2 Part Breastfeeding Question! Kinda Long, Sorry!!

I think a side preference is definitely normal! I also think it's normal for one to produce more milk anyway - my right side is the preferred one in this house! My DD loved it most and my son does too .. LOL You might try pumping on the other side if you're really wanting to "keep up appearances" and for them to appear more normal!

As far as your second question - I just let my daughter lead the way when she was that age. She didn't actually start weaning until I became pregnant with my DS when she was about a year old... she just started cutting out a feeding on her own. Eventually, at 14 months, she just wanted to nurse right when she woke up and by 15 months she self-weaned completely. If cutting out full feedings is a problem with engorgement, I'd suggest maybe just lengthening the time between feedings instead. That way you're only going, say, 4 hours between feedings instead of 5 or whatever the case may be. :)

Hope that helps!!!

When my DD weaned herself, I experienced no pain and no engorgement. :)

Well, first, only my left breast works and I have breast fed three little ones on it and never on the right and I am sooo lop sided it is rediculous, but what can you do :). Second, the only way to reduce production of milk is to slow down the feeding there and you will have to indure some engorgement. Having said that, try to do your weening very gradually because engourgement can lead to infections and they are so painful. Hope this is helpful!

Hi T.,
I had the problem with one breast stopping milk production almost completely while my son nursed happily from the other. I too was very lopsided, it was pretty funny looking and forget about wearing anything low cut. I too am an A so it was rather disappointing to go back even just one at a time. I weaned my son at 9 months very gradually and didn't ever become too engorged. If you want to skip a feeding and you become engorged you might just manually extract just enough to relieve a little of the engorgement..not too much since you don't want to produce too much milk in it's place. This may help if you are just wanting to still nurse and bit go cold turkey!! Best of luck and God bless you and your family.
P.

i'm not sure about the first part of the question, but about the engorgement when you stop, if you cut out one feeding at a time, and wait a couple weeks before cutting out another feeding, the engorgement shouldn't be too bad. i went from nursing my 10 month old 4 times a day to nothing (cold turkey!). the engorgement lasted probably 4 days and was horribly painful, but the best way to stop milk production is to wear a tight sports bra and wrap an ace bandage around that. you can also use cold cabbage leaves to cut back the pain, or just a cold pack. just don't use heat, because heat makes your body produce more milk. and no sexual stimulation, that also speeds up milk production. there is also a tea that is supposed to help stop milk production, i forget what it is, but i could never find it in stores, so maybe you could find some online

My son is also one and we are in the process of weaning. He can go without nursing, but I know it would be hard to just stop completely all at once. We did go from nursing 5-6 times a day to just once a day. I just offer it to him a little while after waking up from his nap, not really a set routine that he would know when to expect it so he doesn't stay attached. Just go slowly and let your body adjust on its own. This is my second child and I didn't rush weaning at all and didn't have much of a problem or have to do any of the "tricks" to help stop milk production. But once your body is used to producing less milk then your breast will get smaller again. I am just proud of you for continuing to nurse your child for a year!!!! Good luck!

You can use a cold compress or a disposable diaper soaked with water and frozen on your breast. My lactation consultant said that the diapers are perfect because they will conform to your breast. Also, if you're totally weaning, wash and break the veins in some cabbage leaves (but don't tear them apart). Then chill them in the fridge. Once chilled put them inside your bra. It really helps dry you up fast. You'll still leak a little for a while. If engorgement is extreme just express a little by hand in the sink or shower. Just a couple of spoonfulls or so until you're a little more comfortable. Just decreasing the amount you express will help it go down too. You don't have to stop cold turkey.

Keep a cold cabbage leaf in your bra, change it out when it gets wilted. Cut down temporarily on your fluid intake, too. You should be avoiding engorgement within 3 days... you may take a couple of months to stop producing milk completely, though.

All 3 of my kids preferred the right side to the left.

Weaning- cut out just one feeding the first day, go for a week like that. Then cut out one more feeding, go for a week like that- etc. until he is weaned. That should minimize engorgment and pain. It takes a good three days for your body to adjust to the new decreased demand- so wrapping up with a bandage and/or using cold cabbage leaves on the breast during that time is helpful. Slow and steady wins the race! Good luck!

P.

hey I know all to well about the lopsidedness, just slowly wean him if you offer 3 times a day cut down to 2 for a week then 1 and you will slowly decrease your supply, I stop feeding my son when he was 2 1/2 and thankfully I never got engorged but my left side is still bigger than my right and he is now 9

Congrats on reaching this milestone! I just weaned my boy three months ago! It was harder on me than him. I miss our special time.

Anyway, as far as engorgement goes it will go away. Mine were back to normal in about two weeks. I wore a sports bra and that helped with the pain. Hang in there.

J. W.