Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

leslie i am sorry, i don't have any advice, but you did an amazing thing BFing Abby for this long! don't feel guilty for one second good luck with weaning, i would love to know how it goes!!

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

When my sister weaned she put cabbage leaves in her bra and then I wrapped her real tight with an ace bangage. She also wore a sports bra since they are tighter then reg bras. I have also heard decongestants can help decrease milk supply. Stay away from gatorage and oatmeal since they boost supply. It took about 2 weeks for them to dry up. The first couple days were the worst and then it got better from there. Good luck you bf for as long as you could. You gave your dd a wonderful gift. great job mommy

Also if her thrush persists you may want to treat her diaper region. My ds and I had thrush and he would pass if from down there to his mouth. nasty I know and I wash his hands all the time. I got Nystatin ointment for his bottom half and oral for the top and he finally healed. A month of oral Diflican should kick it for you. Especially since you won't have to worry about contamination.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

don't do it cold turkey. I tried and it was awful! You have to 'wean' a bit

What did relieve the pain and finally help ease the engorgement was a few things

If you are so super engorged - pump just to relieve the pressure. Do not pump 8 oz, but pump enough to reduce the engorgement.

In a hot shower you can mannually relieve the engorgement too - especially the hard lumps of backed up milk. I would massage those out to make sure I didn't develop an infection.

When you come out of the shower - tight sports bra with ice packs or frozen vegetable and keep changing it out. The more ice applied the better it will feel (some also say cabbage leaves, but I didn't try that)

Take advil or another anti-inflamatory for pain.

Sutafed will dry up your supply also.

Also there are herbs that decrease supply: sage, parsley, peppermint, spearmint

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

I have been weaning my DD from the feedings where I will be at work (I plan to continue BF but will not pump at work). I took about 2 weeks for each feeding. If you don't have that much time make sure you take about 3-5 days so it doesn't hurt too much!

Also, I am sure you know this, but the frozen BM that you pumped when you had thrush will reinfect her. I didn't realize this but learned it from my BF support group.

Good luck and congrats for giving her the best of you for so long!

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

The sense of guilt, sorrow, disappointment is real when you are a BFing mom and you have to stop.

BTDT. I got sick with a staph infection. I tried to fight it with BFing safe antibiotics until they told me that I HAD TO take care of ME and get rid of the staph infection that I had for 2 months. It was bitter sweet. DS was 4.5 months. I want to BF until at least 6 months. Prior to that, I was a complete cow. Sorry but true. I had to pump 27-32 oz per day to keep up with DS. I was pumping 3 times at work. 4-6 times per day. I was completely exhausted which did not help getting better. Still I did not want to give up. I pumped and dumped for 1 week trying not to dry up. DS was on formula immediately with no transition and did well. After 1 week I "contemplated" going back FT to BFing. DH begged me to stopped. I found an alternative. I BFd 2 times per day, morning and evening. Formula in the day. Until he was 6 months. Then that was it. No more boobies!

LISTEN! It was the best timing. I had to pump so much to keep up, it was draining me. I was so sad. But I don't think there is any good time to wean off. This is YOUR timing. You said it yourself. You are not getting better. She is already on formula, you have to go back to work and pumping is not easy (and trust me it's not if you can't do it well at work!!!).

Even mommies here who have BFd babies for a long time were a bit bitter sweet. So there is no real right timing.

It's whatever works for you and Abby.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Tell Ed he needs to help you manually express!! Nothing like some great foreplay that relieves more than one kind of pressure.

On a serious note, I can't really add too much more than what the others have told you. I remember when you weren't even sure if you would even BF. You became great at it. Now it's time to get better. Abby has benefited so much from you and she will continue to do so from your love. You have done a great job!!!!!

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

UGH I think I have been reinfecting her. Nobody (either the lactation consultant or the pediatrician) told me about not using the frozen milk. She is not in pain at all. I am. I am pumping like a crazy person and now that I cannot use the frozen milk I pumped when infected, my stockpile is basically cut in half.

