Patient's question:
Is there any way to relieve the pain when your breasts are sore during weaning?Doctor's answer:
Hello! This is perfectly normal. During weaning, breast tenderness and even hard lumps can occur, which can be improved with local heat application or massage. However, you need to pay attention:After weaning, breastfeeding mothers should reduce fluid intake to help decrease milk production and facilitate faster weaning. If milk production remains excessive, you can use a binding cloth to compress the breasts or use a breast pump to extract a small amount when the breasts are overly full, then bind them tightly with the cloth.
If the breasts do not feel overly full, avoid expressing milk to prevent further stimulation of milk production. (Remember: Do not squeeze engorged breasts, or it will take a long time to wean.)
Alternatively, you can take medication to wean. Generally, you can take ethinyl estradiol 5 mg orally three times a day for three days; or use intramuscular ethinyl estradiol 6 g once a day for three times in total.
You can also use Epsom salt (half a pound daily) to apply to both breasts, changing it once it becomes saturated, and this usually takes two to three days to wean.
Vitamin B6 can also help with weaning!
Traditional Chinese medicine is also a safe and effective option: You can drink sprouted barley and wheat (commonly known as "two sprouts soup"). However, it’s best to buy from a reputable pharmacy, as the sprouts should be acetic-acid-treated for optimal effectiveness. Otherwise, the results may not be as good.