Stopped breastfeeding but engorged one side

C

cheesecake babe

Registered User
After almost 7 months of exclusive breastfeeding I have managed to wean my LO onto formula, when she`d previously refused anything but the breast. So far so good.

Having suffered mastitis a couple of times in those early months I was very careful to only drop one feed per week. My last breastfeed was the night before last. Whilst my boobs were fine during the day yesterday, because I didn`t give bub the usual 10:30pm feed last night (she slept for 12 hours - hurrah), one of them has become swollen/engorged.

I`m not sure whether I ought to express just a little bit. Have read that you should express just enough to ease the engorgement but not too much that you continue to encourage supply, but how do I know that is the case ? I have taken a couple of anti-inflammatories (Ibuprofen), as I did in the past when swelling did not ease - worked well, but of course I was also feeding then. Will the swelling go of it owns accord ?

Would appreciate other mums experience/guidance.:thanks :thanks
 
As you said it is recommended that you ?express just enough to ease the engorgement but not too much that you continue to encourage supply?. The way to do this is to express until you feel comfortable and as soon as you do to stop. It is usually easier to do this by hand expression rather than by pump.

It you are not really hurting but just a little uncomfortable it would be OK to do nothing. But if you start to feel uncomfortably full then it is best to take a little of the pressure off and express.

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
Thank you Sarah.

It is quite swollen and hard on the inner side but not hurting as yet. Will review situ later tonight and try expressing if still same/worse.

Is it possible for the swelling to go away of its own accord ?
 
I was like that and it got quite painful but the swelling does go down and disappear miraculously in a about 10 days. I didn't express at all cos I didn't want supply to continue.
 
Leaving the breast full and swollen is the quickest way to reduce your milk supply. The fullness is telling your body that you are making more milk than you need. The only problem with just allowing your body to reduce the supply in this way is the possibility of getting plugged ducts and mastitis. This is why it is recommended that you keep comfortable. Ideally you want to be full (to reduce the supply) and conformable (to reduce the possibility of problems). It usually settles down after a day or two.
 
Thank you both. Will just have to dress more carefully, hopefully for just a few days, so it`s not too obvious that one side is much fuller than the other :haha:
 
Just to update - should anyone else have this problem. One week on and all lumpiness has completely gone as of today. I did express with pump (manually rather than electric) for about 10 minutes max after day 3 but no more after that.

Still a little leakage but hopefully that will soon stop too.

:yeah2
 
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