I went to St. Lucia for my honeymoon. It's a beautiful, natural island, unspoiled by tourists. It has a rainforest, and a volcano, and two huge mountains which dominate the landscape. You can see them from most every location on the island.
I weaned Isabella gradually. As I mentioned here, she's nursed only once a day for the last three weeks or so. This has been the best way for us to do it, because it hasn't been traumatic for her, and it's meant no pain or engorgement for me. That is, until I stopped nursing her completely on Monday. One of my breasts seems to have received the message that the milk factory is shutting down production. The other? Seems to have been out to lunch when that message was sent.
And so now, I'm walking around with one mostly deflated boob, and one Frankenboob that's hard and painful and twice the size of the other. Carrying Isabella on my right side hurts. Hugging her and snuggling with her in my lap is an exercise in pain management. If I get mastitis again, which I was lucky enough to develop when Isabella was a month old, I think I will officially lose it. I've read that it can take a week to 10 days to a month for a woman's milk supply to completely dry up. And supposedly I'm not supposed to pump even a little bit to relieve the pressure because it's supposed to further stimulate production.
Meet Gros Piton and Petit Piton. My breasts' dopplegangers.
I weaned Isabella gradually. As I mentioned here, she's nursed only once a day for the last three weeks or so. This has been the best way for us to do it, because it hasn't been traumatic for her, and it's meant no pain or engorgement for me. That is, until I stopped nursing her completely on Monday. One of my breasts seems to have received the message that the milk factory is shutting down production. The other? Seems to have been out to lunch when that message was sent.
And so now, I'm walking around with one mostly deflated boob, and one Frankenboob that's hard and painful and twice the size of the other. Carrying Isabella on my right side hurts. Hugging her and snuggling with her in my lap is an exercise in pain management. If I get mastitis again, which I was lucky enough to develop when Isabella was a month old, I think I will officially lose it. I've read that it can take a week to 10 days to a month for a woman's milk supply to completely dry up. And supposedly I'm not supposed to pump even a little bit to relieve the pressure because it's supposed to further stimulate production.
My body is so smokin' right now. Who wants to take me dancing?
Ouch! Are you doing ice packs? Bags of frozen peas? I used ice to help "turn mine off."
Haha! Frankenboob....
I heard that allergy/cold medicine will help dry it up. But really, you can't pump even a little? I didn't know. Sounds better than mastitis.
So cool you went to St. Lucia for your honeymoon. That island is on my wish list, sigh....
ow!!! I am so sorry you are going through this. Here's hoping Frankenboob gets the memo sooner than later!
Ouchie! I think I would express a bit by hand, just to relieve the pressure a bit. I can't see how that would stimulate you too much. Perhaps your physician can give you something to help dry your milk? Do they even do that anymore? Or is that just something from the bygone era of the 70s?
Bridget used to prefer my left side over my right, so I was noticeably bigger on one side. It's still a bit bigger, but thankfuly my padded bra hides it nicely. Yes, I wear a padded bra. Even though my boobs are bigger from nursing. And I still wear a padded bra. 'Cause I'm small. (wahhh!!!)
MASTITIS SUCKS!
when I went through this one of my boobs got super big and the other went back to normal... I was told to put a heating pad on the big one to help it not get all sick and everything... btw seasonel the BC dried up my milk lol... if you want to try that lol...
I am so sorry! I had two Frankenboobs when I was in the hospital with my firstborn, and it was so painful! Hope you get better soon.
Try cold cabbage leaves in your bra. I have read that works. Hope it gets better soon.
Oh, that sounds awful! And painful!
If frozen peas and cabbage leaves don't make you feel sexy, I don't know what will!
But I do remember the cold compresses advice from back in the stone age when I did my nurse's training, I'll assume it still works.
Hope you even out soon!
Dood. Lopsided, dying to lactate boob? Not good. You wish you were that chick in Grapes of Wrath, don't you?