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EWmums

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ewmoda

Pain stopping breastfeeding :(

174

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 01:35

Hi Ladies! I am stopping breastfeeding but I'm finding doing so pretty darn sore! Since my LO is already taking 3 formula bottles a day I was advised to go cold turkey, drink Epson Salts & use cabbage leaves. My advisor is away & I don't want to bother her on her rare break so if anyone could advise me how to use this method or perhaps suggest an alternative I would greatly appreciate it. The Epson Salts have rather "unpleasant" side effects on the tummy & the cabbage leave smell worse than my LO's nappy :) Seriously though I'm pretty engorged & have been massaging and manually expressing a little to relieve the pressure. Not sure if this is the correct thing to be doing & not finding too much solid info on the net. TIA xxx

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671

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EW GURU

Latest post on 07 September 2011 - 21:49

Glad to hear that :)

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 07 September 2011 - 21:26

Hi BFC :) I'm good thanks! I reintroduced two feeds a day & have no pain at all! I was advised to go the cold turkey route by a well known advisor here in Dubai but I guess everyones b#*bs are different lol! Thanks again xx

671

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 07 September 2011 - 13:03

Gilly3, how are you doing today? Sudden weaning is potentially hard on mum emotionally as well as physically, so go easy and be gentle on yourself. *Hugs* hope the pain is lessening.

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 06 September 2011 - 15:03

I've never heard that going cold turkey is healthy. Why to add unnecessary tension to the whole change that yourself and baby have to go through. I didn't listen to any advise, just felt of making small steps towards stopping, and as I enjoyed the BF too much I even gave once / day (morning, just too lazy to get up for a bottle) for almost a month. Give yourself a break, why do it so rigid and artificial? Sorry if I offended anybody, I just think I would never torture myself like that. Babies need time to get used to the change as well (unless they just reject the breast overnight after trying a bottle :))...

Hello.Again.Kitty

1861

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 06 September 2011 - 15:02

wow, no wonder you are in pain, thats a lot of feeds to suddenly drop cold turkey, not sure I'd be sticking with your "adviser", am guessing it wasn't an LC! Hope it all goes well from this point and fingers crossed the worst is over now. yes, ouch indeed! DS had dropped to only 2 feeds a day when I stopped and I didn't have any discomfort at all. DD had pretty much self weaned, so we were only down to a single feed by the time she'd had enough trying. Gilly, I think you really ought to work on getting your body to think your baby is just dropping feeds one by one over a course of weeks. You have a month, so a month you can have, so to speak... there's absolutely no point in putting yourself in pain to get it over quicker - and no benefit to either you, your body or your baby.

kiwispiers15400

2782

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 06 September 2011 - 13:57

wow, no wonder you are in pain, thats a lot of feeds to suddenly drop cold turkey, not sure I'd be sticking with your "adviser", am guessing it wasn't an LC! Hope it all goes well from this point and fingers crossed the worst is over now.

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 06 September 2011 - 09:57

He was b/feeding 4 times a day and twice at night KS. Thank you so much for all the advice ladies, regardless of differing opinions this forum & the women who contribute their opinions and advice are invaluable to new mums like me, Thanks again for taking the time :) xxx

Hello.Again.Kitty

1861

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 22:01

I would be grateful if you could let me know what your qualifications and experience are? Just personal experience... so feel free to ignore it. Simply Googling "breast binding to stop milk" throws up loads of links saying it shouldn't be done. A few: http://www.lactationconsultant.info/dryup.html http://www.babycenter.com/404_im-weaning-my-baby-is-there-anything-i-can-do-to-help-dry-up_8921.bc http://en.allexperts.com/q/Breastfeeding-1764/stop-breastfeeding-9.htm http://www.howtodothings.com/family-and-relationships/a1711-how-to-dry-up-breast-milk-supply.html http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/html/lactation_suppression.shtml I'm not saying your opinion counts for nowt by any means, but research and thinking changes over time. What was recommended 25 years ago (like sleeping positions) is very different from what is recommended now. I too am in a profession where CPD is absolutely crucial and when new things come to light, we have to reassess our advice - 40 years ago asbestos was God's gift to man and used at every possible opportunity... then we realised how it could kill people. That's it really.