My plan was to pump as I wean off after we see the pediatrician for Abby's well visit on Tuesday. Something tells me that this is going to be more painful now.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

that sounds like a rough situation..... well, in my case, DS eats sooooo much that I very quickly decided to supplement w/ formula. BF only was way too stressful. DS is now 50/50 BF and formula. I just keep reminding myself that I was a formula-only baby and was totally fine.

all we can do as moms is our best.... you went to dr's, they tried to fix the situation, but they couldn't. In this case, formula is best and that's ok she will still be healthy and strong....

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Motrin and a tight sports bra

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

I cannot take Motrin because it irritates my stomach after weight loss surgery. Tylenol is it.

Right now I am extremely upset because I have a number of days worth of pumped breast milk frozen in the freezer ALL pumped after the diagnosis. I may have to throw ALL of it out because you are not supposed to use frozen milk if you've had thrush. Fresh milk is ok. Frozen milk, no. I am almost on the verge of tears again
Im going to have to pump like a mad woman to keep up as I wean. This whole thing is not what I want to deal with in the limited time I have left home with Abby.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Im sorry Leslie. You did an awesome job BF Abby and Im so glad you are confident with you decision. I know how hard it is. I was sad and depressed for a couple of weeks after I stopped. I have no advice as far as drying up because its been 6 weeks and I am still making milk. But I just wanted to give you some

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

I think that your pediatrician will have some words of wisdom for you on Tuesday. It may be in the form of information or in the form of encouragement but you will probably be more settled after that appointment.

I doubt you would need it in the case of thrush but my pediatrician has contact with a doctor who specializes in toxicity in breastmilk. That is who evaluated my situation with the heart medication, and took Dylan's issues from the NICU into account. Let me know if you think there is a need for contact with this person. I had to throw away frozen breastmilk but I just left it there for a long time b/c I could not bring myself to do it.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

I am going to call the doctor back and try to figure this out. What sucks is that I have to deal with the pain of it physically and emotionally. Then all of the effort of pumping and having to throw it away is killing me. I wish I knew more before. I could have seriously reinfected her which is why she never got better in the first place. We've been dealing with this for over a month already. It is too long. I also did not know that everything had to be boiled for 20 and not 5 minutes. I didnt know that I had to expose my "girls" to the air as much as possible. So now, I have to run around my house naked with painful boobs as I soak them in vinegar and water. Fabulous. Ill use it as the salad dressing when I throw the cabbage on my chest.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

No words of wisdom but I did go through a few patches when I had what I thought was thrush and the most painful experience to pump and nurse. I feel terrible for you.

I just wanted to give you , I'm sorry you're in so much pain - physically & emotionally.

You & Abby will get through this -

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Posted by smdl

Posted by Goldi0218

I am going to call the doctor back and try to figure this out. What sucks is that I have to deal with the pain of it physically and emotionally. Then all of the effort of pumping and having to throw it away is killing me. I wish I knew more before. I could have seriously reinfected her which is why she never got better in the first place. We've been dealing with this for over a month already. It is too long. I also did not know that everything had to be boiled for 20 and not 5 minutes. I didnt know that I had to expose my "girls" to the air as much as possible. So now, I have to run around my house naked with painful boobs as I soak them in vinegar and water. Fabulous. Ill use it as the salad dressing when I throw the cabbage on my chest.

BFing is not easy. We don't really know what all the ramifications are (physical and emotional). All BFing moms know what it is to trash even just half a bottle of BM. So after hours of pumping all the extra supply it's discouraging.

But you do have your PED appt on Tuesday. He will be able to shed some light on the situation and put things in prospective.

Then you will see what is best for you and Abby.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Posted by Goldi0218

Posted by smdl

Posted by Goldi0218

I am going to call the doctor back and try to figure this out. What sucks is that I have to deal with the pain of it physically and emotionally. Then all of the effort of pumping and having to throw it away is killing me. I wish I knew more before. I could have seriously reinfected her which is why she never got better in the first place. We've been dealing with this for over a month already. It is too long. I also did not know that everything had to be boiled for 20 and not 5 minutes. I didnt know that I had to expose my "girls" to the air as much as possible. So now, I have to run around my house naked with painful boobs as I soak them in vinegar and water. Fabulous. Ill use it as the salad dressing when I throw the cabbage on my chest.

BFing is not easy. We don't really know what all the ramifications are (physical and emotional). All BFing moms know what it is to trash even just half a bottle of BM. So after hours of pumping all the extra supply it's discouraging.

