I have just weaned my daughter and am looking for suggestions on how to get my milk to dry up the fastest. I have just been pumping a tiny amount to relieve the pressure and have been using cabbage leaves. I am still really engorged. Anything else you can think of to make it go away fast?
I've had to go cold turkey. My daughter was in the hospital at the beginning of last week and was only able to take a bottle for a day or two. Then my husband was hospitalized for two days at the end of the week and I needed to leave her with family. I tried solely pumping and was getting hardly anything at all so just decided to wean. She does great with a bottle and I have approx. 2 months worth of breast milk frozen so she will still be on breastmilk- just out of a bottle.
Don't know if it is the right thing or not but you could take a zyrtec, a med that is drying.
I don't know of any way to dry up faster. As long as you weaned very slowly. I assume you starting weaning by dropping one feeding a day, then a second, etc, until you were down to just one feeding per day. Once you drop that last feeding, it can be very uncomfortable for a few days. But there's nothing to do but wait it out. You can use cold compresses and take some ibuprofen for pain.
http://keystosimpleliving.com/kids.php
I just wrapped ace bandages around my chest, across my nipples, very tightly for several days. I think within a week I was pretty much dried up. I was told you shouldn't pump or squeeze anything out b/c your body will produce whatever amount you got rid of (the body's natural way of keeping up with your baby's demand). Best thing to do is stand in a warm shower and let some milk naturally flow out. Oh, and ice packs help relieve the pain, too =)
Cold turkey is your problem. It's not natural and your body doesn't know how to react to it, you could get infection. I'm so sorry about all the troubles your family went through! That must have been very difficult for you and your baby.
I would pump three times a day for about 10 minutes for a few days. Then two times a day for 10 minutes for a few days. Then two times a day for 5 minutes if you feel you need it that often before going to once a day for ten and then once a day for 5.
You may need to extend pumping for a few weeks, or one week may be enough. You may not even need to pump as often as I listed. But the idea is to trigger your body to know that the baby doesn't need as much milk so your body starts producing less and less. For most people two weeks is more then enough time. Please feel free to email me privately if you need some more help or support! ____@____.com
S. Trost, birth doula, childbirth educator, aspiring midwife and lactation consultant!
PS- It just occurred to me to refer you to the Kellymom website, she has lots of information on breastfeeding! This link will take you specifically to articles on weaning. I wish you the best.
http://www.google.com/cse?cx=012979730609813424208%3A_tcs...
Earth Mama Angel Baby makes a pill to help dry your milk, and Traditional Medicinals makes a tea. If you go to Central Market, Sprouts, or Whole Foods, they can tell you what other natural things will help. Also, don't pump at all. If you continue to pump, even a little bit, you will continue to produce milk. Good Luck!
If you weaned slowly - don't pump. Massage your breasts to get some of the milk out - pumping will only tell your body to produce more milk. The massage should not.
If you went cold turkey then it will be a while before your breasts stop.
Good luck!!
Just a thought--if you weren't ready to wean, you could probably go back to breastfeeding if you are still really engorged. Then you could try weaning later, but doing it slowly.
