Giving up breast feeding - advice on engorgement

[mamafairy]

I've just given up breastfeeding my first DS, two weeks before he is six months, due to needing to go back on anti-depressants .

I've cut down my feeds gradually but I'm in a lot of pain now due to engorgement. I've been hand expressing a little each day, but I'm still in a lot of pain with a lot of lumps in my boobs. Have tried the cabbage leaves thing, but has anyone got any other advice?

xxx

I believe there are some anti-depressants which are not contra-indicated for a bf mother, so might it be worth talking to your gp about it? Or a pharmacist?

Re engorgement - can you express and dispose of the milk, just enough to keep you comfortable, until the supply dwindles?

Sorry, I see I didn't read your post correctly. Re lumps: have you tried to massage while in a warm bath/shower?

THanks Elasticwoman, I've been trying to express a little and it seems to be much less painful now.

I was put on safe anti-ds for breastfeeding (sertraline), but unfortunately they weren't that helpful for me, so my doctor has put me back on citalopram, which seemed to be more helpful for me (I took them before I was pregnant).

I still wish I could have breastfed for longer, but I was feeling so blue that it didn't seem right to continue on the sertraline.

Thanks for your advice xxx

Sorry not much to add, but I know how horrible it is. You gave ds the best start you should be really proud and not beat yourself up over it.

All I can say re breasts is that it should be over in a week or so....

toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/f?./temp/~lF4fyN:1 shows that stopping breastfeeding is not considered necessary, though, mamafairy....

I can't seem to get the link to work tiktok - do you have another?

toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT they that one and do the search in the box

they= try

Ta tiktok

warm wet flannels, paracetamol (sp?), but if feeling ill (fluey) go to the docs cos it could be mastitis (horrible)!

hth

Hi, I went through this and for the same reasons (I didn't feel right bf and taking medication - a personal view).

For me the best advice was not to rush it. I expressed using a manual pump when I got too sore and managed the process over about 10 days - 2 weeks.

I hope things pick up for you soon.

pp