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What's Happening to My Body?
Weaning Issues for Moms
By Lyn Mettler
"A persistent lumpy area that becomes very red and sore may mean you have mastitis, especially if you have a fever and feel unwell," James says. In addition to trying to clear the blockage, she recommends seeing a doctor, who may prescribe antibiotics to clear up the infection. Pumping or expressing a little milk can also help relieve the discomfort, but she cautions mothers not to fully empty the breast. Otherwise, you are just encouraging milk production.
Ginny Carson of Charleston, S.C., found the pump to be a good friend throughout the process of weaning her then 6-month-old daughter. "Whenever I felt uncomfortable, I would pump just enough to relieve the discomfort in hopes that I was telling my body to slow down production," she says. "Over the course of a couple of weeks, I felt that discomfort less and less until I wasn't pumping at all." She was also happy to know her baby was still getting her nutrient-rich breast milk that she had pumped even after she was fully weaned.
You thought when you stopped nursing your milk would magically disappear, right? Wrong. Believe me, I was in the same boat and was quite surprised when drops of milk kept showing up week after week after week. And I'm not alone. "I was a little taken aback by how long it took for the milk to completely dry up," Carson says. "Several weeks after I had stopped breastfeeding and pumping, I noticed that I could still produce milk."
According to James, milk can be expressed for weeks, and even months (yes, it's true), after the weaning process ends. In addition, she says, "Leaking is common early in weaning, but stops when the breasts acclimate to the decrease in breastfeeding." For moms who are ready to leave milk-stained bras behind, the slowness of milk to dry up can be disconcerting, especially when you're surprised with a sudden spray during an intimate moment with your husband (any stimulation, even your shirt, apparently, can encourage milk flow).
