I had my first PT appointment last week! Ironically I initially sought her out for incontinence (they are pelvic floor specialists) but that all disappeared after giving birth. I just have a host of other things going on. After describing & testing my various issues (with all the impressive anatomy jargon & attention to detail), her summary was “ok, so you have mommy foot, mommy back, and mommy thumb. We can fix this.” I asked if she expected this pain to stick around a year from now and she immediately responded that no, it was more likely 6-8 weeks. Music to my ears. I have a set of seemingly simple exercises that are really hard for me right now, and am looking forward to this rebuilding! Thank you to all the very enthusiastic recommenders of PT in the pregnancy thread.
Interestingly, I made it through my entire (abbreviated) pregnancy without back pain but it started after birth. Her explanation is that sometimes the tension of a pregnant belly provides stability; when the balloon deflates suddenly (as in birth) your core has to compensate.
I have weaning questions: I’ve been googling but haven’t hit upon the answer I’m looking for or maybe not the right search terms.
When gradually weaning, is there a point where your milk just “dries up” even if you haven’t dropped all feedings?
Schedule Details
My pre-weaning feeding schedule (times approx)
6 am
10 am
2 pm
6 pm
10 pm (dream feed)
I’ve cut the 6 pm feed a while back, and just dropped the 10 am feed this week, so now I’m at 3 feedings. Baby is asleep or sleepy for the 6 am and 10 pm feeds. For 2 pm session, he is squirmy and feeds only briefly. No idea how much he’s getting, though my breasts feel full then. I was planning on dropping the 10 pm feeding next but if he’s too difficult at 2 pm maybe I should drop this one?
My baby (toddler really) is 13 months and eating well, so I’m mostly concerned with weaning in a way that minimizes my discomfort.
From what I have read, though no formal education in this.
Usually no, but it depends on:
-just personal variation. Are you normally low supply already? Is your supply very responsive (ie, have you found your supply changes large swings to your cycle if it’s back, to sleep deprivation, to dehydration)
-medications you’re on
-becoming pregnant again
-getting ill
Those things can cause you to stop producing, but there’s a lot of women that will keep producing on one short feed per day for years. I think it’s variable enough that there’s no hard and fast rule on it.
For me when I was weaning my daughter we slowly cut out feeds with bed time being the last one. Months later I could still hand express a bit. Im sure if I would have allowed it she would have kept going for who knows how long but I was done. I always had a really goo supply though. Since I dropped one feed at a time over a few months though I had very little discomfort when we were all done. That was kind of a ramble but I never really dried up. Even now at 9 weeks pregnant I’m pretty sure a few drops would still come out.
Yep, and some women’s supply just dries up at random. My mum’s body stopped producing milk around a year postpartum. Meanwhile my body was very happy to keep making milk for my kid at 1 feed every other day, but also wasn’t a big deal for it to stop at that point (which was also 2.5 years postpartum).
I was really concerned about this because I had had mastitis in the past and had a good supply. My son weaned abruptly bc of some health issues so with the help of an LC I pumped a bit to reduce discomfort but not more than a little and the supply dropped really quickly. I think dropping a feed at a time as you are doing is likely to work well, ans you could hand express a tiny bit if you ever feel uncomfortable.
I did not have a great supply with my first, and spending 2 hours a day in total pumping at work was producing less than half of what he ate. I stopped pumping and had zero issues (but again low supply) and was planning to continue to nurse in the morning and evening as long as he wanted, but the first morning was 5min/3min, second morning was 3min/1min, third morning he nursed 1 minute and wouldn’t even latch on to the other side, so we were done. At 6.5 months or so. But I could easily squeeze a little out if my left side for months afterwards.
Any tips for dealing with mastitis other than antibiotics? I’m waiting for a call back from my doctor who’s “not in the office today but will probably check her messages”. Tylenol is keeping the fever down and I’m feeling a little better than last night but I’d like to do anything I can to get rid of it quickly!
Mastitis gets so bad so fast personally if I couldn’t get ahold of my doctor, I would go to urgent care. The turn around after starting antibiotics is so so fast for everyone I’ve known to have mastitis, too.
In the meantime though, just anything you can do to move the clog out. Hot shower, dangle feeding, pumping, breaking it up with a hairbrush or vibrator.
