Postpartum Struggles: Coping with Hormonal Changes as a New Mom

[buckeyefan08]

This is pretty personal but I need advice...DH is tired of hearing about it!

I had my son on March 21st. He is bottle fed. My "milk came in" on that next Monday (24th) now over two weeks later I'm still a mess! I called the dr. and they said it's all hormones there is nothing I can do. I have heard of binding my breasts, icing them, just leaving them alone, I've tried everything I've heard to do. I'm tired of it! I did nurse DD #2 for a short time so I don't know if that is why it is so much harder this time or what but this is for the birds!!!! Anyone know or heard of anything that I could try?

Sorry, I know this is kind of crude but I've asked everyone I know and now I just desperate!

 

[PamperedDor]

I didn't nurse either - so my advice is yes to ice them when you can - and keep the tightest bra on 24 /7 even when you think they have dried up - take off only for a shower and avoid the warm water if you can - I hope that helps!!

 

[stacywhitlow]

cabbage leaves...you will stink but it should work. I had to stop nursing my daughter at 6 weeks and there was no weaning period. It hurt like *ell! I had to pump some. Anyway, not much will make it stop but hopefully make it more comfy. I used ice also.

 

[Kodeysmom]

Your doctor should give you medicine to dry them up. I didn't have that problem, but my best friend had breast reduction before she had her DS and wasn't sure if she was going to be able to breastfeed or not. Well she was not able to, her milk didcome in -heavily but had no way of getting out since when they did her breast reduction the tubes did not line back up with th nipples. She had a horrible time of it. But her dr gave her some medicine to dry them up and she had much relief in about 24 hours.

 

[buckeyefan08]

Your doctor should give you medicine to dry them up. I didn't have that problem, but my best friend had breast reduction before she had her DS and wasn't sure if she was going to be able to breastfeed or not. Well she was not able to, her milk didcome in -heavily but had no way of getting out since when they did her breast reduction the tubes did not line back up with th nipples. She had a horrible time of it. But her dr gave her some medicine to dry them up and she had much relief in about 24 hours.

They said they don't give the med. anymore because of the side effects, maybe b/c he situation was so different. I thought maybe b/c it had been a while they would give me something but no luck!
I have been wearing tight bras 24/7 but they are starting to irritate my skin from being on all the time and being so tight. As for the cabbage.. I stink anyway!:yuck: I'll try it!

 

[ChefLisa]

cabbage leaves...you will stink but it should work. I had to stop nursing my daughter at 6 weeks and there was no weaning period. It hurt like *ell! I had to pump some. Anyway, not much will make it stop but hopefully make it more comfy. I used ice also.

I second the cabbage leaves. I used them when I learned about them with #3. Those cold leaves really helped. I was quite surprised, but they really did help!

 

[Oklabell]

I third the Cabbage leaves. I nursed both of my girls and it works!!!

 

[ChefClairissa]

I also did the tight sports bra thing. I also found a shirt that had some kind of stain resisitance or something. You could pour water on the thing and it would just run off. It hid the problem pretty well for public outings. good luck!

 

[buckeyefan08]

I'm just blown away at how long this process is taking this time! The other lovely postpartum issue is pretty much gone and yet I still have "these things" going on. I know when they do a c-sec. they also do a DNC but enough is enough. My incision doesn't really bother that much anymore but the chest thing does!!
Ahhh... the things we do for our beautiful children!

 

[tabnat80]

Put some cabbage in the fridge and let it get real cold. Put on a sports bra, pick you a good leaf and let it do it's magic. It's amazing how that can dry you up. This worked like a charm for me. Also, you might call your lactation consultant and ask her if there is a certain vitamin you can take. I know a friend of mine took some vitamins and it dried her up unintentionally. Also, after you get that cabbage good and in there, have Dh wrap you really tight with an ace bandage. HTH. Good Luck

 

[pamperedpals]

I wasn't able to breast feed any of my three boys, so when my milk came in my mom wrapped me in an ace bandage as tight as I could stand it to bind me up. It looked really funny for a while, but it worked. Wish I had know about the cabbage thing back then.