kiwispiers15400

2782

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 21:49

sorry I just saw you said 3 formula feeds, not 3 breastfeeds, not sure how many breastfeeds you were giving.... I was told when engorged not to massage or use heat unless I was then going to drain the breast somehow afterwards, so cold compresses might be better and anti-inflammatories are a good idea.

kiwispiers15400

2782

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 21:44

Having had a breast abscess needing surgery caused by undrained ducts after DS suddenly dropped his night feeds, I would be very reluctant to suddenly drop 3 full feeds overnight, it would be safer to do as BFC suggested dropping a feed every few days. There are also prescription meds to reduce milk production for emergencies when you can't do it gradually but if you have a month, doing it slowly seems sensible and you could maybe even still pump once a day if you wanted to give your LO some breastmilk from time to time. I have no idea about the tight bra for weaning, but I have always found too tight clothes, ill fittig bras caused blocked/undrained ducts for me, but perhaps this is due to uneven pressure?

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EW GURU

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 21:33

Good evening HAK. Thank you for reminding me why I don't try to help on this forum - despite 25 years experience as a Midwife, Head of Midwifery and Supervisor of Midwives. My CPD is up to date and I currently a registered midwife. I answered the OP early this morning while no one else was around to assist her. In her original post I felt she implied that she was giving up breast feeeding now and I was trying to give advise that would help her immediately. I stand by my comments - a tight bra will relieve the breasts and prevent them from filling up if you are stopping feeding. Full milk ducts do not always lead to mastitis. I would be grateful if you could let me know what your qualifications and experience are?

Hello.Again.Kitty

1861

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 21:07

doesn't do any harm to the breasts. what, unlike the blockages the OP is experiencing? A badly fitting bra is a big cause of mastitis, and regardless of the OP's intent to stop, her body still thinks it's meant to be producing the same quantity of milk as normal, so the risk of blocked ducts is the same as during breastfeeding. I know that's probably what you were taught when you first trained, but CPD is a great thing. When my MiL first trained as a neo-natal nurse, it was recommended to give newborns rose cordial to "keep their blood sugar up"...

651

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 20:46

Hi Plumie ;) Next month I go back flying so have to stop completely by then. I don't really want him having to deal with too much change at once by leaving it until then tho. He was B/feeding at 7am, 9am, 3pm, 5.30pm, his night feeds where b/fed also. He had 3 bottles including dream feed all 210 ml (he is only 11 weeks) and is now having 6 bottles per day & my b#€bs look like I work in a different industry:\: lol! I did exactly what BFC advised! I cut down one feed every week/s and my body adjusted with ease! The first few days after dropping a feed, I was engorged, but not leaking and eventually may body stopped "producing" milk at the feed times which I cut out! No expressing, no pumping, but maybe just try wearing some breast pads if you do leak!? Trust your body, i'm still amazed at how I went from 6/8 feeds a day to 4 feeds a day now, and I always have milk & DD never goes hungry ;) Good luck and i hope things ease up for you xxx

671

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 20:17

Magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salts) is considered compatible with breastfeeding by the AAP, and categorised as L1 by Thomas Hale in his book "Medications and Mother's Milk" (L1 = "safest" out of five categories, where L5 is "incompatible with breastfeeding"). Gradually cutting down feeds is far and away the best method in terms of reducing the risk of blocked ducts and mastitis (it does sound as if you're experiencing blocked ducts but are dealing with them well - keep an eye on them, though, as they can be painful and can develop into mastitis). As you still have a wee bit of time, you may want to consider dropping one feed every 2-3 days and see how you go. Alternatively, you could express in place of a feed (whether you choose to then feed your baby the expressed milk or not), gradually reducing the number of expressing sessions. Good luck! xx

174

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 19:58

Hi Plumie ;) Next month I go back flying so have to stop completely by then. I don't really want him having to deal with too much change at once by leaving it until then tho. He was B/feeding at 7am, 9am, 3pm, 5.30pm, his night feeds where b/fed also. He had 3 bottles including dream feed all 210 ml (he is only 11 weeks) and is now having 6 bottles per day & my b#€bs look like I work in a different industry:\: lol!

