I had to have surgery last week when my appendix burst. My milk supply took a HUGE hit, so breast feeding isn't really an option anymore. After a lot of tears, we decided to switch LO, who is 3 months to formula. Now my boobs are super engorged and painful. I can't use cabbage leaves because I have a sulfa allergy. I'm already taking benadryl and ibuprofen to help.
Any idea on how long this will last, or any other suggestions? This seriously hurts worse than surgery!
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Aww I'm sorry. I've heard of wrapping with a tight bra or ace bandage can help.
nectarine / 2964 posts
Can you continue pumping / nursing and offering what you can to your baby?
If you decide to wean your supply 100%, don't cut cold turkey - what I know is you still continue to pump, and after a few days you pump 1 time less, then a few days 1 time less....etc. until you completely cut out pumping.
GOLD / papaya / 10166 posts
I agree w/ Irene - if you don't want to entirely quit, you can pump and give your baby the pumped milk. But if you do want to stop, you should try to do it slowly over a couple of weeks to help w/ the engorgement.
pineapple / 12526 posts
In my experience, the pumping thing just prolongs the misery. I couldnt breastfeed due to a medical issue too and the pumping just put even more strain on my already frazzled emotions. I couldn't emotionally handle it.
Really, the best thing is just to take hot showers and hand express enough to ease the discomfort. It took about a week for the worst of the pain to pass and about 2 months to fully stop leaking.
nectarine / 2019 posts
Hand expressing, will give you relief and not trigger your body to make more. You can watch youtube videos if you aren't sure how to do this
persimmon / 1396 posts
@irene: I only managed to get 6.5oz from pumping 6 times on Sunday. I don't get enough anymore to make pumping worth all of the effort.
@zippylef: thats what I keep reading about pumping. You still get engorged and still have lots of pain, its just delaying the invitable pain.
@junebugmama: Thanks, I'll have to try that.
squash / 13199 posts
I have heard ice helps? I used ice in the first few days after giving birth, I was s engorged but didnt get much milk when I pumped. It was weird. Engorgment is so painful I never expected that and I dread going through it when I finally wean my baby.
pomelo / 5178 posts
Definitely use a really tight sports bra or wrap yourself with an ACe bandage, and don't take it off! It hurts so much more when you take it off, even for just a few minutes.
Ice really helped me because my boobs got so hot. It also helped numb the pain.
I was lucky in the I only had one of real pain, but I was uncomfortable for probably about 2 weeks. It took about a month for most of the milk to go away, but I still leaked a little here and there for about 3 months.
pineapple / 12526 posts
@babynumber1: Yeah. I could never pump more than 5oz in a day so it was never worth it for me either. Hand expressing is really the best way. Don't empty your breast, just do it enough to relieve the pressure.
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts
ugh 
could you try taking a decongestant? that's what made me dry up by accident! I never knew, but it's a lactation suppressant.
clementine / 878 posts
When I stopped, I did the slow wean (extending time between pumping sessions by an hour). But after sleeping through the night and not pumping for 8 hours, I just gave it up completely and hand expressed a little bit in the shower one day when they REALLY hurt. Otherwise, I just kept my bra on all the time with breast pads (because I then leaked like a mo'fo). After a week, everything was pretty much "done." Although my boobs still haven't returned to their normal size after 10 weeks . . .
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