Should I stop breasteeding 1 year old ?

[Lonelybunny]

DD is 1 and always loves her breast feeds. Since we have been away she dramatically dropped her feeds , now my right breast is really blocked up and she will only feed off it for about 30 seconds then starts getting agitated . She has only had one proper feed all day . Is she self weaning ? I'm not sure what I should be doing right now ?

Can you express some to alleviate your blocked breast? I am still bf dd 2.7 so I just let her carry on. She feeds about 6 times a week

I don't have a pump now :-/ I've been hand expressing a bit but looks like it may be drying up ? I've got a blockage on both sides of my breast at the moment , I've tried a hot shower , I'm wondering if she isbt getting much out of it ?

Bump

Think I would try and get hold of pump IIWY. How often does she feed normally? I'd be worried blockage might lead to mastitis.

is she agitated as in wants more or agitated as in not really into it?

I think she is agitated it's blocked ? She norm has 3 - 4 a day but only had 1 good feed today ?

So she is frustrated rather than uninterested? Can you exert pressure on breast while she is feeding? maybe some will come then.

I think if feeds tailed off than that is all well and good, but if the drop is quite sudden (perhaps due to change of routine) then that might be a bit more difficult to manage. I don't know, mine went on till 4 and 3 respectively. Sorry for being a bit useless. Perhaps call one of the bf support lines?

She has been loosing interest , we get let down on the right side she will take 2 gulps then pull off but is happy feeding from from left when I can get gee to feed?

Is she teething? She may be uncomfortable lying on one side, mine seem to get sore ears and be uncomfortable one way. Try a different position for that boob? rugby hold, or start her on the good side then move her across?
Self weaning is normally a v gradual process, sounds like something else going on.

No she isn't teething at the moment , I think it's mainly down to a big change in routine when we were on holiday and my right side being blocked up maybe it's just made it all go a bit doo lally :(

Try hand expressing in the bath and empty as much as possible. Then try again tomorrow (if you want to keep feeding). DS would go off a boob but then be fine with it again if I did this. No idea why!

I got a solid lump right on the surface worrying me a bit now then a bigger lumpy mass on the other side , it's freed up a bit and she has fed a little from it but she gets the flow going then pulls off :(

Blocked ducts? I got these much more as DS dropped feeds and my supply adjusted. A change in routine would do it to, I had loads when I went back to work. Do you know how to hand express? I do it in the bath or shower as its warm and easier for me. I use a bit of conditioner as a lubricant. Find it much quicker that a pump but more work IYSWIM.

I've been massaging them under a hot shower one is getting a bit looser but the other one is rock hard I think I may have irritated it and its swollen :-/ baby is feeding better from this side now .

Poor you, can you take ibuprofen for the swelling? A hot compress before a feeds helps too.

I had many a big hard lump in my breast (egg sized) when bf my daughter and phoned the bf network- she suggested putting a cabbage leaf into my bra (changing every few hours). I did it (thinking 'this is never going to work') and it was AMAZING- the bump reduced and everything went back to normal. I had to use this approach on a number of occassions and was amazed each time because it always worked!

Any particular cabbage leaf ?

No- any will do! I think I used white cabbage because it has a good cup shape for the breast.

This lump isn't that big that's what's worrying me it's more the size of a large grape

I'm growing some cabbages so will give it a try thank you

It doesn't dry up the milk does it ?

No I don't think so. I don't think the bf network would have recommended it if that was the case. I breastfed my dd until she was 2 and used a cabbage leaf on and off from when she was about 1.

Thanks a lot I've had a leaf on for about 5 hours now so hoping it will make a difference soon :)

Someone else (here I think?) was talking about having a blocked duct the other day and she found that if she positioned her baby with the baby's chin under the duct, it cleared it. She said it meant they had to get into a bit of an odd position, but it worked. Not sure if a 1 year old would play along but maybe worth a try?

FWIW when I had a blocked duct I eventually unblocked it by hand expressing in a hot bath.

Have heard cabbage leaf is good too. I used a poultice (so it was hot) of cabbage when I was desperate for relief from an evil sore throat once, and it worked for that. Stinky, but effective!

I've tried that and tried to break it up with my fingers but it just won't budge it's so annoying , it doesn't really hurt but it's just irritating cause it's there

She may be fussing because of the change of flow or taste. Blocked duct milk tastes salty!