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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Why am I still producing breastmilk?

25 replies

tutu100 · 15/05/2010 23:03

I stopped feeding ds2 6/7 months ago. Have been fine since then, didn't get engorged or anything as bf had come to a natural end - ds2 didn't want to anymore. I did sometimes leak a little bit of milk in the bath but that stopped months ago.

Anyway tonight in the bath I was trying to burst a spot on my boob (sorry if TMI ) and the pressure I must have been putting on my boob caused me to express some milk. I was amazed. I have expressed a bit more, just out of interest to see how much is there. It's only a few ml but I just can't believe I can still get that after all this time. Is this normal?

It looks more like colostrum rather than the thin white coinsistancy that I had when ds2 was still feeding.

Do I need to go to the Dr's?

OP posts:

PrettyCandles · 15/05/2010 23:08

My mum said that she never dried up between my elder brother and me, a period of over 12m. I, too, could produce milk for many months after stopping bfing. That aspect is completely normal.

I don't recall it ever looking like anything other than straightforward bm, though. So I don't know whether the appearance of yours is normal. I wonder whether the BfN website would help? You could probably post a query there and get an informed reply.

fyimate · 15/05/2010 23:14

I continued to be able to express milk for a long time after I stopped BF my DD.
As for the spot on your breast, if it's around the nipple dont touch them, they are not spots.
Actually you shouldnt pick any spots, they scare!

fyimate · 15/05/2010 23:14

Erm, I meant scar :P

BertieBotts · 15/05/2010 23:15

If it looks like colostrum, are you sure you're not pregnant?

It might just be one of those things but thought I would say just in case!

Original poster

tutu100 · 15/05/2010 23:15

Thanks. I will do some research. One of my friends said she carried on producing milk for a few months. It just seems so odd though. I haven't been leaking at all so I kind of feel this has come from no where.

OP posts:

Original poster

tutu100 · 15/05/2010 23:17

Definately not pregnant! What could a spot looking like thing on the nipple be(as that is where it is). It was definately pus filled.

God my boobs sound great at the moment don't they. Pus filled and leaking milk!

OP posts:

fyimate · 15/05/2010 23:22

Some women have what looks like white headed spots around their nipples, these are not spots but milk glands.
I wouldnt recommend picking these.
I didnt leak milk either but if I squeezed milk would come out, this kept up in at least one of my breasts for many months as the other dried up faster.

Original poster

tutu100 · 15/05/2010 23:23

OK a quick google for information has shown that apparently it can be normal to leak milk for years after stopping breastfeeding. Haven't been able to find anything about the consistancy though.

Still I think I can sleep a bit better tonight now.

OP posts:

fyimate · 15/05/2010 23:28

I also googled the spot thing for you, here are the facts, is this what you have?
www.007b.com/nipple_gallery.php

fyimate · 15/05/2010 23:29

Oh ok wow, that's alot of pictures! I just skimmed through the first couple of paragraphs, didnt scroll down!
Well hope it helps others too!

Original poster

tutu100 · 15/05/2010 23:34

fyi that is a lot of pictures of nipples! Dp will wonder what's going on if he checks the computer history!

I couldn't see any pictures of what I have. It is right on the edge of my areola. It is either a spot or blocked follical or something as it swelled up into quite a lump, but I could see it was pus filled and it hurt so much which is why I tried squeezing it as I thought that releasing the pus would stop it from hurting, which it has. There is still a bit of a lump there now though.

OP posts:

fyimate · 15/05/2010 23:42

Ohhh ok well best see your GP about it then. Better to be safe than sorry and they've probably seen a hundred bare breasts before in case your shy! :P

Original poster

tutu100 · 15/05/2010 23:47

I think most of my town have seen my boobs (that sounds terrible - lots of public bf). It's just finding the time to go for something that is an emergency or to do with the kids.

Will ring them on Monday though. Thanks for your help.

OP posts:

fyimate · 15/05/2010 23:50

Can you still BF in public? I saw a woman in a cafe a while back and just the day before my DP and I were discussing an issue about it in the paper, some people think it should be banned in cafes etc and he agreed that it's completely natural and should never come under fire....then we walk past a woman in the cafe BF'ing and guess what he does?
"OMG look at her!!! point point look!!"
He was a right twat and I have no idea why!
tut, men!

fyimate · 15/05/2010 23:52

...wait..."can you still BF in public"...duh! that sounds stupid. It's just the only place I am aware they have an open "BF'ing" place is in MotherCare...

Original poster

tutu100 · 15/05/2010 23:52

I was quite a good discreet feeder until the ds's got to about 4 months and they would do that bobbing on and off thing, having a look a round and then going back to feed.

OP posts:

fyimate · 15/05/2010 23:53

Haha yeah my DD did that :P

Original poster

tutu100 · 15/05/2010 23:54

I bf anywhere I needed to. Never made a big deal of it. Never had anyone ask me to stop. Bank Manager very kindly got me a chair when ds1 needed to feed during my Mum's mortgage renewal.

Old ladies always seem very pleased to see someone bf. I had a few come over to look at ds1 and comment on how nice it was to see someone bf.

OP posts:

fyimate · 16/05/2010 00:00

Yeah I'm like that, it's good to BF.
But I never did it in public.
Maybe it depends on the area you live in etc. as in how people will take it.

Well I'm sure all will be well when you go Drs but good luck anyway!

iwanttobepombear · 16/05/2010 00:02

Hi
I continued to produce milk for two years after giving up BF DD2! As I had DD1 andDD2 quite close together my breasts had been lactating for about four and a half years!

I eventually went to Drs who did some tests in case i had hyperprolactenaemia ( too much prolactin in the blood) which can indcate a problem with the pituitary I think! Bloods were normal, then i got pregnant again.

I hope this reassures you - I think it can be quite common.

jemjabella · 16/05/2010 12:10

My mum reckons she can still make milk and my youngest sibling is 18, so...

curdledmilk · 16/05/2010 15:07

Message withdrawn

curdledmilk · 16/05/2010 15:08

Message withdrawn

Original poster

tutu100 · 16/05/2010 19:59

When ds2 was about 3 months old we had an incident with another car and ended up in a bit of an argument. I was really upset and angry and my let down reflex went and I started leaking milk. So I also find the link between emotions and milk leaking interesting. Might have to google that one as well.

OP posts:

fyimate · 16/05/2010 22:55

Yes, tutu100, I've heard about that, cant say I ever exp. it though but I did need my breast pads when I began BF'ing because I leaked.

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