody anymore and will slow down in production enough to get you out of pain.

I cant remember the brand I used, but it cost not much more than $10. I did it for 3 weeks and was nearly DRY, getting less than one ounce from each side no matter how much I tried, after being a huge producer previously.

I got my period while I was nursing full time. So cant help you with that one. I got it when my daughter was about 2 mos old. My friend got hers 2 mos after she fully weaned her baby.

I am still nursing my son, but he is a year and eating solids as well; I got my period back about a month to a month and a half after I started him on solids, so it was probably when he was about 8 to 9 months old. Good luck with the engorgement - that is no fun! I've heard cold packs really help, but I've haven't gotten to that point yet to have tried them myself. Also, if you are not breast feeding exclusively, including night feedings (this means you are not pumping, no solids, etc.), you can still get pregnant, even if your period hasn't come back yet, so it might be sooner than you think - you never know! Good luck and keep us informed!! :)

I don't have advice about engorgement, but I do have info about your period.

when my daughter was about 10 months, she greatly reduced the amount she nursed, especially in the evening (5pm to 7 am). Within a month, my breasts started to lighten, and my linea negra faded. My period returned by the time she was 11 months.

The first period was a strange one, and I am almost positive I didn't ovulate. I had one more period, then got pregnant. My daughter is 14 month old, and still not weaned.

So, you don't have to wean to conceive, just reduce the feedings. All of the moms I know had similar stories for baby #2. I think this way would be easier on your full breasts, plus no need for formula at all (depending on baby's age). Lots of play dates and outdoor time helped with decreasing feedings.

V.

You actually don't have to wean the baby to get pregnant. Also, if you're going to breastfeed the other baby, you should continue to breastfeed this one. Engorgement is horrible, so get relief by letting your little one have the ample supply. I couldn't breastfeed my son because he wouldn't accept me. So just feed the sweetie pie and the milk supply will adjust to her feedings.

I'm sure that you've already heard this, but take hot, wet towels and put them over your breasts and take tylenol. This releives the pressure and the inflammation. If you want to go cold turkey you just have to wait an entire week before your milk supply starts to go down, otherwise just do one breastfeeding per day to relieve the engorgement and use the wet towels and tylenol.

How old is your daughter? The reason that you are in so much pain is that your body thinks you still need to be making milk since you were exclusively nursing. I suggest you gradually wean her. Maybe nurse her when she is with you in the morning and/or evening. My sons were both 21 months when completely weaned. You can taper pff at any age. Nursing slowly tapered off until then. By that age they were nursed once a day. One son was before bed the other was at nap. Since it was very gradual I didn't get really engorged. Also I got my period when each one was about 4 months old (about the time I started cereal). I got pregnant with my second son when my first one was 19 months old and I was still nursing. I nursed #1 for two months while pregnant. Hope this helps!

H.,
It sounds to me like you are weaning too quickly for your breasts to adjust. There's going to be a little bit of discomfort while weaning, but if you take is slower, it'll be a lot easier.
The best way to do it, is to cut back one feeding at a time, for a period of 3 days.
For example, first feeding to be cut out would be sometime in the middle of the day. Cut that one out for 3 days, then cut out another daytime feeding for 3 days. Continue in such a manner until the bedtime feeding is the last to go.
This gives your breast time to slow down the milk production gradually. Without handling it this way, yes, you will most definitely be miserable!
As far as the return of periods goes, it varies from person to person. I nursed 2 of my babies for almost a year, yet resumed my periods when they were 2 months old. Some gals don't get their periods until a month or so after breastfeeding has totally stopped.

A little about me -
I'm mom to 4 kids, and 2 grandchildren, and I was all about the nursing. I let my kids wean on their own, and the longest took 10 months, the shortest was 2 months.
I'm an "at home" mom, and also have my own home-based businesses - The Pampered Chef and Partylite Candles and Gifts.

Warm compresses and baths help relieve some of the pain. Also, try to express a little of the milk by hand. It will relieve some of the pressure without stimulating the glands to let more milk down.

As far as your period goes, I think it's all up to your body. With child #1, my period started again before I quit breast feeding and with #2 it didn't start again at all until my OB/Gyn put me on birth control.

Hope that helps!

Oh I have SO been there! I hate to tell you this but you did not introduce formula "slowly" you weaned that baby cold turkey! I did the same thing (I had to start taking some meds that were "iffy" for nursing plus the child was a stubborn 2 year old...it was past time to wean her!!!) but forgot that I should pump to replace the feedings till I'd mostly dried up the milk.

Seriously, it took 3 weeks to get myself back to normal. Three awful, painful weeks. At this point if I were you I would pump to relieve some of the pain and then slowly reduce the pumping, or I'd resume nursing and follow the advice of taking one feeding away. You don't say how old your DD is but since you refer to formula I figure she's not yet a year old, so as you pump, give that to her in a bottle instead of formula (or half and half.)

