Nursing Help!!!!

[desireeb]

Hi Ladies,
I'm reading your posts and am sorry that I've somewhat dropped off the face of the planet these last few months. With school and selling our house, things have been hectic to say the least!

Although I was planning child lead weaning, it seems that my body is pretty much done. My supply has been drying up and my breasts and nipples have been shrinking. The worst part is that it is anywhere between mildly and horribly painful to nurse my DD who is 24mo.

Over the last two weeks, we have started aggressively weaning and are now down to only once or twice every day - during nap and bedtimes. Unfortunately, those times will soon be long gone. Tonight I nursed her until I couldn't stand it any longer and we drove her around in the car until she fell asleep.

I've been drinking 3 or more liters of water every day. This used to help, but doesn't affect my pain in the slightest now. I'm wondering if anyone else has gone through this before? Any suggestions on getting my DD to sleep without driving or nursing? ANY advice is welcome.

I check to see if I have developed mastitis, but I have no symptoms other than pain during latching on and then burning pain in my breasts once they're empty and she's done nursing.

Thank you!!!!!

[Still_Snarky]

:hug Sorry to hear you're in such pain. My 26mo is still nursing about three times a day and it hurtswhen she latches on! I am commited to CLW and I too have found that regardless of how much water I drink it still is somewhat painful. (FWIW I have no milk in my right breast and just drops in my left breast.) So far, I'm just taking it one session at a time and trying to read while she nurses to take my mind off of the boobies! Hang in there mama, I hope someone has some real advice for you (us).

[turtlemama77]

Hi there,

My dd (14 months) is still nursing quite a bit, I'd say at least 5 times a day and 2-3 at night. The pain when she latches on sometimes makes me cringe up...really painful. I asked about this on the breastfeeding board and some of the mamas there told me that if I can get dd to open her mouth wider when she latches on, it might not be so painful. I can feel a difference when I'm really diligent about her latch, and it's worst at night (when I'm half asleep and don't pay attention).

As far as supply, you can try oatmeal and continue drinking water. I'm not sure those things will help at this point, but it won't hurt, either.

For getting your little one to sleep, can you lay down with her? Will she let you rock her? Can your dh/partner step in and develop a sleep routine that is totally different from nursing? The last option might be best because I think it would be very frustrating for a toddler to be near you and not be able to nurse.

Sorry I don't have better advice. Take care!

[Max'sMama]

I understand completely. When I hit about 10 weeks pregnant, I would get the heebie jeebies everytime ds, then 22 months, latched on. It became a situation that was not good. So I went ahead and 'cut him off' the breast. He was down to nap and bedtime. For about a week he was angry, would cry for 'milkies' when I held him and rocked him to bed. I would sit in the rocker with him or in bed with him and cry myself, I felt so bad. But it took a week, maybe less, and he was over the hump. I did not let him cry it out. I just said over and over, "I love you, I know you want milkies. How about your cup of milk? I know you are angry, I am right here." I held him, rocked with him, walked, did whatever to try to comfort him with out nursing. He doesn't even remember it (the weaning) now. He has no problem when we talk about babies and babies having 'milkies' or seeing babies nurse. He will actual talk about baby eating, getting milkies now.

If the relationship isn't working then it's ok to stop nursing. You have done a great job nursing her to 24 months. Most people don't make it 6 months.

There are tons of other ways to comfort her and she will be ok with any of them. Is there anyone else in the house who could start a night routine for her? Or try a juice box or something equally 'special' for the transitional time? That is always an option, it didn't work for us, but for others it does. I know Beth/Jish, has had lots of experience with this, maybe she can pop a reply on when she gets online!

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

[Mama2ABCD]

I wish i could say the words that would get you through this. Each pregnancy is unique as well as that nursing relationship thru a pregnancy. What hurts now, might not hurt in another pregnancy, etc.
This is my 3rd nursing preg, but it's as different as the other two. My last preg was my roughest nursing pregnancy. Supply issues. I always feel it's water, and a constant supply of it. My morning nursings hurt like heck, and were the worse ones of the day until i started drinking water during the night.
But, you are drinking quite a bit. So, is there a certain time of day where it hurts more? or is it always.
Position seemed to affect me too. Just sitting up could determine if i could stand it or not.
But, reading your post, what struck me is that you've been moving, going to school, etc. Have you had time with just you and your dd...something fun? Maybe you just need a little fun, play, relaxing time to unwind with your dd (or without, like maybe a massage). You'd be suprised how that can affect you.
I know with my 2nd preg (1st nursing preg) i had a very successful time nursing my son. He's only 16 mos older then his brother and i think the main key is that if i needed to nap, i could count on him napping and would nap with him. So, i got the rest i felt i needed. He wouldn't nap my 3rd pregnancy.
But, do what is best for you and your family:love

[PancakeGoddess]

I think it's pretty normal to have that much pain, unfortunately. Do you really want to tandem nurse? If so, perhaps you can get to the point where your dc isn't *needing* to nurse, and then just offer occasionally so she doesn't forget how to latch. Probably, once your baby is born, the pain will be gone. It's hormonal. On the other hand, a lot of moms have other discomfort/aversion to nursing the toddler even after birth. Once you start nursing a toddler after a new baby is born, it's pretty emotionally harsh to wean then, so it's good to make the decision now, IMO.

[desireeb]

Ladies,
Thanks for all the support and advice. Actually, I'm welcoming the separation that weaning is giving us. While earlier I was considering tandem nursing, I feel now that I'd prefer not to. My husband and I have decided to make the adjustment with her and start having bedtime with just Daddy. Hopefully within a week or so, the transition time will be over.

Thank you!
desireeb

[MsGrizzle]

I hope everything goes smoothly for you - sounds like a good decision for your family. Kudos for nursing as long as you have!

[bfoster2000]

Yikes! I just noticed the time but I wanted to reply quickly. Nursing DJ was excruciating during my first trimester and I just couldn't take it any more. I started encouraging him to reduce the duration of his nursings and to my surprise, he handled it quite well. Even after I got to the point where it wasn't quite so bad and I was content to continue as we were, he went ahead and weaned himself sometime in January. It was a very gentle process though and not nearly as traumatic for either of us as it could have been.

I recommed the following websites:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/tandem/index.html and http://nursingtwo.kellymom.com/. I found some really great information on there! I will also tell you that after reading some of the information on tandem nursing, I sort of felt like it was ok if I didn't want to continue and that was liberating somehow. Feeling like it's ok to quit if it's not working made it like I had a choice which actually made it easier to continue (ok, that makes no sense at all!)

I'll try to post later with some of the ways that we cut back on nursing when it was really bad...for now I really have to go!

Good luck!
Barb