*sigh* As I write this, I'm sitting with cold packs on my chest because I'm painfully engorged. :-( *ACK!*

For the past month, B has been down to one nursing session per day--right before bed. It was such a nice ritual, but we have to cut it out because I need to start taking in calcium (ideally thorugh dairy products) and that doesn't work with her MSPI.

Tonight is night # 2 that we've put B to bed without nursing. I am so sad--this is so much harder than I thought it would be. B cried and tantrummed yesterday and today, begging for "nummies" all throughout the day (and before bed, too). She cries at night (Dh has been rocking her and offering a sippy with rice milke before bed), but it's worse during the day when she's with me--she constantly begs for "nummies", clings to me and has stopped eating.

Anyone have any tips for fully weaning? How long will she be upset by this? Perhaps most importantly, how long will I be uncomfortably engorged?

:-( :-( :-(

Awww Mary :( It *IS* sad, isn't it? I'm sorry that i can't really offer tips on the engorgment because I'm still waiting for that to happen after 2 months of no nursing! Zac never threw tantrums for the boobie either, he weaned himself. I can imagine that it would break my heart to not be able to nurse when he's begging for it. I really don't know how long it would last with her. I know you know of kellymom so I won't bother telling you about that (or wait, I just did LOL).
I'm sorry I'm not of much help but I wanted to offer a shoulder because I can empathize w/the "missing the ritual" part.
*If you want to laugh I can share a real quick story that just happened with Zac TODAY:
I was changing, he was in the room w/me. He noticed my boobs and his eyes lit up and he held his chest! LoL...I thought...does he remember? So..I sat down on the floor and said "Do you want some Milka?" (That's what we call it and I still have Milk) he approached me, cupped his hands around my boob, leaned in...then laughed and walked away! It was really, really funny. Sorry...your situation is not but I thought maybe I could make you chuckle.
:hug:

Oh, No! Poor Mary and Bethy!!!! I don't have advice either because with all 3 of mine I allowed them to wean themselves. But, if you need the calcium it sounds like you will just have to stick it out :(

Oh hon {{{HUGS}}}
I only got slightly engorged after stopping expressing for the boys. I didn't find it that painful but I had a cabbage in the fridge just in case... they do say it is the BEST thing to put COLD cabbage leaves in your bra... fixes things up within a day or so. Everyone at my antenatal group swore by it. So I guess you could try that.
They also told me to stop pumping so frequently over a period of days and not go "cold turkey". However, this doesn't really apply as you were only nursing once a day anyway.
As for poor Bethy.. she'll get the hang of the fact she's not nursing anymore. You can still cuddle and hold her tight while you give her the sippy cup.. just so she knows that you're still there to help her with the drink.. it's just not coming from mummy!!! My boys did this.. they tantrumed if the weren't sitting on my knee getting their sippy at nighttime.
Good luck hon.. and hang in there!!

Wish I had some good advice...Joshua would never latch but I pumped for about 5weeks. The cabbage leaf trick really does work! For me, I still pumped, even though he wasn't taking the milk anymore (long story) - I just cut back until I was down to none at all. Do you have a pump around you could use to help with some of this?

So sweet about "nummies" though..:)

I do have a hand pump. I got rid of my electric pump early on (both because I hated it and because B wouldn't take a bottle).
I haven't been pumping at all to relieve the engorgement b/c I thought it would just prolong the process; however, it might be a good idea.
I haven't used cabbage; however, I have been using cold packs. I have heard that cold cabbage leaves can work wonders; however, I'd probably forget to change them out for fresh leaves and would walk around all day stinking of rotten cabbage. *LOL*

This morning my dh got up with B and I came in about 20 minutes later. She ran to me shouting "Mommy!", then buried her head in my very sore, engorged breasts. *ACK! ACK!* She initially cried and repeated, "nummies, wa nummies!"; however, she took her little cup of rice milk and went on her merry way in a matter of minutes.

PS--Sara, your story made me laugh. :-)

That is so sweet Sara! I laughed too.

Mary I am not much help really either as both my boys weaned themselves as well. But I would say pumping wont do that much cause it may take a while to get anything out, but in that time you could be starting the production again KWIM I would suggest cabbage leaves and a warm shower and massaging the lumps , so they clear, this gets rid of some milk but probably wont start it up again.

I was also going to say that seeing as you are pregnant again, maybe this is why you are having such an engorgement problem, cause of the hormones, so if they get very swollen and sore, maybe you should see a Dr cause you do not want to get them infected.

When I took Maya off the breast, I had a week of painful engorgement, I did pump a little just enough to relieve a little and took pain killers. It was horrible I desperately wanted to nurse Maya but she wasn't doing well on the breastfeeding and I thought wrongly it was something to do with my milk! Anyway I know this has to be so hard for you, ((hugs)). It will pass and I think pumping just a little bit shouldn't really stimulate production.

Sorry, forgot your pregnant obviously you want to take minimum pain meds!

Mary, pumping will prolong it, it will get better soon! I hope.... :wink: How about some Tylenol, can you take that?

I can take Tylenol. :-) I totally didn't even think about the pregnancy hormones exacerbating this! *Duh*

I am doing a bit better this afternoon--because I have no shame, I've been walking around with a bag of frozen peas stuffed down my shirt. It sounds silly, but it is such a relief! :-) Not to worry, they're wrapped in a dishtowel and they're marked as being my "relief peas", so I won't be serving them for dinner...

LOLOLOLOL, Mary!!!!! I feel for you, it is not a fun time. The worst is getting cozy in bed or when you little one pushes on it, Ouch!!! Hey, hopefully, it is half way over? Hopefully?

Love the "relief peas" comment.. :)

I just remembered a tale from my days...a few weeks after I stopped pumping, dh set up a massage. I had been doing okay, until I tried to lay on my tummy on a massage table! Not good...she had to move me to the pre-natal room and use that table, lol! :)

I was also going to say that seeing as you are pregnant again, maybe this is why you are having such an engorgement problem, cause of the hormones, so if they get very swollen and sore, maybe you should see a Dr cause you do not want to get them infected.


I keep forgetting your pregnant. :doh:

Ahhh, Mary. I'm sorry you have to go through this, but I suppose that calcium is as important as ever now, isn't it? It sounds like B might be settling down a bit since she didn't throw such a tantrum this morning. I sure hope so!