 

[lkprescott]

Definitely cold cabbage leaves. DO NOT BIND! You could end up with a infected duct if you bind your breasts and if you want to know about pain, that would be mastitis. It takes time and the longer you nurse the longer it takes to 'dry up' completely... but it still takes time even if you don't nurse at all.Another thing you might consider, is pumping and feeding the baby the milk through a bottle. It's filled with lots of good stuff and as long as you're not on certain medications, is just fine. I'm sure you already know that but you might not too. But milk is demand driven and eventually if there is no demand, it goes away (which is what happens when some new moms 'supplement' with formula and find they don't produce nearly what they used to and end up frustrated and give up)... good luck. If it gets painful, warm water and warm compresses will help with relief.. it may also make you leak but you have to take the good with the bad. Be patient with your body... it took it 9 months to get it doing what it's supposed to do, it's not really designed to stop on a dime.

 

[jbdowd0798]

Lisa, I just read your last post and I thought at first you wrote "Ah the things we do for our beautiful CHICKENS" LOL I have NO idea why I thought that.

Okay, I agree with the cabbage leaves. breast/bottled fed my son for 6 weeks and then my body dried up to the point I couldn't pump but it hurt. DD was bottle fed and my breasts hurt- ready for me to chop them off. But the cold cabbage leaves, tight bra, etc. worked. We'll pray for a speedy recovery of your breasts!! ;-) I bet hubby is happy though! I know mine was. I just had to remind him "Look with your eyes NOT with your hands"

 

[heather223]

As much as I hate the smell of the cabbage leaves, I have to go with it. It works wonders. :yuck:

 

[hperschnick]

you may also try some allergy meds... stuff that drys up a runny nose and congestion... I have a freind that had some sinus problems and took that and it not only dried up her nose... it dried up her milk some too and she ended up weaning because of it. Worth a shot anyway!

Talking to a lactation consultant is a good idea also - they know how to keep it going and how to make it stop - a wealth of information.

 

[ragschef]

Another option (for when you dont want to use cabbage) is to wrap your breasts in an ace bandage as tight as you can stand it and keep nursing pads inside to keep from leaking. I did the sports bra thing and the cabbage leaves, but couldnt stand the stink. You can also out the leaves inside the ace bandage and you wont smell as bad...

best of luck

 

[wadesgirl]

When my sister lost her baby and her milk came in, the nurses had her wrap up in an Ace bandage.

 

[sarahlegare]

I nursed my last baby, but not the other 2 & I can tell you it's WAY WORSE when you don't nurse!!!!! I'm sorry you're going through this!! I would be careful about binding too tight, the whole mastitis thing is BAD!!!!!!! Ice packs were good for me, I didn't know about the cabbage leaves!

 

[buckeyefan08]

Thanks for all of your help! I'm gonna try the cabbage leaves. If that doesn't work Bebdryl here I come! If it doesn't work at least I'll get a good nap in!

 

[merego]

Big fan of the frozen cabbage leaves but once they thaw they will stink so don't go out in public
I didn't nurse any of my kids and those were a lifesaver for me.
Good luck

 

[katiemoser]

Cabbage Leaf tipWhen you try the cabbage leaves, 'crack' them first. Like, scrumple them up and then flatten them out and then put on. When you crack them , it releases the 'juice' or whatever from the leaves that has the anti-inflammatory stuff in it.

Sorry, not very technical description, but I hope you get it!

That's not a fun feeling. Hope it goes away quickly. Happy Baby!

 

[Shawnna]

I have never heard of using cabbage leaves. For my 3 I wore sports bras and an ace bandage. Sorry you are having so much trouble.

