How do you dry your breasts out?
I'm nearing the end of my breastfeeding journey, but I'm wondering how the heck you stop. I'm not worried about my baby in this issue. She is already weening herself. I am worried about my body. I don't have nearly the milkflow I once had, but I still get hardness if one side is ignored too long.
Sorry to get personal, but one side is virtually out of working order now, and yet even though it produces like an ounce a day, it still gets hard if not in use. How do I dry it out? Can you still get an infection this late in the game? Do I just let it be hard and then it eventually softens up and dries up?
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14 comments:
Your body will totally take care of itself. It'll just take some time. As long as there are no signs of infection, I wouldn't be worried about it (but I am DEFINITELY not an expert--call your pediatrician's office to make sure).
With Logan the "wells" pretty much dried up on their own. It sounds like you aren't that full so I would be surprised if you got an infection. But like Laura I am not a doctor. I have had some friends who chose not to breastfeed and they told me that Sudafed helped dry them up.
My little one weaned herself except for the morning feeding and I didn't have any problems but I did leak for months after!
Bauer stopped breastfeeding in one day and we were still nursing three times a day! It hurt for a few days and I was really full but eventually everything just dried up. Be prepared to be uncomfortable for a few days but other than that I wouldn't think you'd have any problems. Like the others said though, you could talk to your doctor to see if he/she has any suggestions!
I quit cold turkey after 2 months when I was HUGE! I was really really worried about a flare up of the mastitis, but I ended up being totally fine even though they were like rocks for a few days. My OB had me on an anti-inflammatory round the clock just in case though. I also kept cold packs on them and wrapped them in ace bandages. I was pleasantly surprised that it only took a few days of being really uncomfortable for the milk to slow way down and it sounds like you've already slowed down a lot. If you start to feel feverish at all, I would call your OB.
This is all GREAT info. Do you talk to pediatricians about this stuff or OBs?
OB's, our program has a lactation nurse you can call as well and she was wonderful!
So, is it possible for hardness to not always lead to infection?
you have your husband drink it.
; )
just kidding.
really.
i am.
Yes, it's possible for the hardness not to lead to infection. As I understand it, the infection is caused by bacteria which thrive on the stagnant milk. If the bacteria aren't there in the first place or aren't introduced during the time that you're trying to dry up, you should be fine. If you do end up with an infection, antibiotics should get rid of it (didn't work for me) or you can just control it with an anti-inflammatory and once your milk dries up, the infection should clear (this worked for me in the end). Of course, I'm no expert and you should definitely call your doctor if you have a problem.
You shouldn't have to call your doctor unless you have Flu like symptoms. I wouldn't call before hand. But that is just me personally.
I call my ped's office because that's where the lactation consultant is (who also happens to be the CNP who sees my girls, so we have a much closer relationship than I have with my OB office).
Your body knows when the milk isn't flowing it's time to stop producing. Expect no more than 48 hours of extreme discomfort.
I have gone through this twice as my milk came in with both my children but I didn't breast feed. Ibiprofen helps.
I have to second the suggestion for ice packs and ace wraps. I wore a TIGHT sports bra for about 7 days before I was feeling back to normal. My breasts were ROCK HARD, but I never did have a problem with infection.
If you haven't yet, and if it's in your future plans, ask your OB for a full-on birth control pill (not just the mini-pill)...the pill horomones helped me dry up more quickly.
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