Gave up breastfeeding 3 wks ago but have a lumpy boob...what should I do?

[Betsybet]

Can anyone help? I gave up my last feeds - morning and a small 10pm one - three weeks ago. Probably shouldn't have dropped both in one week but I did feed at 10pm for a couple of nights on after dropping the morning, then stopped. However, my right breast is lumpy and still producing milk - as dh found out! I thought it would just reabsorb into my body but do I need to express it to clear it? It's quite tender, but the other breast is fine - soft and no lumps. I got blocked ducts quite a bit while bf so I wonder if it's that kind of thing?

Sorry I don't think this is much help, but my boobs took 3 weeks to stop producing recently, however I had cut down to just one feed a day when I stopped. Maybe its the expressing that's encouraging your boob to keep going?? the engorgement is horrible but it only lasts 48hrs or so, before they start going down....HTH's?

Hi Betsybet

In order to prevent blocked ducts and mastitis while your breasts get used to not feeding a baby, you will need to express every now and then. As long as you only express enough to feel comfortable, and no more, it won't encourage your breasts to make more milk. And don't get too concerned about your breasts continuing to make milk - some women find that they are able to express a drop of milk years after they stopped breastfeeding, let alone days or weeks!

Thank you! That's my instinct so it's reassuring to hear that. So confusing when you think you're hardly producing anything any more then this happens.