I stopped nursing/pumping about 3 weeks ago since my DD is 11 MO and I wanted her weaned of bottles and nursing at 1 YO. I noticed in the last few days that my breasts are really tender and sore, almost feel bruised. I regularly do self breast exams because of cysts and there are no changes. I notice the tenderness, soreness, bruised feeling when there is pressure but on my chest like when I bend down to pick something up and my chest hits my knees. And I know this sounds funny, but it startled me and it hurts if I put pressure on them with my hands. Not like horrible pain, but just like I said...tender, sore, bruised. Is this a result of just stopping nursing/pumping? I don't remember this happening 2 years ago when I weaned my son but then again, I have 2 kids under 3 YO and my memory fades in and out.
Can anyone help or give me some insight?
K.
You should try bags of frozen peas. If you lie down on the bed and put them on your breasts over your bra, the cold helps with the pain a little. I did this when I first got pregnant and again when I weaned and it seemed to help...
Also, just to echo the other moms, maybe you should get a pregnancy test, just to be sure!
I got that way after I stopped breast feeding my DD also; contrary to popular belief, I pumped one last time to empty out my milk glands and 'poof' all better! And no I did not produce any more milk after that; my breast glands (only a couple of them) had been full plenty long enough for my body to get the message of no more nursing. Good luck!
PS If you breasts become warm to the touch (aka feverish), go see your doc.
Blessings,
K.
Hi K.:
It is very common to have soreness and tenderness after stopping breast feeding and pumping. Milk builds up in the ducts and there is no release. You will feel sore for about a week to 2 weeks. I used to take very warm baths and tylenol for relief which worked quite well. I breast fed a single 17 years ago and twins 13 years ago. Believe me, the soreness will go away as your body realizes that you won't be feeding anymore. There used to be a medication to help stop the milk, but I don't know if it's still available. My advice, just bear with it, lots of warm showers and tylenol if it bothers you. It eventually will fade away.
I'm a newly divorced (yahoo!) mother of the best 3 teenage boys on the planet, 17, and twins 13. We have just rebuilt our lives from Canada to Texas with our family about a month ago.
It is definitely from your milk drying up. Try wearing a very fitted bra, maybe a sport bra. That'll help from your breasts moving around too much causing pain. Take some pain medication if it gets too bad, it should subside soon, hugs!
Probably normal, but could you be pregnant? That was my first sign!!! I didn't have a lot of trouble with soreness after weaning, but I know a lot of women do have terrible soreness.
My Best!!
That is normal. I weaned my son slowly over about 3 months.. and was surprised when I didn't have this problem, but it is very common. I know this sounds crazy, but try putting raw cabbage leaves in your bra. This will ease the tenderness and help your milk to dry up. When the cabbage smells cooked, switch them out with fresh leaves. This is actually doctor recommended and it really does work. You might smell like cooked cabbage, but at least your breasts won't be killing you!
Good luck!
My first thought was that you might be pregnant... I didn't have the soreness when I stopped nursing my daughter last year, but that was a very, very gradual process. However, I did have soreness with my pregnancy. Possibility???