And yes, the cabbage leaves help, but it still took me 3 weeks not to be in horrid pain.

Trust me, in 3 weeks you can slowly wean and NOT have the hurtingest boobs in the world in the process! I would have weaned had I been able to. (I did it in a week with my DS who was 14 months at the time when I got pg with my DD.)

Also, once you start weaning at all (meaning replacing any of the feedings with formula) you can anticipate your period. I got mine within 2 months of giving birth. (How unfair!!!) But I had to supplement as I didn't make enough milk at the first. I got pregnant (unexpectedly but very wonderfully) when DS was 13 months old, so you don't have to give up nursing to do it.

Good luck!

The thing with the cabbage leaves is that it usually dries up your milk and if you don't want to stop completely, you may want to get these packs that you can warm or cool and put them in your bra. It was a life saver when I was engorged. Usually periods return at around 8-9 mths after delivery when you continue bfing. Mine came back at 8 mths. You can continue to nurse while being pregnant, if you want, you just have to have even better nutrition.

H.

Dear H.,
I understand about the pain from weaning off breastfeeding. Maybe try pumping a little to relieve the pain, but not enough to leave you empty. Slowly you will stop producing your milk because your breasts are not getting all the milk out. After a little while, you won't even need to pump because your breasts will be used not producing as much. I'm not sure if I explained that well. Try wearing a sports bra or maternity sleeper bra. Those bras are tight fitting, so they might help with the pressure from the milk (at least they helped me). As for getting your period. I didn't get mine for about 2 months or so after I stopped breastfeeding. Then it took about 3 months for it to become regular. Some people get their period right away though. I hope this helped a little. Take care and good luck!

This is going to sound crazy, but I used cabbage leaves. I wrapped each breast up with large cabbage leaves and put on a soft bra over. I had to stop bf because of surgery so i didn't have time to wean. It worked beautifully.

H.-I am not sure about the weaning part...however the absolute BEST way to relieve the pain once you are done breastfeeding is with COLD CABBAGE(keep it really cold in the fridge-they kept it in the fridge at the hospital for me)...I used it with my youngest daughter and it was excellant-doesnt smell the best but when you are hurting like that you really do not care!!! You do have to be done breastfeeding as this does dry up your milk within a couple of days. Good luck with everything!!!

You will be in pain for a few days or even a week. It will eventually go away. You can take hot showers, that may help soothe your breasts or you can try hot and cold compresses. Did you just stop cold turkey on breastfeeding? If so try weening down to nights or two or so times a day. I found the less you breastfeed the less milk you produce. And if the only reason you stopped breastfeeding is so you can get pregnant that is a lie. You can most definetely get pregnant while you're still breastfeeding. I hope some of these suggestions help.
Good Luck!

I had this happen when I weaned my second daughter. I kept thinking it would go away but I was hurting. finally I took a hot bath and while in the bath expressed the milk myself. I felt so much better afterward and I never got engorged again.

I don't know how long you've bfed or how old your dd is, your work situation, etc. My best advice is not to do it cold turkey if you can (dependent on the above). It's a recipe for pain. I cut out one feeding at a time, giving it a week to 10 days in between to let my body adjust to the change. If you can't do that, I'd express a bit with a manual pump--because they're not as strong--just so there's no pain. That way your body will start to adjust.

As far as period, both my kids were exclusively bfed for over a year, so that gives you an idea how much I was bfeeding, and it was at about 9 months each time it came back. It will come back quicker if you aren't exclusively bfeeding.

Oh my GOD honey!!! Get to your dr.! He can give you a shot to stop the milk from coming. Also, you can bind yourself in wide elastic bands like a dr. puts on a sprained ankle. Not tight enough to smash but to hold you tight...NO BRA! Wind from above breasts and circle to back, center front over-lapping, back again and then lower. At least 3 times around if you're a small person otherwise 4 times around.

Hi H.,

When I stopped nursing my little girl several years ago, my ob suggested that I use cold cabbage leaves on each breast to help with the pain and something in the cabbage is to help stop the production of milk. I would put 2 leaves in the freezer for 15-20 minutes and then put them in my bra and left them there as long as I could stand it. I seem to remember there was a smell that got to me after a while, but the cold did seem to help with some of the discomfort.

As far as when the period resumes, I'm not a good one for that advice since my cycle was somewhat irregular and I had some fertility issues. Best of luck to you on baby #2!

