I stopped nursing 6 ish months ago. I've continued to produce some milk, not a whole lot, put enough to keep the breasts off limits to the hubby. But the other day I woke engorged. Now I have an infection. So frustrating! The doctor on call for my OB/GYN called in some antibiotics. The one other time I had mastitis the doctor told me to nurse as much as possible. That isn't really an option this time, as I'm not nursing anymore, got rid of my Medela, and don't really want to stimulate production anyway. I am tired of being a walking dairy - have heard rumors of medication that can stop lactation, but my Doc says the drugs are nasty with worse side effects than the current situation.
Does anyone else feel like they would have been a wet nurse in a previous life? Any ideas, old wives tales, herbal 'remedies' to STOP milk production. No judgmental responses please.
My sister in law wrapped herself up with ace bandages and wore a sports bra when she stopped breast feeding. She did this for about a week.
If you don't have a heating pad to use, I've found soaking a diaper in hot water works just as well! It doesn't leak, yet is full of hot water (more so than a rag).
But the shower really is the optimal relief!
I heard cabbage leaves applied to the breast helps stop lactation, I think you steam them first.
I got mastitis last spring, and I have had repeated blockages since then. I get in a hot shower and work the blockage out. It is the only thing that helps me, and you can avoid nursing and stimulating milk production.
Good luck, and feel better. I know how you feel!
I am so sorry to hear of your discomfort!
Try putting lettuice leaves on your breasts ~ it was something the lactation consultant recommended when I was nursing as a home remedy for engorgement.
Good luck, I feel for you!!
*K
Actually, I would call a La Leche leader. I really think you would get a non-judgemental response and they are very knowledgable.
Not from experience, but a friend of mine didn't want to nurse and put cabbage leaves in her bra, she said sounds funny but it worked for her.
When I stopped breastfeeding there were still mornings I woke up engorged. I used cabbage leaves (cold) to soothe them. Sometimes I had to have a hot shower and manually expressed just a little bit of milk to ease the pain, and then after I got out of the shower I put on ice packs (but not for too long, you can get a freezer burn). This helped me. I wore the cabbage leaves all day. When they would get warm I got more and put them in. That is what I would suggest. Hope you are feeling better.
hi K.,
i have heard that sage can really help - either just eating alot of it (fried leaves on lentil or squash soup is super yum...) or you could make a strong tea or tincture. parsley an peppermint are also helpful. there are also a few pre-made herbal teas: http://www.nursingnotions.com/breast-wean.htm
i hope those easy options work for you, however, i did mostly want to reply because i had a good friend who stopped nursing at 18 months and still had milk for 6+ months and in the course of trying to conceive another child discovered she had a prolactinoma (a non-cancerous tumor of the pituitary gland). of course it is extremely unlikely that you are in that situation, but because it took a long time for her to get a diagnosis, i thought it worth mentioning. her's responded beautifully to medication.
i don't mean to frighten you! some super-proucer moms just keep making milk... and i bet the tea would help steer your body in the "okay! she's actually done!" direction.
good luck!
K.,
I am soo sorry that you are facing this. I feel your pain. I had a small infection while nursing my second. I would recommend hot rags in the hot shower. Have your hubby watch the boys for like 30-45 min. Get two large wash rags or small towels depending on your breast size. Run the shower as hot as you can handle and take the rags in with you. Get them all hot and then wrap them around your breasts. While you stand facing the hot water. Massage, gently, the infected areas and all the engorged. Gently continue the massage until the major pain has subsided. This will make your milk flow out but it will help relieve the pain and your milk won't fully refill because you are not nursing. I would try to repeat this every night until you are comfortable again. This is also what my step mom did to get rid of her milk when it came in. It should help. Also a heating pad with a towel under your bra to catch the milk, so you don't get shocked hahaha!!, and massage under the heating pad. This will help if you can't take a shower. I know how the pain is a the "pressure" is. It will be uncomfortable but it will get better. You can also take herbal supplements to help dry up. I would check out the health/organic food and drug store in your area. They should be able to direct you to something that won't have the icky side affects. I have also read that SAGE and PARSLEY will dry up your milk...sage and parsley tea anyone? HAHAHA!! Fennel increases the production so that is a big no no until you are dry.
Good luck and I hope this helps.
C.
I know that it sounds funny, but putting pieces of cabbage in your bra really does work! I had mastitis several times with my son and this was one remedy that actually works!! The cabbage will also help you stop producing milk. Good luck!
T.
I have read in more than one place (medical sites, not mama boards, so I don't have any anecdotal evidence for you) that Sudafed, Benadryl, etc. can have a lactation-supressing effect, especially on "late lactation" meaning if you're still nursing when they are 2-4 years old--in fact, specifically warning low-flow moms and "later" nursers to avoid decongestants and antihistamines. Maybe some of that would help you stop the flow.
I learned to self-treat for mastitis because my little one was so sensitive to antibiotics. Besides nursing/pumping a lot, which I totally understand you don't want to do, I learned that for mastitis, I had to treat it like the flu:
1) use anti-inflammatories (tylenol)
2) lots of moist heat
3) drink a ton of fluids
4) rest, rest, rest
5) take extra vitamin C
I have just weaned my kiddo, but I did it sooooo gradually that I haven't felt any ill effects.
