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I thought I would wean my son as gradually as possible, allowing him and myself time to slowly adjust. When it actually came time for weaning, things were much different than I expected. My son was adamant and demanded milk whenever he desired it. I found that each time I denied him a feeding, he wanted to nurse more often than he did before we started the weaning process. When I did nurse him, he wanted to nurse five minutes later and was very upset that I would be denying him breast milk when he had just had some! I think the concept of the breast milk being available and then unavailable was very confusing to him. He wanted all or nothing! After a few days of this torture, I decided it was time for the milk to be all gone, not all gone and magically there again. I decided to wean my baby cold turkey.

Now, while this meant less confusion for my son, it meant a whole lot more discomfort for me! I am very prone to clogged milk ducts and breast infections. After one day with no nursings I was very engorged and uncomfortable. I researched several options for decreasing the discomfort and here is what I found:

Drink sage tea.

I added 1 tablespoon of dried sage leaves (available at most health food stores) to 1 cup of boiling water and allowed it to steep for 10 minutes. I removed the leaves and drank the tea 3 times a day for about 3 days.

Take off that bra! Do not bind your breasts.

With my first child, i tried the binding technique and was in a world of hurt. Not only could I not breathe, I ended up with a breast infection from several clogged ducts. I later found out that binding your breasts is no longer recommended for drying up your milk. With my son, I noticed that when I wore a bra, I would get clogged ducts in the areas that the bra put any pressure on. I tried going braless for a few days with great results.

Pump.

Use a breast pump if you are uncomfortably full or have clogged ducts or if you think you feel a breast infection coming on. You shouldn't nurse to relieve discomfort because if your breasts gets completely emptied, your body will be signaled to make more milk. Just pump enough to be comfortable. If you are having a hard time getting breast milk, try a hot shower first. Let the water run under your arms. Don't spend too much time in the warm water though, or you could produce more milk. You can save any milk that you pump and add it to oatmeal or cereal when your child is sick and they will be provided with antibodies.

Ice it.

After pumping or any time that you feel you need it, use an ice pack or bag of frozen veggies on any hard, hot, red, or lumpy areas. Apply for 20 minutes at a time and do not place directly on skin. Just through your shirt should be fine. This can really help with pain and also tells your milk to stop letting down.

Massage it.

Massage your breasts just before pumping. Apply gentle pressure on any knotty areas. If you are too rough, you can increase your risk of mastitis so be sure to keep it gentle.

Put cabbage on it.

Buy about 3 heads of cabbage. Peel off two giant leaves and pound the veins. Put one on each breast. They are nice and cool so they have the same effect as ice. Also, cabbage is said to reduce your milk supply. Replace when the cabbage wilts, every half hour to hour.

Use pseudoephedrine.

If you are still having trouble after trying the above natural methods try taking something that contains pseudoephedrine like Benadryl or, better yet, Dayquil so you are not drowsy. Pseudoephedrine dries out your sinuses, including your milk ducts. Take 120 mg per day and I would avoid taking it for more than a few days.

Tough it out!

When it comes right down to it, sometimes you just have to give it time. You and your breasts WILL adjust. However, if you think you may have a breast infection (fever, chills, and other flu-like symptoms) or if you are still having trouble after a week or so, you should see your doctor.