Weaning & Mastitis

use a breast hand pump. medela has a handpump called the harmony i find rather comfortable. avent has a nice one called the Isis. I didn't like all the parts that came with it though.

i use it when my nipples are sore or when baby is not around.

Hi there! A few ideas that might help: I suggest using a pump to taper off over a couple of weeks. Sure, you'll have to throw out the milk, but it's better than being engorged! I also used ice and heat on my blocked ducts, switching back and forth between the two.

Good luck!

L.,

If it were me, (as I was adamant about nursing for at least 12 months for the continued health benefits on nursing that last a lifetime) I would go back to the doctor or find another doctor that will support your nursing efforts and find a different solution to clearing the infection. Check with La Leche league as they will bend over backwards to keep you nursing if you want to.

Hope this perspective helps,

P.

The first thing that I'd like to say is that it may be worth checking the 2008 edition of Medications and Mothers Milk by Dr. Hale to see if the medication you are taking is actually unsafe during breastfeeding. I know a few moms that were told to wean as a precaution for certain medications that were actually okay to take while nursing.

If you do need to wean, it may help to express just enough milk to be comfortable, possibly several time a day to avoid engorgement which can cause the plugged ducts. I also know a mom who had great luck with the cabbage thing, just make sure you cut a hole for your nipple because it can irritate that sensitive skin.

Good luck. I hope that your health issue gets resolved and you can avoid problems with weaning.

Have you talked to the MD about finding an alternative med that is safe for baby? Or talk to a Lactation Consultant, they are much more knowledgeable and willing to work to find options to keep baby nursing as long as both you and baby want to.

I don't have much to offer, since my 4 yo just weaned, and my 19 mo is still nursing strong! But I would use a pump, only as much as necessary, to relieve engorgement and keep the ducts clear.

Hope all goes well for you.

Have you tried using a breast pump? I have a manual single-breast pump and it worked out well for me, but there are other options available. The electic pumps can be pricey but I've been told that they are very efficient. You may be able to rent a pump from your local hospital or a WIC office.

Make sure you wean slowly, if at all possible since you have to start medicine.

It took us about a month to wean. I slowly dropped nursing sessions. First I dropped the afternoon sessions, then after she was fine with that, I dropped the morning session, then lastly the last session before bed time. My daughter was 14 months when we weaned, so she was only nursing about 5 times a day... so I waited about a week in between dropping each session. It might take longer for you depending on how much you're nursing. Since you're weaning before he's 1 year, replace the nursing sessions with formula bottles. You might want to try mixing breastmilk with the formula if he has problems (though you said above he hasn't yet).

If you have to stop nursing sooner than that, you can pump and dump the milk, and then just slowly wean from the pump.

With both of the ways I mentioned above, your body will hopefully be able to adjust to the lessened demand and produce less.

Make sure you're drinking plenty of water to help clean out your system. You can also try decongestants (like sudafed) to help dry up your milk... might want to check with your doctor on that one though.

Check out Dr. Hale's book Medication and Mother's Milk. Most medications are safe for baby while nursing. If you're really concerned, I would pump until done with meds, and continue nursing as usual. Don't stop nursing because of a one time medication. Your baby will benefit in the long run the longer you nurse him. Good luck.

The only thing I know is to just make sure and pump, then you just have to cut back your pumping each day until you don't have to anymore.

It's great that you got to breast feed for so long. I only got about 3 months in as my company didn't have anywhere for me to pump when I went back to work! My baby was a 29.5 week preemie and he needed it! Anyway, when I was ready to quit, I asked around and GREEN cabbage leaves in the bra for a few days will dry them up with very little pain. I was engorged for about 1 day but the cold leaves really helped with that. What you do is take one leaf and put it on each side of your bra, inside the cup. It will wilt eventually and that's when you switch them out and get some new leaves. It should only take about 3 days. There is something in the cabbage that inhibits the production of milk so you stop producing quicker. Good luck!

I had a bad time with this too; a nurse at Overland Park Regional suggested warm showers/compresses and it worked. There is a lactation specialist who returns your call the same day and they can provide you more detailed info, ###-###-####.

As the previous reply mentioned, rotating between ice and heat can work. But make sure it is moist heat and be prepared for leaking when applying heat. The basic rule for this therapy is to use heat twice as long as ice and to begin and end with heat. So, it would be something like 2 min heat, 1 min ice, 2 min heat, etc for 15 to 20 minutes. Since circulation is the issue, I would end with a long hot shower or bath.

If you engorge and want some fast relief, fill the sink or a washtub with very warm water and lean over to soak the breasts in it.

Hi L.,
I had trouble weaning my son who was a hearty nurser. After two rounds of Mastitis I reduced nursing time a minute a week until he was weaned.

Hope that helps...

When I weaned both of my children I did it cold turkey. To prevent mastitis, as I also had problems with that, I continued to pump when my brests hurt or were over full, but only pumped enough to relieve the pain. That way I continued to produce less and less milk but didn't have to deal with the pain. Take those hot showers and just keep watching for the lumps and hot spots. Good luck.

I don't know much about blocked milk ducts, but for your own comfort I would manually express the milk from your breasts each time they feel full. Express only enough to make yourself comfortable. I hope this helps.

I was going to say exactly what Tracey Z said. I would definitely check Dr Hale's book as many adult doctors don't know much about breastfeeding or the benefits and suggest you wean to cover themselves, since they often don't know where to find the information. I have heard that cabbage leaves are great and you will have to slowly wean, even if that means just you expressing or pumping. Hope it goes well! Also, if you get a plugged duct, I have had great success expressing underwater in a warm tub.

K.

I took hot showers and the hot water caused me to experience "let down" or the tingling sensation you get? But my milk still was able to dry up and I didn't have any problems, I wore a good support bra and still kept in the nursing pads because even holding my son or hearing him cry would cause my milk to flow. I drank plenty of fluids, and in addition to working I made sure I was still exercising...it went by pretty fast without too much discomfort, I think what really helped is he had already partially weaned himself, he was 9 and a half months when I had to go back to work, and we were only having a nursing session in the morning and before bed at that point.
I had a harder time with my daughter, I had a full blown milk supply and she quit nursing cold turkey at 6 months, and I didn't even think at the time to pump! So that was a lot harder, but still hot showers were what worked best for me...Lots of luck to you!
B.

Before you stop Breastfeeding contact your local breastfeeding clinic and they will help you decide whether or not the medication is harmful to the baby during breastfeeding.And if you should continue or stop completely.As well as we trust our drs and pharmicies they don't know everything about medication and it's effects on breastfeed babies

You could always just pump a little everyday until you are dried up... then just toss the milk.

L.,

My only suggestion is to put a heating pad on your brests twice a day. It helps to keeps ducts open. After my second child, who I did not breat feed I got a staph infection in my breast. Wow did that ever hurt. I also was on meds but I do remember the hot water bottle helping so much.