This is so hard! I mean, emotionally it is hard and physcially, OUCH. I recommend that if anyone else has to wean before their child makes it to eating lots of solid foods and drinking real milk, do it very slowly and progressively. My breasts are rock hard, huge, and gnarly. I can barely pick up my daughter and hold her (she has to be held in the middle, between the two boulders!). Oh, and keep in mind that I've usually been only a 34A, sometimes B. We are on E right now and working up!
Teagan is eating the bottles well. We are on half formula (Earth's Best) and half breastmilk. I am still doing 2-3 feedings a day and, in between, if my breasts get too full, I pump an ounce here and there to relieve the pressure. This isn't working great. So, today I think I am starting sudafed. There is finally a study out there that sudafed decreases your supply by 20%. Not much, but there it is. I hate taking meds but this is a special case as far as I am concerned. I may actually be done breastfeeding for good and only do the pumping of a single ounce here and there to relieve pressure so that I can end this agony. It is like prolonging the emotional and physical pain but part of me just doesn't want to stop. First of all, never underestimate the "feel good" hormones from nursing...if you stop nursing fast, you will seriously feel the lack of those hormones (though before trying to stop, I had no idea they were there). Its amazing. Then there is the fact that you get used to the closeness of nursing and how good it feels to be that food source for your baby. Even with that, I have to giggle at the faces Teagan makes when she is hungry and I start pulling up my shirt. I am going to miss those open mouth, tongue sticking out, scrunched-up-nose attacks! Even Brett had to laugh when he witnessed one this morning!
Oh well...there it is.
Also - Mrs. Last Chance, I have a friend who adopted an infant and took the hormones to start lactation and successfully breastfed her adopted son for a year. I'm not sure if that is something you want to do. I don't know if I'd do it. I just wanted to throw it out there as something that could be possible, if you are interested in it.
Oh, and did I mention how lazy I am and how much easier and more convenient breastfeeding is? The bottles! the mixing of formula! the thawing of breastmilk. Ugh. Its a job in itself!!!!!
Okay, I'll update soon.
3 comments:
This sounds so tough! How do you avoid it developing into mastitis? I am so freaked out about getting mastitis and get so worried every time I have a blockage (which results in the hard, gnarly boobs you describe). Hope the Sudafed helps!
Hoping the Sudafed helps.
Yes, I have heard of taking hormones to help promote lactation. Unfortunately, our baby will be 9-12 months old by the time we are able to get her and from what I've read it would be nearly impossible to get a baby that old, who has been bottle fed her whole life, to take a breast. It's just one of those losses I have to learn to get over.
Good luck with the weaning!!
The torture of the boob situation makes me understand why women don't breastfeed at all. Sounds awfully painful. Yikes!
But I hope you can get back into reproductive mode quickly and be on the jet back out to Denver. :)
I have also heard of artificial hormone-induced lactation and think it sounds terrific for anyone adopting who also wants to breastfeed.
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