I am stopping breastfeeding and my breasts are swollen...?

Question

I stopped breastfeeding 4 days ago. For two days I expressed a little bit of milk but then stopped doing it as I was afraid there would be more milk produced. My breasts hurt, swollen with some lumps and I do not know whether it is a common thing or whether I should go to the doctor asap (after bank holiday). I also read today that jasmine, sage and peppermint teas stop the production of milk. Many thanks!

I am stopping breastfeeding because my son is 22 months and I feel tired of breastfeeding and he is not even thinking of stopping it.
Last night I had a stinging feeling in my breasts so I have had to express it a little bit and if it goes like that till tomorrow I will have to go to GP asap - tomorrow. Thank you for your advises.

Answer 1

It should have stopped and started to dry up by now, but expressing by hand probably got it going again. I'd give it one more day (sounds like you have to anyway because of holiday), and then go see the doc for a shot to dry it up.

Meanwhile, avoid excessive handling or stimulation to the breasts. You may be more comfortable wearing a supportive bra 24 hours a day until your milk starts to dry up (24-72 hours). Take a non-aspirin product for discomfort. Ice packs (crushed ice cubes in a baggy) may be placed inside your bra for 20 minutes several times a day. If you are still uncomfortable, you can release some milk by:
using a clean dish pan that is about 14 inches wide and filling it about 1/2 full with comfortably warm water.
Put the pan on a kitchen table or on something that is about that same height; undress above the waist and lean over and let your breasts fall forward into the water. You can put your hands on the table for support.
Your milk should start to flow out into the water; as it does your breasts will become more comfortable.
You can use the pan of water as often as necessary for comfort in the first couple of days until the milk starts to dry up. Main thing is not to touch them.

Also try to avaoid letting your baby cry. This has a natural "let down" reaction and you will leak and make more milk. Feed or soothe the baby as quickly as possible, and if possible prevent from crying by bottle feeding before it gets hungry and cries (just until you dry up).

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Ouch ouch!!

Do:

Wean gradually. This will tell your body to stop, slowing production over time. Gradually substitute feedings with an alternate method, primarily bottle-feeding with formula. Wait a few days before substituting another feeding and so on, until the transition is made.

Pump or hand-express just enough milk to keep you from feeling swollen and overfilled. When milk is already in the breasts, additional production slows, therefore only remove a small amount at a time.
Apply cold compresses, gel packs or cold cabbage leafs to your breasts. This helps reduce swelling and can contribute to diminishing the milk supply if used consistently. If you use chilled cabbage leaves, replace every couple of hours.
Try over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to relieve some discomfort.
Check breasts frequently for blocked ducts and potential mastitis or breast abscess. If you have any concerns, contact your doctor or a lactation consultant.
Don't:

Don't allow your child to feed in order to relieve pressure. The natural supply and demand kicks in and alerts your body that it needs to produce more milk, putting you back to square one.

Don't stop breast feeding abruptly unless absolutely necessary. This will cause frustration for your baby and discomfort for you.
Don't bind your breasts. This may actually increase the pain, while providing no real benefits to depleting your supply.
Don't allow room for nipple stimulation. This also activates the production of your milk supply.
Don't use heat, such as a heating pad, hot water bottle or even running hot shower water on swollen/engorged breasts. This may just aggravate the situation.
After your breasts remain softened over 24 hours, you should be in the clear. However, watch for signs of your breasts filling and if necessary, repeat the above steps.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Go to the store and buy cabbages. Get the leaves and put them on warm water for about a minute or two. Put them underneath your bra, any time of the day. Also make sure to change the cabbages from you bra so they don't smell. This will dry up your breast. Also when you take a shower, make sure that warm water hit your breast and massage them for at least two minutes or until you can take the pain. if you can't take the pain at night, you can always put just a little, just enough were the pain goes away, not completely because you will produce more milk. Make sure your bra is a little bit tight as well for you breast to be closer to the cabbages. I did all these things and in three days my breast were good to go. No more milk and no more suffering. I learned it from a nurse that helps me out a lot with questions about baby's and myself. She was the one who recommend me to do this. She is great and if this worked for me am sure it will work for you.

Answer 4

Owww, poor you.

I found applying flannels soaked in hot (and I mean as hot as you can bear) water to the swollen breasts really helped.
Problem is the more you express milk, the more you will produce! You need to stop now to teach your body that baby doesn't need the milk anymore. You may even leak a little, but do this until you feel a little less sore.

After the Bank Holiday, if you are still sore and swollen, call on the GP and he can prescribe medication to speed the process up a bit.

Answer 5

First - Contact your physician (obstetrician or family doctor) before and during this process. Contact your baby's doctor for advice on appropriate substitute milks.

Next - Be prepared to take 1-3 weeks to reduce supply to the point where you don't have to remove milk to be comfortable.

The breasts make milk faster when they are "empty" and slower when they have milk stored in them. (1) (2) Therefore:

Remove only as much milk as necessary to keep from feeling "bursting" or swollen, overfilled or lumpy. Allow most of the milk to stay in the breast. Remove milk by pumping and/or hand-expression.

The suppressor peptides in the retained milk will gradually signal the gland to stop producing milk.

At first, you may have to remove some milk every few hours. As time goes on and supply decreases, you can go longer between removal sessions and take less out each time.

Take a look at the following article for more information

Answer 6

stopping breastfeeding breasts swollen

Answer 7

If you have any fever or redness, or your breasts feel hotter than your other skin, then there could be infection and you should see the doctor today.

If not, get in the hot shower because this will help milk come out and will relieve your engorgement without giving you nipple stimulation. Nipple stimulation by pumping will make more milk, so don't do it.

Answer 8

Gradual weaning is best but you can get in the shower to help relive the tension. Do not pump or express. A call to the doctor before you stopped would have gotten you a prescription or shot to dry up your breasts. You mean on 'bank holiday' you can't get emergency treatment?

Answer 9

My Breast Are Swollen

Answer 10

it seems ur body is till producing milk ( as it takes abut a week to 10 days to completely stop ) . To reduce discomfort try a hot water compress , it will loosen the coagulated milk inside and then u can express it out. See a doctor without delay .