Hi H.,
First, you must get some of the milk out of your breasts. If you do not know how to hand express breastmilk or do not have a pump, please call a La Leche Leader or lactation consultant who can walk you through the process. If you leave the milk in there you are at risk for an infection. It's a wonderful medium at the perfect temperature to grow bacteria. Use warm, wet towels around your breasts. Do express a little milk each time you feel engorged. Gradually things will be better, but it does take some time.
Good luck.
M.

It is an old wives tale that you can't get pregnant while nursing, so if that is the only reason you are weaning you don't have to. My baby was 6 mo old, nursing full time and we got pregnant. Happened to my friend too. She had never even started her period (whereas I had already even while nursing) and found out she was pregnant because her clothes were getting too tight. Just to encourage you that you can still nurse, but don't be surprised if the baby stops once you are pregnant. MIne did because they say it can change the taste of the milk. Best of luck to you. I have heard that cabbage leaves in your bra can really help alleviate engourgement, also getting in the shower with hot water (as hot as you can stand) on you while you massage your breasts. The things we do as moms that we never thought we would do :)

The other ladies should be correct - cabbage leaves and also you don't need to stop nursing in order to get pregnant. In fact, I can't remember what they call it, but some women end up nursing straight through the 2nd pregnancy & then nursing the baby AND the toddler. Good luck!

H., I know the engorged thing is tough. You might need your husband or sister or friend to help you, but this is what I did. I took and ace bandage and I wrapped myself as tight as possible. In the process, it will hurt, and the first couple of days, sleeping will be hell. But after those couple of day, it will be fine. I did wear a supported bra before I wrapped myself. Maybe a tight sports bra. It helped. I was pretty much dried up in 5 days. I started my period after breastfeeding almost right away. That is something that snuck up on me. Good luck...I hope everything I told you will help you.

With my first child I just started taking away some feedings instead of all at once. Your body adjusts to how much the baby asks for so if you only feed her when you are starting to feel engorged and only enough to make you feel comfortable again then your body will start realizing that you shouldn't produce as much. I used a manual pump when I was at work and I wasn't doing a good enough job keeping up with her so she basically weaned herself off and since my body didn't produce much during the day it didn't take that long to wean her off totally without any pain. I have also heard but never tried putting cabbage on your breasts. I don't know if that is a wives tale or if it really works but It couldn't hurt to try. I hope this helps.

From: A mother of a 2 year old girl and a 4 month old boy.

how old is your daughter? as others have said it is not necessary to wean to get pregnant. I am currently 4 months along and my 16 month old is still nursing...and will tandum nurse if that's what they both want...not really up to me : )

if your cycle has not returned that is as easy as cut down to less than 7 feedings in a 24 hour period...mine have always returned as soon as this happened (however i was disappointed!! and even increased nursing to banish the period, worked for a bit...)

i am a big nursing advocate so my first instinct is never to wean before a year...what's the rush? enjoy having just one to care for...its such a special time! one that you'll never get back...trust me, this will be #4 and i long for the sweet simple days of cuddling with a new little one without all the interruptions/fighting/noise, etc : )

if there is a medical reason to wean, eat foods with lots of sage, or try to get sage supplements in the health food stores, it will dry you up QUICKLY! but only use in extreme cases (i.e medically necessary to stop)
best wishes...

sorry to hear of your struggles. Are you taking away one nursing at a time, for about 4 days, then taking away one more, etc.? Sounds like you have a lot of milk. There are some herbals that you can take to help w/ oversupply. You can join my free yahoo group that supports breastfeeding moms for more help. We have a prof. lact. cons. that helps to answer questions too.
http://www.mamasource.com/business/8288988875477483521

there are some homeopathic remedies that you can take to help dry up your milk. homeopathy is safe, there's no drug interactions, and no side effects. if you want to read more about how it works first, you can read info on my homeopathic dr.'s website (www.dupagehomeopathic.com). i study homeopathy so that i can use the remedies (not herbal) for use at home to heal small illnesses like colds, flu, headaches, backaches, minor injurease, rashes, etc.
you can contact me offlist about it if you want.

I would say pump in the morning when you get up, that was always my worst time of the day, then in the later afternoon and maybe before you go to bed. It will help to relieve some of the pressure and you can easily mix it in w/ the formula. After a little while then you can cut out the pumpings one by one.
This is a smelly option but I have several friends that have tried it and swear by it, couldn't hurt. Cabbage leaves! You just put a couple cabbage leaves in your bra rather wrapped around your breast for some reason it helps to dry you up withing like a week I think even! Good Luck!

Hello! I personally did not breastfeed but have several friends that did. Avoid taking hot showers, or at least ty to not let the hot water directly hit your chest area. Two people also recommended buying cabbage and putting it in the fridge to get nice and cold. Then wear a very supportive bra (like a sports bra) and put the chilled cabbage leaves in your bra. Sounds weird, but one sweared by it. I also heard that drinking beer can increase your supply. So if you are drinking, you may want to avoid beer.

