thread: drying up my milk...

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  1. #1
    Registered User
    Add Stevie on Facebook

    Apr 2009
    Sunshine Coast
    1,280

    drying up my milk...

    ok as some of you know i have decided to stop bfing my almost 5 month old DD (after much guilt i have finally become ok with my decision, i am still upset but im moving on)
    So its been over 2 days since her last BF, my left boob was always slow and its not engorged at all now (it was al little yesterday and the nigth before that) but its slowly geting better, my right however is engorged and quite sore, i dont want to express any coz i want my milk to dry up asap.
    atm im just leaving it be sore.. im not really sure what else i can do?
    and how long is it going to take roughly? i just would like to know how long ihave to endue this for.
    TIA ladies xx

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Add *TripleJ* on Facebook

    Jan 2009
    Diggers Rest VIC
    2,945

    i know u dont want to pump but i would get in the shower and hand express that wat i did it took a few weeks to dry up and i had only been feeding for 5 days im not sure how it works later on HTH the shower will make it feel much better

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Add Stevie on Facebook

    Apr 2009
    Sunshine Coast
    1,280

    alright, ill give that go next time im in the shower..
    ive been gradually loosing my supply, so i was only really feeding once a day for the last 2 weeks of my feeding, if that makes any difference..

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Brissy
    2,208

    maybe call the breastfeeding hotline to get their advice? you dont want to end up with mastitis
    pretty sure their number is 1800 mum 2 mum

  5. #5
    Life Subscriber

    Jul 2006
    Brisbane
    6,683

    Stevie-anne. It sounds like you've had a really tough time.

    I can understand that you want the milk to be gone as soon as possible, but leaving your breast engorged is not really recommended as you can end up with mastitis. Expressing just enough for comfort won't significantly increase the time it takes for your milk to dry up totally. As long as the breast isn't being emptied, the messages to make more milk won't really kick in. If you feel able to do so, either use a pump, or hand express in the shower as a PP suggested, until you no longer feel uncomfortably full. If you already have lumps, it would be helpful to gently massage them towards the nipple while you express. I would recommend you do this as often as you need to for comfort, but each time only removing what you need to for comfort.

    Hun, if your breast has red patches or feels warm, or you feel fluey, these are signs of mastitis so get yourself off to the doctor for abs.

    All the best with it hun. I hope everything gets easier for you

  6. #6
    Registered User
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    Apr 2009
    Sunshine Coast
    1,280

    SS, i just called the ABA nd they said not to leave it and to express

    which is exactly what you said Mantaray I tried to hand express in the shower but it just wasnt happening, so i hoped out and grabbed my pump, i expressed 40 mls, i hope that wasnt too much, but my boob feels alot better (still full but better) the milk was an off greeny colour, i was going to feed it to Miss A but i havent fed her in over 2 days and im scared it will be off.