it has been five days now since i've quit breast feeding. Why are my breast still really sore?

Kathy - posted on 03/25/2010

Express just a bit of milk from time to time, maybe in the shower as Andrea suggests. Not so much that it will build your supply up again, but just enough to relieve the pressure. Weaning is a slow process.

Hannah - posted on 03/25/2010

Weaning when your baby shows readiness is the most natural method of stopping breastfeeding. Your baby slowly drops a feeding here and there over a period of weeks or months and nurses only when he shows the need or desire to breastfeed.
And to further help the process, follow the "don't offer, don't refuse" method as Dr. Sears says on his website. I have provided the link below.


http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T026400...

Nicole - posted on 03/25/2010

These are all great suggestions I for sure am going to try a few. What is baby led weaning?

Hannah - posted on 03/25/2010

Maybe you should consider baby led weaning. I know you have already started the weaning process, but it might not be too late to start nursing again. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends nursing until 2 years or more. And LLLI recommend AT LEAST 1 year, but longer is better. From the looks of your picture, you're little one is just around 1 year old more or less.

I don't know your reasons for weaning, but I thought I would just throw the idea of baby lead weaning out there, for you to consider if you haven't already.

Good luck, and I hope everything works out for you.

Andrea - posted on 03/25/2010

I recently went through weening my son, and only had the engorgement and pain for a few days. (because I sought advice from other moms quickly :o)! ) I know that a few people have recommended not expressing any milk, but I id for the first few days, just a bit in a warm shower, the pain is gone instantly! :O) yay! Afterwards, I put the cabbage leaves in my bra... the coolness relieves discomfort, and some other mommy friends of mine said they believed that the leaves also are supposed to help draw out the milk. I am not sure if that part is true, but I know it help me with the pain. Like I said before, I only had the pain the first two days, then nothing because I took their advice. The milk did take longer to dry up though. Best wishes.

Heather - posted on 03/25/2010

CABBAGE LEAVES! my aunt is an ob nurse and she swears by this! good luck!

Anouscka - posted on 03/25/2010

De borstspieren doen pijn en er zijn stuwingen ik zou eens proberen om een beetje melk nog af te tappen en dat misschien 1 maal per dag +warm water kan ook deugd doen

Leisa - posted on 03/25/2010

my grandmother suggested to me that if i wanted my milk to dry up to have a couple of glasses of rum or wiskey or another spirit drink not enough to get drunk but just one or two a night till my milk dryed upas well as that have the cabbabge leaves on as well.

Tanya - posted on 03/25/2010

afther trying what most have suggested i went to my local doctor afther almost 2 weeks of pain and she gave me some tablets which dryed all the milk up stright away, try that if nothing else works for you.

Krystal - posted on 03/24/2010

And don't express any milk. You body makes more for every little drop it loses and if stimulated to make more. Good luck!

Krystal - posted on 03/24/2010

It hurts for a few weeks. They have these special ice packs that are shaped to your breast that you stick in the fridge for a bit and then place in your bra. Ice helps! Cabbage leafs are good as well as long as you don't have an allergy to sulfa. It does get better though. It takes a while for your milk supply to totally go away. Avoid heat as it will make your milk come in more.

Vicki - posted on 03/24/2010

Expressing a very small amount of milk helps relieve the pain without causing the milk production to be prolonged. The less a baby nurses the less milk you will make. This has been my experience. I breastfed 3 babies for 3 to 3 1/2 years each. I never took mine off the breast. We just gradually & naturally weaned. I was very involved in Le Leche League for years & their advice would be warm compresses, express just a little milk until relieved. It's certainly possible to dry up without doing anything as long as you watch for infection & are not miserable with discomfort or pain.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 03/24/2010

Ok, do NOT express your milk at all! It just prolongs the whole drying up! I promise! If you express your milk, by hand, pump, or just one last feeding...your body starts making MORE! Try frozen peas, cabbage leaves, and whatever pain reliever your doctors say! It takes time...hurts like hell too! I think mine was 2-3 weeks...Why can't moms get a break from the pain? This is just another one of those wonderful joys of motherhood!

La - posted on 03/24/2010

I agree with Rona. We learned about the cabbage leave trick in nursing school during our OB/maternity rotation.

Heather - posted on 03/24/2010

I stopped nursing in the beginning of january it took about 3 weeks for the pain to stop and i can still express some

Vicki - posted on 03/24/2010

I nursed 3 kids, 3 yrs each, so I didn't have any problems when I stopped. They nurse so infrequently at that age. If you were nursing regularly & often, then your breasts will keep producing at the rate they were accustomed. Watch for breast infections, (hot, red spots on breasts, flulike symptoms) & express some milk if you're feeling engorged. Tapering off with your nursing is the best.. a gradual wean. Good luck.

Rona - posted on 03/24/2010

Hey Nicole, try try wearing cabbage leaves in your bra. Basically wrap your entire breast in cabbage leaves (at night while asleep, and during the day). It sounds crazy, but its an old tradition that apparently has been working for centurys!!

Sarah - posted on 03/24/2010

Hello, I took roughly 2 weeks to get back to normal, i went though same as you, i had to express small amounts to ease the pain each day less and less until the pain stopped. I hope it eases for you soon

Kate - posted on 03/24/2010

Most likely because your milk production has not stopped...you might try hand expressing just enough to take the pressure off...if you develope redness or areas that are hot to the touch see your Dr...you can get infections from blocked ducts...I nursed my second child for 15 months then as he weened naturally, my milk stopped. It is different for everyone...