Weaning - Amarillo, TX

Hi,

This message is actually for anybody who is going to respond...

I just wanted to say that A. is asking for advice on HOW to wean, NOT whether she should be weaning or not. Please skip the lectures on breastfeeding, and if you can't offer any advice on weaning, please just don't respond. (I DID already send a personal message to A. on how weaning worked for me.) I'm sorry if this is coming off as rude, but I just can't stand when people try to lecture others on this very PERSONAL choice. Thank you!

A.,

Why do you have to wean her? Breastfed babies are healthier than formula fed babies! Please don't wean her if you can help it. There are SOOOO MANY benefits from breastmilk... your baby won't get constipated, no acid reflux, or gas pains...unless you eat a lot of broccoli (ha ha) No, but seriously I can't stress it enough to new moms how important it is to breastfeed. If you get sick your baby will probably not get sick if she is still breastfed. I work with infants and I can tell you there IS a difference between formula fed babies and breastfed babies.. The breastfed babies seem so much more content and have less problems and are sick much less. I have had a bug going around in my daycare and I was breastfeeding my son and was worried he would get it, but nope he did not get it!! Please think about this and go ahead research it more before you take your baby off the most precious health food in the world!!

A., I accidentally weaned my son when I stopped pumping at work. I went from pumping 3-4 times a day at work, to 1-2 times pumping at work, then to not pumping at all at work. I was planning to just nurse him once at night after I stopped pumping, for comfort more than anything. Sometimes I'd nurse him a bit in the morning too. But he was such a sleepy head at the breast at night that I ended up just drying up. I had almost no engorgement at all doing this and though I miss nursing, it was an easy way for us both to wean. It seemed much easier than what some of my friends who went cold turkey went through. Good luck!

To further explain the cabbage leaf suggestion...
Take a full head of cabbage. Tear off a few leafs and put them in the freezer. Then during times of engorgement put them in your bra. They retain the shape so you may not even notice them from the out side and act as an ice pack for a bit. You can also pop them back in the freezer and reuse them until they loose shape. :-)
Just try to find a head that sorta matches your size...
Usually engorgement only lasts a few days. Take it easy during those times since if anything touches your chest you will feel it. (No paintballing)Tell your hubby that you will be moody and need some extra help with baby and house stuff...
Your milk drying up fully varys by person...But once your body adjusts to not producing enough to fulfil a child, it does lessen greatly. I know that with my second about a month after weaning hubby noticed there was still some... :-)

Good luck, breath deeply and don't hurt anyone!

Unfortunately, I think that this is just one more thing that us moms have to endure. It took one week for me to stop hurting and to be back to (new) normal. I tried cabbage, but didn't think it helped. i didn't do any binding...might help, especially by keeping them protected from your daughter! It was a tough week...hang in there. Pumping, nursing, or warm compresses if they release milk will only prolong it!

Hi A.,
Just try to cut back slowly to reduce your milk production, but in the end, it will always be uncomfortable for a couple of days when you stop bf completely. You will just have to grin and bear it- there really is no way around it. You are doing a great thing to bf your baby.
Since you are a first time mom, could I also suggest a good video for you to watch online- it only takes 18 minutes and it could provide some very good information about chemicals that can potentially harm your child. It is a CBC investigative report and can be viewed at www.theglobalsuccessteam.net and click on 'Toxic Brew' on the upper right icon. Also, I highly recommend a book just out "Green Goes with Everything" by Sloan Barnett. This has great information about how to have a healthy home. If having a green, healthy home interests you, please contact me or check out my Mamasource business, M. Goes Green! I wish you all the very best.
M. A.
Davison, MI

Hi A.!
It sounds like she already is weaned, just don't give in to the urge to feed her to relieve your breasts. You will start to feel less engorged after a few days, it will gradually get better day by day, takes about a week or so. WEar breast pads to catch any leaking, do the cabbage leave thing like the other person suggested, and watch for plugged ducts and redness ifyou ahve one. If that occurs, contact your doctor in case you are harboring an infection. This wasn't quite cold turkey, but almost, so your body needs patience to adjust. Congratulations on breast feeding as long as you did! Hang in there, I know it's tough!

A.,

There is no easy was to go through the whole engorgement process! Keep a tight bra on (sometimes even 2 sports bras helps) DO NOT PUMP!! This will help you with relief for a moment, but your breasts will engorge again and you will still be in the same pain as before, only starting all over again. It should only last a couple of days (2-3). Hang in there and good luck!

Don't feed your daughter any more and eventually the engorgement will go away. I used cabbage leaves and drank lots of pepperment tea. Took a few days but eventually it feels better and you are done. Hang in there!

I've found cabbage leaves work. Stick a cold one in your bra and replace when wilted. Also cut back on your water intake for a few days and if they get real bad you can self express in the shower just to relieve some of the pressure. Good luck. I know it's painful at first but it will get better. Also you may have some milk left for several months before it completely dries up though the engorgement will only last a few days.

I'm not sure why you're weaning but it sounds from this post as though it may be something medically related. If so, there are a lot of nursing-safe medications you can take, so if you were told you can't nurse because of that your doctor might be wrong. (See here: http://kellymom.com/health/index.html) Lots of doctors err on the side of "no nursing" when it comes to medications.

That said, the best way to deal with engorgement is to take cabbage leaves and put them in your bra. Sounds weird but it works! Take some motrin to help with the pain, and apply cold compresses. Try and avoid letting your hot shower water hit your breasts while you're showering, because it'll stimulate milk production. Good luck!

I also dropped one feeding a week until it was over (but I also had all the time in the world, you sound in more of a hurry, so you would need to adjust to you and your baby's comfort levels). It was a little uncomfortable for a day or two each week, but nothing like the full on engorgement from just flat out stopping. Also, I don't know if this is true for everyone, but I would still leak small amounts of milk for two months after the final feeding. It would depend upon certain situations, like being in the shower, leaning against something, etc. Good luck!

With my first child, I tried this. Empty out the breasts by nursing just one more time. Bind with an ace bandage around your breasts. Bind around your back and across your breasts, tight enough to restrict milk from completely producing again, but not so tight that you can't breath! Try keeping them bound for about a week straight, other than while your in the shower/bath. When you get out, bind them again.
Good luck

Not sure how long you have to wean, but if you do have some time, I found it pain free and stress free for me and my son, when I dropped one feeding every day or two and gradually reduced my milk supply. Your body naturally adjusts to a lower demand and you will not have the pain or fullness. When I did it, I actually dropped one feeding a week, but I was not in a rush...I have friends that did it every day or two and it worked fine for them also. Good Luck!

i just went through with this myself. i was in a lot of pain for about 4 days, after the 2nd day i couldn't take the pain and i wrapped my chest with an ace bandage for a day and that helped. good luck