Not Breastfeeding, Avoiding Engorgement?

I did breastfeed, but also experienced the painful, hard spots that you describe. What helped was standing in a hot shower and massaging the hard spots, and hand-expressing a little milk just until the spot wasn't hard anymore. It's probably a clogged milk duct, which is really painful.

I think you may want to avoid pumping, because that will only cause you to produce more milk. (Actually 2 oz is no small amount for someone whose milk just came in!) A friend of mine who did not breastfeed used an ace bandage and wrapped it all the way around her chest to compress her breasts. She said that helped with the engorgement. It went away in a few days. Maybe try an anti-inflammatory to help with the pain?

I would stop pumping first off. Then, I would get a tight bra on and do not take off, even while sleeping. This will help the milk supply diminish.

Good luck.

When I stopped nursing my daughter and was in pain from the engorgement I would take a hot shower and massage them while under the hot water. That really helped a lot.

I have always heard to avoid pumping as much as possible... cold cabbage leaves in the bra are supposed to provide relief as well as helping reduce your supply... also, hot shower and just let the milk run without stimulating your breasts too much. good luck. :)

Stop pumping! It's causing your body to think you need more milk! One thing I remember that worked was cabbage leaves. Cold, out of the fridge and into my bra. Weird, maybe, but effective.

oh, the pain of engorgement. I experienced it...not fun. Hot showers, hot cloths, and patience. and NO pumping or expressing. your body will make more milk! It will be over in a few days, hopefully no more than a week. everyone else had good suggestions about the lump. I was advised to massage mine as well and while that hurt, eventually it went down. i know the discomfort can be a little overwhelming, but knowing it won't last forever can be comforting.

Hi Melissa
Try your best not to pump off any milk or if you have to the bare min.This will increase your milk supply.
I found when I was weaning I had these symptoms and a fever for a few days and it passed.
As you are not breast feeding maybe you could take some pain relief.I also found HOT cloths on my breasts a good relief.
As long as you are keeping pumping to the bare min.this discomfort should pass in the next few days.
Congrats on your new baby
Positive Vibes
B.

Talk to your OB/GYN... because you do NOT want to get Mastitis etc.
Yes, you have to even if by your hands, self-express some of the milk.
There is also a prescription that can reduce milk production. That is why, ask your OB/GYN.

And, some swear by putting cabbage leaves on your breasts.
Also, stand under a warm shower... and self-express it.

I didn't do any nursing/pumping with my second child either and had the same worries you did.

I got a bag of frozen peas and separated them into the snack-sized portion ziplock bags then tucked them in my bra. It seemed to help, but engorgement is engorgement and sometimes time is the only thing that will help.

Like others have said, stop pumping even though it does make you feel better. Lactation is a supply-demand process so by pumping you're telling the brain to produce more lactate for the breasts and they in turn will make more milk thus potentially prolonging the agony.

For the hard spot - go see your ob/gyn or your family doctor.

Good luck - it will get better soon; you just have to hang in there and wait it out a few more days!

When I weaned my son I pumped just enough for relief here and there but not on any particular schedule. I got a little engorged but it went down in about a week. In the stuff I got from the hospital about bfing with my second they said it was myth that a little pumping would increase your supply. So I say pump a little bit when you can't take it and then just let it dry up. If you do start to get hot red streaks, call the dr. I have heard that there is a pill they can give you but I am not really sure about that...you might check with your dr though. Congrats on your new little one:)

If u can I would not pumb.. wear bra all the time.. ice.. no hot hot showers...also I went on birth control right away and that helped my milk dry up faster

Watch out for Mastitis! Your doctor can give great advice!

Do not pump all available milk? Only pump enough to get relief. If you pump all available, you may be unintentionally increasing your milk supply. Also, if you do not plan to breastfeed, you can ask your obgyn for a shot or medication to dry it up.

I put cabbage leaves on my breasts, my nurse told me about this. I also got ace bandage and wrapped it around me really tight. I was in excruciating pain with my last, I have three boys. But, this did seem to help. Good luck!

I didn't breastfeed our daughter either. I heard that cabbag leaves help-one of the nurses I had in the hospital suggested putting unpopped popcorn kernals in a baggie and freezing them. Wear a good supportive bra (I wore sports bras alot) and definitely avoid hot showers! It defintelt gets better and I was sore but avoided engorgement.
Oh-I would stop pumping too! It keeps telling your body to make more!
Good luck!!

DON'T PUMP! It leads to relief for you, but it just tells your body to make more, so you will just fill right back up!! Take motrin for pain and when you are in the shower, do NOT run warm/hot water on them because it will cause your milk to just drain out. Good luck, hang in there, put on a nice, supportive bra and it will be over before u know it.

My daughter could NOT breastfeed because of a medication that she has to take to even stay alive. (And she got a lot of grief about it from various people) - Anyway, she had a great OB that was supportive and told her to put the cabbage leaves in a good support bra and change every few hours. Just remember to rinse the cabbage leaves first, she got a terrible rash on her "girls" and the lactation consultant told her they need rinsed first.