168

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 19:50

Use the tips of your fingers and push hard down the breast. Apply hot or cold flannels to the breast whenever possible. Don't use a pump to express at all. This is what I was advised my a midwife when I stopped. It took a few days for it to all go. Have pleanty of baths where possible to soak the breast!

651

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 19:34

Gilly3 - are you stopping completely or just cutting out certain feeds?

174

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 18:06

Thanks so much Ladies! Today I didn't drink any Epson salts just a well fitted sports bra with crushed cabbage leaves & Ibruprofen. I actually can't lift anything or raise my arms today & I have lumps the size of peas that returned today after I massaged/ expressed them away during the night is that normal? I'm thinking of resuming a couple of feeds but I'm a bit worried though as a website I read said you should not feed your bub once you have ingested Epson salts but doesn't say how long it takes to pass from your system. If I continue cold turkey am I at greater risk of developing mastitis? TIA

822

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 14:13

I does work putting on your bra tighter and doesn't do any harm to the breasts - in the days when I first trained as a midwife we used to bind the breasts (squashing them as flat as possible) but this was only stopped as the ladies didn't like going out wearing a breast binder.

Hello.Again.Kitty

1861

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 13:50

By expressing and massaging your breasts you are fooling them into thinking you are still feeding your baby so they will produce more milk and make the situation worse. Put on your bra as tight as you can (put breast pads in to catch any leakage). Pull the straps up tight and fasten it on really tight, and then don't touch your breasts for as long as possible. Take simple analgesia like paracetamol or ibuprofen. Epsom salts only work by dehydrating you so you don't produce as much milk - this method has not been used for many years due to the side effects, as you already found out. HTH I wouldn't put your bra on tighter because it'd be bloomin' painful and could do more harm than good. The cabbage leaves are meant to help, but they have to be savoy cabbage and you should crush them slightly (or so I've heard) before putting them against your skin. I'd actually say that the cold turkey approach is the least pleasant way to do it. In fact, there's pretty much no reason to go cold turkey and put yourself through it. Simply try to express when you're engorged, but only until you no longer feel engorged, so you never empty the breast as a baby would do. This will sent the signs to your body that you baby doesn't need as much milk and it will adapt pretty quickly... once you no longer feel engorged at all, simply don't express and your body will know that it doesn't need to produce any more milk... it may continue producing a little bit for a time, but you probably won't know because you won't be expressing it. Babies rarely go cold turkey from breastfeeding - they drop one or two feeds at a time over a series of weeks or months. Basically, it doesn't need to be painful... it doesn't even need to be quick really, just as long as it's comfortable and convenient for you.

225

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 11:46

Gilly3, you can try expressing a tiny amount (just to relief the pain) and gradually your body will respond to lack of demand. Warm showers worked wonders for my painful breasts and I would not recommend to massage the breast. Sometimes just putting a bit of hand pressure on the breast will help. HTH

822

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 05 September 2011 - 07:45

By expressing and massaging your breasts you are fooling them into thinking you are still feeding your baby so they will produce more milk and make the situation worse. Put on your bra as tight as you can (put breast pads in to catch any leakage). Pull the straps up tight and fasten it on really tight, and then don't touch your breasts for as long as possible. Take simple analgesia like paracetamol or ibuprofen. Epsom salts only work by dehydrating you so you don't produce as much milk - this method has not been used for many years due to the side effects, as you already found out. HTH

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