There seems to be a change every other week ever since I've become a mother. Just when you get used to doing something, it's time to learn a whole new way of doing it. This week for me, it's trying to stop my milk production.
I've weaned my son from the breast completely since he was seven months old. However, I have still been pumping and giving my son breast milk in his bottles. This Monday, with my son turning 15 months old, I stopped pumping completely. He is now drinking homogenized milk.
I was so excited at the idea of the freedom to eat and do whatever I pleased since it would not be transferred to my son through my breast milk. However, before I could even go out to a Japanese restaurant to have my raw fish sushi, or go to a nail salon to have my first manicure in over two years, I was hit with so much discomfort in my breasts. That really put a damper on my enthusiasm!
Tuesday was the worst. I had such discomfort. I could not hold my son without it being agonizing. However, it's now only Thursday and I'm feeling much better. Here's what I found helped me:
1. Expressing a little bit of milk by hand to relieve the discomfort. This will not cause your body to signal more milk production since only a little is expressed.
2. When it seemed like my breasts felt too hard or lumpy and I was afraid of a plugged milk duct, I wrapped my breasts with a very warm towel for around 5 seconds. I'm in the home stretch so I don't want to experience any side effects such as mastitis.
3. I found that wrapping refrigerated cabbage leaves around my breasts brought instant relief. It may have been the coolness of the leaves that did it at first, but it also helped reduce engorgement.
I've read that it varies between women, and that it can take from weeks to months for breast milk to cease completely, but at least some of the things I mentioned may help to ease some discomfort.
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