+1 to this. I’m so sorry @Sunflower that you’re having mastitis, but it gets bad and miserable fast and antibiotics are life changing. I went to urgent care and they also gave me fluids because it’s so hard to stay hydrated while breastfeeding and having a fever that they said it gets concerning fast, so they suggested stopping breastfeeding unless I could get enough fluids in to keep peeing. This is in a very breastfeeding friendly location and their point was less, stop breastfeeding and more, you need WAY more fluids than you think you do.
Thanks both! I will up my water intake! I also just called the office back to ask if I could at least talk to a NP or another doctor I’m the office (I left a message…). I was pretty sure I got the clog out yesterday before symptoms started but I guess not. Currently my boob feels empty/bruised like where a clog used to be and I feel ok as long as my fever is controlled with tylenol (but I can tell the instant is wears off).
I live in LA and I’m not sure it’s made national news but our case loads are so so high that I’m loathe to go-to urgent care. We’re talking negative ICU beds and 6-8 hr ambulance offload times for multiple days now.
I’d see if there are any online doctor services you can use to get the antibiotics. I’m I’m canada so I have no idea, but I’d get the phone or online prescription asap. Also, have you been photographing or tracing any red spots or lumps? Size of a quarter to size of a roomie made it easy for my doctor to justify a prescription without an exam. The antibiotics were miraculous.
I just heard back from the office and another doctor is calling in an Rx
I don’t have any red spots or lumps so the medical assistant was skeptical but the doctor said it’s probably mastitis. We were trying to wean off the nipple shield the last couple days but her latch still isn’t great. She also slept way longer overnight the last two nights and I didn’t get up to pump until I was already in pain from a clog. Oops.
I’m also getting a COVID test this afternoon just in case.
Oooh I didn’t even think of a covid test. And yes, LA has made national news, so I totally understand the reluctance to go anywhere. I’m so glad you were able to get a prescription.
I did not have redness or lumps or even much pain when I had mastitis but they said they basically assume mastitis for anyone breastfeeding and feeling miserable like I was, even if it’s just a bit of tenderness.
I started antibiotics early this morning after my fever hadn’t broken after 24 hours.
Showed up for my COVID test appointment and they had run out of tests! The next availability isn’t until the 24th but I got an appointment first thing in the morning so hopefully it will go better. At this point we are assuming it’s mastitis so I’m not masking at home. I don’t have any respitory symptoms and we hadn’t been outside the apartment other than neighborhood walks in the prior two weeks because we were isolating and even washing down packages/groceries to be able to visit my MIL the past weekend as she’s severely immunocompromised. Of course, that’s no guarantee but I can’t imagine having picked it up outside on a walk around the block with masks on. Spouse and baby are both feeling totally fine with no fever.
@Ferngully, our two month shots were supposed to be yesterday but since I had a fever they didn’t want us coming into the office and we postponed until next week. Hopefully my (negative?) COVID test will be back before then so we’ll be able to go.
How are you and your family feeling? Hopefully everyone is doing well and recovering quickly!
My fever is gone, just a bit of sniffles left. I think we’re through the worst of it?? Day 10 for Bear and Day 8ish for me with no relapse yet. I’m feeling grateful that it has been mild – perhaps due to a lower viral load from being masked whenever our exposure happened.
We got Spore tested Monday and it came back positive. No surprise since we didn’t mask until symptoms began, and we must have been contagious with such close contact (cuddles! kisses!) before that. Still no symptoms, phew. I just wanted the result on the record for future reference since there are still so many unknowns about this disease that may unfold in the future.
I submitted my info for a breast milk antibody study! Fwiw I have been combo feeding for the past 5-6 weeks when his appetite increased but my supply didn’t. Then my supply dipped a bit when I was sickest but it seems to have rebounded a bit.
I’m so glad to hear that it’s been mild and you’re feeling through the worst of it. It’s very cool that you submitted your breastmilk! I signed up for a couple of studies for pregnant women but have only been contacted by one and it was just a phone interview so far. It would be nice to be used for research to benefit other pregnant people down the road.
personally if I couldn’t get ahold of my doctor, I would go to urgent care. The turn around after starting antibiotics is so so fast for everyone I’ve known to have mastitis, too.