I glanced at some of the responses below and can assure you from my own experiences with breast engorgement, pain, and even three infections that cold, washed, cabbage leaves in your bra is the best relief!! I can remember getting engorged late in the evenings / early mornings and sending my wonderful hubby to Jewel for cabbage leaves!!! Good luck!!

H. - Congratulations for choosing the best for your baby. Breastfeeding is a supply and demand system. Drop a feeding and with the engorgement - use a hot shower or hot washcloth compresses to relieve tightness...you will leak like crazy but soon (days) you will not be making milk for that dropped feeding...Taper down dropped feedings....I always ended up making just enough milk for the night feeding and eventually tapered that off...
Moist heat helps (never a dry heating pad...)Experiment...every Mom & baby are unique : ) Good Luck!!!

You can get your period while still breastfeeding. You can get pregnant while still breastfeeding. You can even nurse a baby throughout a pregnancy. Your milk will probably decrease towards the end, but your body will still produce the colostrum for the newborn. I'd say...keep nursing! Your body will start your period when it's good and ready. You can get pregnant without ever having a period! Good luck.

I used to let the shower run until it gets as hot as you can stand it. I would put my hands against the shower wall and let the hot water spray on me. I would do this at least 2 or 3 times a day. And if you can stand it, i would try to squeeze gently to relieve some of the pressure. If you hanve an ace bandage, have someone help you wrap up your breasts afterward. L. D.

Wean slowly. How old is your baby?

I got pregnant with my 2nd child while nursing my first (who was 18 months old). I continued to nurse for about a month or so and then my milk supply started to dwindle and stop without much effort on my part. I think that being pregnant affected my milk supply. I know several women who got pregnant while nursing, so I don't think you have to stop nursing for that reason.

It worked really well for me to ease-off breastfeeding - Dropping a feeding every few days or so. That will lessen the supply gradually. Then when giving up the last feeding just expressing enough to give yourself relief (using cold compresses helps and also reduces milk production). It seemed to take a while for the milk to be completely gone, but that might have just been me.
Good luck!

I know this is crazy and it's even crazier that it works. Buy a head of cabbage,keep in in the fridge so the leaves are nice and cold, rinse off the leaves before use. Then, take a leaf and put them over each breast, you can even slip it into your bra almost like a breast pad. They should fit right over your breasts like cups. You'll be amazed...I was. Toss out the leaves when they get warm (after @15-20 minutes) This helps with the pain of engorgement.

Hi H.!

Oh I know your pain. What I tried and was SHOCKED that it worked was cabbage leaves. I took the outer leaves of a green cabbage and put them in the freezer for a little bit (20-60 minutes) then placed them in my bra. You'd be surprised by how good the cold feels and there's some enzyme in the cabbage that dries up the milk. The smell is awful so I recommend using a jog bra that you can wash and not leaving the house, but it's worth it! I re-used the leaves a few times (would put them back in the freezer once they warmed up) but didn't need to do more than a few applications in one day to get relief.

For me personally I started my period while I was weaning my kids close to the one year mark. They had been exclusively breast fed but once food came in their diet in a major way I was nursing less and with both as soon as I dropped 2 feedings I got my period.

Good luck!
E.

Girls, it takes weeks to wean not days. Pump your milk and GRADUALLY wean your daughter. Yikes! You will get mastitis!

It should get much better soon. The less you nurse, the less milk you'll make. Express enough by hand to give a little relief, but not enough count as a feeding. Then use cold compresses... should get better as your body adjusts to making less milk. Hope you feel better soon!

I actually got pregnant while I was breastfeeding, and I had not re-started my normal cycle yet, so I think that you could get pregnant before your normal cycle returns. Also, I would try having your husband wrap your torso in ace bandages, the tight pressure helps with the pain of having your milk dry up! Hope this helps!

Aren't you supposed to put cold cabbage leaves inside your bra and replace them as they wilt throughout the day? I remember reading that in a magazine to help the engorgement and dry up the milk.

Usually it's best to wean over a period of several weeks to avoid engorgement. I notice you said "the last couple of days" so it sounds like you may have weaned pretty quickly. If I were you I would consider putting the baby to breast for a couple of feedings day and work downward from there for a couple of weeks. Barring that, ibuprofen, hot showers, a tight bra, cabbage leaves (green) on your breasts is about all you can do. Do not pump or express any milk unless you plan to continue feeding and wean slowly. Be careful because you will be at increased risk for mastitis with weaning quickly so keep an eye on things.

As for your period, it really depends on the person. I got mine about 2 months after I stopped breastfeeding but everyone is different. Good luck with everything.

As odd as it may sound, I have heard cabbage leaves in the bra can help with discomfort and encouraging the transition.