Weaning from breast - painful and miserable :(

[GabrielOak]

DD (baby #4) is 10 months old. Our breastfeeding journey has not been an easy one with two bouts of mastitis and regular blocked ducts. For the last month it has been particularly horrid, every feed has been painful. I think this is due partly to her lovely new teeth (as the feed progresses she appears to chew more than feed) and latch (I'm finding it really hard to get her into a good feeding position now she's bigger, and when I do she wriggles and I lose the comfy latch!)

So....... last week I decided that I would start to wean her from the breast. I've cut out the two daytime feeds (one last week, one this week) but if anything, by breasts feel worse. They are not full and engorged but they still hurt during and after the feeds and this morning I can feel the tender beginnings of a breast lump..

I'd normally treat a breast lump (blocked duct) with plenty of feeding but as I'm trying to stop, I don't know whether I should do that or not?? Don't know what to do. Don't even know whether stopping feeding is the right decision, but I can't carry on dreading feeds and being in pain every day :( Any advise or experience would be appreciated. Thanks.

[kimberlina]

I certainly wouldn't be feeling guiltyabout stopping at 10 months - you've given your DD an amazing start. My 10 month old only feeds 1 -2 times a day anyway now.
I also had that slightly lumpy painful breast when she cut out her mid-afternoon feed. I found that it lasted for about 2-3d. I didn't feed (cos charming DD will bite when she doesn't want a feed :o ) but I did take a paracetamol and just massage the sore bit a little in the shower and that seemed to help.
I agree with not feeding if you can help it as you want to stop, but I wouldmonitor very closely for redness or owrsesning of the lump which may mean mastitis on the way and then would feed if necessary to avoid mastitis (sounds lke you are a bit of a mastitis expert by now anway )

[kimberlina]

owrsesning is meant to say worsening !

[GabrielOak]

thanks kimberlina :)

Feeling a bit better this afternoon. As the morning went on the pain in my breast increased and the lump felt bigger so I made the decision to feed. It really helped. I fed her lying down on the bed so she wasn't too wriggly and the feed wasn't too painful... I'm going to feed again at bedtime, lying down again, I think, and we'll see what tomorrow brings. If I find it more comfortable to feed her lying down, you never know I might not have to stop after all :) I'll take one day at a time, I think...

In what position do you feed your 10 month old, Kimberlina?

[Graciescotland]

Hi glad your feeling better. Just wanted to suggest that you try lying flat on your back to feed and let your DD kneel beside you leaning over you, IYSWIM. It's the only position that my (12mo) DS doesn't try and bite me in. If your DD needs a bit of support a hand on her side under arm.

[sittinginthesun]

I was in a similar position when I started to mix feed at 5 months, after 3 bouts of mastitis. I found expressing, rather than feeding helped. I could reduce the swelling but The supply did ease.

I cut the mid morning and mid afternoon feed, DS dropped the noon feed on his own. Then, one day, at 7 months, he just refused the evening feed point blank, and that was that!