But you do have your PED appt on Tuesday. He will be able to shed some light on the situation and put things in prospective.

Then you will see what is best for you and Abby.

I sure hope so. In the mean time, I just don't know how to feed her. Anything I have for her is contaminated. Obviously they are going to put her on formula and that's fine. But I want to find out which formula will be best for her needs and will be the least jarring to her system.

Last night I told DH that I tried to do the right thing by my daughter and now I am just getting her sick over and over again. Fortunately, she is not in any kind of pain. I just want this to be over and for us both to be well.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Posted by smdl

Posted by Goldi0218

Posted by smdl

Posted by Goldi0218

I am going to call the doctor back and try to figure this out. What sucks is that I have to deal with the pain of it physically and emotionally. Then all of the effort of pumping and having to throw it away is killing me. I wish I knew more before. I could have seriously reinfected her which is why she never got better in the first place. We've been dealing with this for over a month already. It is too long. I also did not know that everything had to be boiled for 20 and not 5 minutes. I didnt know that I had to expose my "girls" to the air as much as possible. So now, I have to run around my house naked with painful boobs as I soak them in vinegar and water. Fabulous. Ill use it as the salad dressing when I throw the cabbage on my chest.

BFing is not easy. We don't really know what all the ramifications are (physical and emotional). All BFing moms know what it is to trash even just half a bottle of BM. So after hours of pumping all the extra supply it's discouraging.

But you do have your PED appt on Tuesday. He will be able to shed some light on the situation and put things in prospective.

Then you will see what is best for you and Abby.

I sure hope so. In the mean time, I just don't know how to feed her. Anything I have for her is contaminated. Obviously they are going to put her on formula and that's fine. But I want to find out which formula will be best for her needs and will be the least jarring to her system.

Last night I told DH that I tried to do the right thing by my daughter and now I am just getting her sick over and over again. Fortunately, she is not in any kind of pain. I just want this to be over and for us both to be well.

I had the same Q since I had literally had to stop BFing DS like in 5 minute notice. The PED told me to start with the basic one. We did Similac Advance (the blue can). We had no clue which one was better. He said that kids usually start with the basic then move to other formulas if it did not work. Can you call your PED today and ask them?

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Hi Leslie. I applaud you for your honesty, and for being open minded about it when you thought you would not be.

Believe it or not, frozen cabbage leaves on my boobs were the best thing. I swear. Everyone told me that this was the remedy for engorgement, and I really thought it was an old wive's tale, but I swear it helped.

What did your LC/Dr. recommend?

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

I increased pumping time. I am still trying to dry up as well.


As for formula - Gentlease - worked wonders for us as it is a similar consistency to breast milk.

Best of luck. I know how emotionally draining this can be.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

call me if you need im here for ya miss!!!!

abby is starting to get soooo big!!!

been there done that with the weaning off thing.. i can help with your support if you need!

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Posted by MsMBV

Hi Leslie. I applaud you for your honesty, and for being open minded about it when you thought you would not be.

Believe it or not, frozen cabbage leaves on my boobs were the best thing. I swear. Everyone told me that this was the remedy for engorgement, and I really thought it was an old wive's tale, but I swear it helped.

What did your LC/Dr. recommend?

Message edited 11/10/2008 9:07:06 AM.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Posted by Goldi0218

Posted by MsMBV

Hi Leslie. I applaud you for your honesty, and for being open minded about it when you thought you would not be.

Believe it or not, frozen cabbage leaves on my boobs were the best thing. I swear. Everyone told me that this was the remedy for engorgement, and I really thought it was an old wive's tale, but I swear it helped.

What did your LC/Dr. recommend?

We did not get that far yet really. I called her and am waiting for a return call.

The pediatrician told me to lay off the boob for three days to see if it clears up on both Abby and myself. It hasnt and its been 5 days. In that period of time, I had been giving her what I pumped and refrigerated which was contaminated (and I did not know).

Now I am going to have to deal with pumping to reduce the engorgement and watch all of that milk go down the drain. I effectively lost one month by pumping/storing/using while I was being treated. I could have used that time with my daughter. Im just really upset now.

Re: All good thing must come to an end - BFing(VERY long) and I need some advice

Thanks everyone. It truly means a lot to me to have people who understand.

Now I need a friggin cabbage.