help needed for friend who finished breast feeding her 1yr old 2 weeks ago......

[treacletart]

... she's rung me to say she has milk in one breast and it's uncomforatble. She can't decide whether to breast feed her DS to get rid of it or not. I suggested expressing but she says she's never been able to express succesfully. She's also worried because she's been drinking alcohol taking meds etc since finishing feeding. Any advice?

i personally would stick it out, express only slightly at most. if she expresses she maintain supply.

but if its really bad, expressing/feeding won't matter MUCH, it'll just be longer before the milk goes

and v confusing for ds too

cabbage leaves and ibuprofen help

re meds/alcohol-dep how much etc but prob ok

Cheers Filly

Agree that it can be uncomfortable but it always will be when she stops. If she feeds now, she'll be uncomfortable next time she stops.

A second vote for cabbage leaves and ibuprofen from me.

if she doesn't want to start feeding again (don't know what her reasons are for stopping) then I think it would be very unfair to let her DS feed. she shouldn't express either if she can. both of these will just increase her supply and prolong the situation. try wearing a well fitting bra.

Thanks - I've passed on the consensus of Mumsnet wisdom to her.

Sorry to crash, but I was actually just about to start a post on this subject, as am having similar problem with left breast.

Can I ask, roughly how long would it take before the milk goes if I stick it out and don't express? It's been about 10 days now. RB is going down OK (as has been riddled with mastitis-from-hell over past few months so LB has been fed from more). LB is not happy, although I was only feeding once a day from it.

And where does the milk go??

After I gave up bf I found myself weeing a LOT for several days so I think it goes to water??? Maybe coincidence. My boobs took a good two weeks before they were back to normal.

My dd 'emptied' a breast after a week and it worked well, it wasn't intentional we were in the bath and she took advantage! - (she was 21 months). It certainly won't increase supply but I agree if ou've got past the upset... I woudn't have thought expressing would do any harm?

Not past the upset yet..DS2 was fine about it until he got sick, and now he wants the comfort (bad mummy). I haven't fed him though, as I thought it unfair on him really plus it'd been over a week by that point and I thought the milk might have gone funny (anybody know?). Poor love, he really wants a toot.

I'll give it another day and I might have to express to be comfortable.

Two weeks eh? Bah, I want new bras now!

I gave up feeding ds2 two month ago, aged 10 months, I was very uncomfortable on one side and can't express, so I fed him a dream feed after a few days (3 or 4) of not feeding him, he didn't really realise and it realived the pain so much, I didn't have any pain again as the milk supply dropped. Did the same with ds1.
The milk will be fine spiker, some people give a feed once a week whilst giving up, you can give smaller feeds as you give up. I would give a comfort feed if you feel thats what you want to do, and whilst he's sick (the antibodies will help) and then reduce again afterwards. xx

spiker - your body just re-absorbs the milk, don't worry about it!! lol
my boobs were back to 'normal'(!!??hahaha) after about 2 weeks, after a few 'one off' feeds as I was stopping.

I'd like to give him a comfort feed...but he wants to do it at 1am - and 2am, and 3am, and 4 am, and so on. He was sleeping through prior to this, so I'm worried about what I'd be starting. We've had lots of sleeping/night-feeding problems.

I can feel my resolve wavering now that somebody has given me the green light!