If a woman carries a baby to term, could nurse, but doesn't, how long before her breasts return to "normal"?

Question

I'm writing a short story. I would like to know if a woman carries a baby to term in a normal pregnancy, and could nurse, but doesn't (due to the infant's sudden demise), how will her breasts feel? What discomfort will she experience? How long before her breasts return to their pre-pregnancy state? (Serious answers only please! Perverts & weirdos, please don't waste my time!)

Answer 1

Oh, geez. I leaked milk for months and I didn't breastfeed for more than a couple of days. Your milk will come in and your breasts will hurt and be hard and leak. If you wrap them with an ace bandage or wear a tight sports bra, it helps the milk dry up faster. They won't go back to how they used to be, either.

Answer 2

when i had my son i didn't nurse, but my milk took a week to actually come in (1st pregnancy and only child). after my milk did come in i was swollen for about 2 weeks and the discomfort only lasted abot a week. wrap them in an ace bandage, it helped with the discomfort, but i only wore it during the day not at night. my breasts still have not returned to my pre-pregnat size, but then again neither did my weight. you will prolly get a differnt answer from every women who replies because we all have differnt experiences after child birth.

Answer 3

they dont. not really. some women are fortunate enough not to be cursed with stretch marks and saggy breasts but the vast majority of us cant escape what gravity and sudden weight gain or loss does to our bodies. she will still most likely feel the milk come in and get engorged and have the same discomforts any other mother who chose not to nurse would have- swollen, leaky, throbbing, feverish, horrifically sensitive breasts that in the end of it will most likely never again sit where they are supposed to.(and after all that training with the torture device called the bra :-))

Answer 4

I have 3 kids (7 months pregnant with # 4) and they were all full term.I never breastfed and my breasts returned to normal after 3 or 4 weeks. They were extremely sore for the first couple of weeks.

Answer 5

I had akwark breasts for about 1 week and a half. But here is a solution that REALLY does work to help her in her discomfort. Tell her to put fresh cold cabbage leaves in her bra. It will relieve her pain and will help the milk dry out. I thought it was truly the silliest thing I have ever heard of...but it does work.

Answer 6

i did pump for the first week. and decided it was to painful.so i wore a nursing bra and a sports bra a size too small for three days straight, and when i showered i only washed my lower half (3 days) because hot steam will make you leak so i avoided heat and kept my breast bundled extra tight 3 days and my milk was dry. it is a painful process but if done right you will be dry in 3 days!!!!!!!

Answer 7

Umm well I didn't breastfeed (one of my MANY phobias, LOL) and it took a couple months for my boobs to stop leaking and come back to normal. Whenever he'd cry they'd just start "dripping"....really odd. They hurt like heck and I always had to wear a bra, even to bed because they hurt so bad, and also because you need a bra to hold breast pads so you don't soak the front of your shirt!

A plus, though...is they look HUGE, which most husbands seem to enjoy.

Answer 8

I nursed for 10 days. It took mine about 8 weeks to stop leaking.

Answer 9

I breastfeed for a month trying to give all I could give her. I stopped about two months. about two weeks after the breast seem to go back to the right size but I still leak.
I would guess it depends on how big you are.
Good luck and God bless

Answer 10

i chose not to nurse and they were normal again within about 9 days from birth

there was some hardening and pain and leakage for a few days but it was quite bearable