 

[pcjenn]

Be careful not to bind yourself. It is an invitation for a breast infection and believe me those are more painful that what you are experiencing now. Both of my daughters went on a nursing strike at about 10 months. Must have been something in the milk. Warm showers and manual expression will help. Just express enough to relieve pressure. The cabbage leaves also work. Use the inside leaves and make sure they are really cold. Also, break the veins in the cabbage leaves first. It releases the "whatever" that makes the cabbage leaves work. That was the advice from my lactation consultant who is also my aunt.

Hope this helps. Best wishes for relief.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I used cabbage leaves with both of my kids. My milk dried up in 1-2 days using those. I only went through a couple of leaves.

Good luck!

 

[pchefjaime]

I am an ob nurse the cabbage leaves work.

 

[fikibiff]

Please don't take this like I'm yelling at you or telling you what to do and I'm not trying to be judgmental, but I just have to ask, if you've got the milk, why not just nurse for a while? I'm just coming from the point of view that I nursed both of mine till they were around 1 and they both weaned on their own and at the same time my milk was drying up. (I'm not sure which caused the other, but it all ended very easily.) I'm not saying that you should nurse for the next year, but if you've got the milk, just try it. Honestly, it's one of the things I miss most about my kids being babies. You get to sit down and enjoy the closeness and feel their warmth and just be with them.

I'm not trying to tell you should nurse, but giving you a suggestion to try it and see how it goes.

To everyone reading this...please don't jump on me - that's not what I’m doing here...I'm typing in a kind and gentle voice and I hope it doesn't translate into a breast vs. bottle argument/tone in your heads.

 

[Stampaholic1961]

I'm not sure if it is true or not but I was told that eating chocolate can inhibit milk production. Sounds like a tasty cure to me!!!

 

[buckeyefan08]

Please don't take this like I'm yelling at you or telling you what to do and I'm not trying to be judgmental, but I just have to ask, if you've got the milk, why not just nurse for a while? I'm just coming from the point of view that I nursed both of mine till they were around 1 and they both weaned on their own and at the same time my milk was drying up. (I'm not sure which caused the other, but it all ended very easily.) I'm not saying that you should nurse for the next year, but if you've got the milk, just try it. Honestly, it's one of the things I miss most about my kids being babies. You get to sit down and enjoy the closeness and feel their warmth and just be with them.

I'm not trying to tell you should nurse, but giving you a suggestion to try it and see how it goes.

To everyone reading this...please don't jump on me - that's not what I’m doing here...I'm typing in a kind and gentle voice and I hope it doesn't translate into a breast vs. bottle argument/tone in your heads.

I thought of that too! I tried to nurse DD #2 with no luck. I decided not to try with this one b/c I didn't think I could handle the other two kids (ages 2&4) plus heal from a c-section. Now I kind of feel bad b/c the milk is plentiful! I just don't think that I want to get into it now. He is almost 3 weeks old now, we are kind of set in our way now.
Don't worry, I won't jump on for the breast/bottle debate. I've tried both and totally give breast feeders credit. That is very hard work!

 

[daniellemorgan]

Please don't take this like I'm yelling at you or telling you what to do and I'm not trying to be judgmental, but I just have to ask, if you've got the milk, why not just nurse for a while? I'm just coming from the point of view that I nursed both of mine till they were around 1 and they both weaned on their own and at the same time my milk was drying up. (I'm not sure which caused the other, but it all ended very easily.) I'm not saying that you should nurse for the next year, but if you've got the milk, just try it. Honestly, it's one of the things I miss most about my kids being babies. You get to sit down and enjoy the closeness and feel their warmth and just be with them.

I'm not trying to tell you should nurse, but giving you a suggestion to try it and see how it goes.

To everyone reading this...please don't jump on me - that's not what I’m doing here...I'm typing in a kind and gentle voice and I hope it doesn't translate into a breast vs. bottle argument/tone in your heads.

I'm totally with you!!! I still nurse my DD and she is 20 months old!

 

[kmschroll2001]

I know that as a nursing mother I was told not to use any decongestants because if it is meant to "dry you up" it will dry your milk supply. Maybe give that a try.