refusing to nurse, hospitilization, engorgment, just a mess...help!!!!

[nannymom]

1st please forgive typos i'm typing standing up one handed on almost no sleep.

My 18 month old stopped nursing Friday morning, was hospitilized with  an absess in his throat from monday until last night. in that time he has tried nurse twice and couldn't seem to remember how.

i would really like him to continue mursing but I don't know how to help him, He is resistant to even being positioned to try.

I am horribly engorged and leaking through bras and shirts. It is so painful it has reduced me to tears a few times. I haven't been ab;e to take care of myself at all. Now that we are home what can I do?

Please help! TIA

[Mosaic]

It could be that he's still not feeling well and not up to nursing just yet.

Right now I'd focus on getting/keeping you both healthy. Get a pump! Just a cheap hand pump would do the trick, but you absolutely need to get some of that milk out to feel better. At the very least, hand-express some milk to relieve the engorgement.

[Dr.Worm]

La leche league can help! www.lli.org  There are people you can call for help.  I'm so sorry you and your babe are going through this. 

[gemasita]

Yes, I would rent a pump.  It will help you keep up your milk supply while your babe is getting better.  You can try to put him to the breast but if he doesn't catch on after a few minutes, I would pump so that you will have the milk there to get him to nurse later.  My DS didn't nurse much for several weeks early in his life but got back to it eventually!

[nannymom]

Thank you. I have been hand expressing and he has nursed twice. Both times have been in his sleep  but at least it was something.