Drying up after weaning - how long?

Sorry, I know drying up is a YMMV thing. But my breasts have been very
tender (partly preg. related), and this a.m. there were lots of lumps.
Expressing got rid of them. I know there are drugs that can be taken, but
I'd rather now. Is there anything I can do to encourage my body to dry up
quickly, or do I just need to keep an eye open for lumps, express a bit, and
wait for nature to takes it's course?

Cathy

DD 8 Jan 2003
EDD Dec 2004

Cathy wrote:
I know there are drugs that can
be taken, but I'd rather now. Is there anything I can do to
encourage my body to dry up quickly, or do I just need to keep an eye
open for lumps, express a bit, and wait for nature to takes it's
course?

First, I don't think there -are- drugs you can use for drying up. There used
to be a shot, but it was taken off the market. You could try cabbage leaves,
though (Savoy cabbage, bruise veins with a rolling pin). Pregnancy usually
causes milk supply to decrease aroud 4-5 months in any case, and if you're
no longer nursing, that process will likely be accelerated. But I doubt
you'll dry up completely, since you are pregnant.

--
tristyn
www.tristyn.net

iphigenia wrote:
Cathy wrote:
I know there are drugs that can
be taken, but I'd rather now. Is there anything I can do to
encourage my body to dry up quickly, or do I just need to keep an eye
open for lumps, express a bit, and wait for nature to takes it's
course?

First, I don't think there -are- drugs you can use for drying up.
There used to be a shot, but it was taken off the market. You could
try cabbage leaves, though (Savoy cabbage, bruise veins with a
rolling pin). Pregnancy usually causes milk supply to decrease aroud
4-5 months in any case, and if you're no longer nursing, that process
will likely be accelerated. But I doubt you'll dry up completely,
since you are pregnant.

Someone (um, midwife?) suggested that there were drugs, but I don't want
them anyway - might hurt embryo (too little to think of it as a baby yet!).
I hadn't even thought of cabbage leaves - gee, they were my sanity saver a
few times with mastitis. Thanks for that. I had wondered if I would dry up
totally, but at the moment I just want it to be enough so that I don't get a
plugged duct or anything nasty like that - that is what the lumps yesterday
felt as though they were leading to. Today the breast feels really bruised,
but there seem to be no lumps.

Thanks,
Cathy (off to the supermarket to get a cabbage!)

Cathy wrote:

Sorry, I know drying up is a YMMV thing. But my breasts have been very
tender (partly preg. related), and this a.m. there were lots of lumps.
Expressing got rid of them. I know there are drugs that can be taken, but
I'd rather now. Is there anything I can do to encourage my body to dry up
quickly, or do I just need to keep an eye open for lumps, express a bit, and
wait for nature to takes it's course?

Sage and peppermint are said to be drying; you could make tea (check the
kellymom site for safety, first - I'm offline right now so I can't
check). I would probably just go for cabbage, and express or feed for
comfort only as needed (and not until fully empty).

Lara

Lara wrote:
Cathy wrote:

Sorry, I know drying up is a YMMV thing. But my breasts have been
very tender (partly preg. related), and this a.m. there were lots of
lumps. Expressing got rid of them. I know there are drugs that can
be taken, but I'd rather now. Is there anything I can do to
encourage my body to dry up quickly, or do I just need to keep an
eye open for lumps, express a bit, and wait for nature to takes it's
course?

Sage and peppermint are said to be drying; you could make tea (check
the kellymom site for safety, first - I'm offline right now so I can't
check). I would probably just go for cabbage, and express or feed for
comfort only as needed (and not until fully empty).

Lara

I should try that, but I really, really hate tea of all types! So far the
cabbage seems to be working - I was a bit sore and lumpy this morning, and
expressed to get rid of the lumps. The rest of the day has been fine
though - I'll see what happens tomorrow! I don't care if I don't dry up -
it's just the lumps that I want to avoid.

Thanks Lara,
Cathy

"Cathy" wrote in message
...
Lara wrote:
Sage and peppermint are said to be drying; you could
make tea (check the kellymom site for safety, first - I'm
offline right now so I can't check). I would probably just
go for cabbage, and express or feed for comfort only as
needed (and not until fully empty).

I should try that, but I really, really hate tea of all types! So
far the cabbage seems to be working - I was a bit sore and
lumpy this morning, and expressed to get rid of the lumps.
The rest of the day has been fine though - I'll see what happens
tomorrow! I don't care if I don't dry up - it's just the lumps
that I want to avoid.

It doesn't have to be tea. You could use sage in cooking too. I love
sage and think it's really yummy in turkey meatloaf, for example. I
didn't realize it was drying though so I'll be cutting back on that for
myself for the time being.

Here is what it says at Babycenter about mint, sage and parsley: "These
herbs, most often eaten in food, may dry up your milk supply. Avoid them
if you're trying to breastfeed, but you could use them when you start to
wean - they won't hurt your baby."
URL: http://tinyurl.com/2q42f
I had just happened across that yesterday and was going to post it for
you when I saw Lara had done so already!
--
Cheryl S.
Mom to Julie, 3, and Jaden, 7 months