due to being unable to keep bf when I return to work I have had to stop. I cut down slowly, decreasing one feed every 4 days and at the start of each 4 days got pain and sore boobs when the feed was missed but this soon wore off.

I finished feeding on Friday morning. since then both boobs have got bigger and bigger and more painful. I have put on nearly 1/2 stone in a week and as I have not changed my diet and am exercising more I guess this is from the increase in chest size. They are so painful I can't sleep. Yesterday one leaked for ages after a bath but did not get any smaller or less painful

I have tried to sit in a bath to ease the pain but it doesn't work as my boobs are out of the water as they are so large.

Please help - do I have an infection or is this normal. I return to work tomorrow and my uniform wont fit!!

I did the same when I stopped breastfeeding but I didnt seem to have this problem. MY boobs did fill up with loads of milk and were so painful and constantly leaking especially when he cried! This only lasted for about 3-4 days though and then just seemed to stop on its own.

I found that warm water from the shower seemed to soothe my pain, but then they would just leak constantly.

Have you tried talking to your HV? Or do you have a local breastfeeding workshop? Maybes you could give them a quick call?

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I put on quite a lot of weight after I stopped feeding my 3rd baby, now I am feeding my 4th and I have to go back to work in January and I don't want the same thing to happen again. I didn't get sore boobs though, as I cut her down very gradually.

You have my sympathy. I also cut down very gradually so eventually I was just BF morning and night. Eventually my milk decreased so much there was practically just a dribble! I had no pain as it was a slow process. Would it be feasable for you to BF twice a day (before and after work), then reduce to once (bedtime feed?) until your milk decreases, then stop when it's comfortable?

I had the exact same problem when I stopped BF. I stopped very gradually, but still had lots of milk and it was at least 3 weeks until it stopped becoming painful. I felt warm all over for about a week, almost feverish in fact. I found that just squeezing the milk out manually in the sink (yep, that's what I did and it poured out!) helped massively. I only ever did it enough to relieve the engorgement. It isn't the increase in milk that adds to the weight gain, as believe it or not, you are making less milk but as it doesn't have anywhere to go, your boobs just swell up. The weight gain is largely due to the water you're retaining. However, if you're exercising regularly, this won't be a problem for much longer as your body will soon learn to burn off the fat, rather than use the glucose as fuel. Don't forget, there are all sorts of hormones going crazy when you stop BF too which may add to the weight gain. As long as you watch what you eat now, stick to 2000 calories and exercise for 30 minutes at least 4 times a day, you'll lose the weight soon enough. xxx

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