Put aside time to focus on a hobby that makes you happy, such as painting, writing, reading, or drawing. You may also do a sport as a hobby, such as basketball, golf, or skiing. Maybe you like watching bad television as a calming, relaxing activity. Doing things you like to do can make you feel more at peace. You will then give off a positive vibe that others around you will pick up on. Get in sync with your body and your breathing by taking a yoga class at your local yoga studio or gym. You can also do deep breathing exercises to help you stay calm and relaxed. Deep breathing and yoga are also great for centering your mind and feeling more at peace with yourself and your surroundings. Self-care means paying attention to your needs and setting aside time to address them. You can practice self-care by taking a long bath at home or by trying on makeup. You can also set aside time to read or nap. Doing exercise like going for a run or doing stretches can also be self-care. If you have a busy, chaotic schedule, try setting aside 30 minutes to one hour a day where you focus on self-care. Schedule it in so you cannot skip it or forget about it. Positive affirmations can help you approach your life and those around you with harmony and generosity. Say positive affirmations in the morning before heading out for the day or at night before bed. For example, you may say, "I am at peace with the world" or "I feel harmonious and happy today." Try to live according to your values. When your lifestyle aligns with your personal values and beliefs, you feel more at ease overall.
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One-sentence summary -- Find a hobby or activity you enjoy. Try yoga and deep breathing. Take time for self-care. Use positive affirmations.

Start replacing one or two feedings a day, and work your way to completely stopping. This is the safest, and most painless way as your body will slowly stop producing milk. Breasts that are not weaned gradually, but suddenly, can become painful, engorged, and even put mothers at significant risk for developing mastitis. If you have been pumping and wish to stop, here is a typical schedule that will wean you off your pump slowly but surely: Day 1: pump for 5 minutes every 2-3 hours Day 2: pump for 5 minutes every 4-5 hours Day 3-7: pump just long enough to relieve discomfort This should reduce your discomfort and some swelling. Wear a supportive, but not-too-tight bra. Opt for clothing that is loose and less likely to show milk spots; consider wearing nursing pads to absorb leaking milk. Taking a warm shower, although it inevitably involves some stimulation, may help to relieve pressure in the breast and soothe discomfort. Avoid direct stimulation from the water whenever possible. If you start to become engorged, hand pump just enough to reduce your discomfort. If you become dehydrated, you will actually start producing more milk, and your discomfort will increase. Estrogen injections have fallen out of favor, although they were once used to promote estrogen suppression. Some forms of estrogen injections contain known carcinogens. If you have consistent trouble with lactation suppression, ask your doctor about taking medications like bromocriptine (Parlodel). Doctors usually don't recommend taking Parlodel because of increased likelihood of hypertension, stroke, and heart attack. Hormone levels will change drastically as your milk production slows, which will trigger mood swings. Many women feel guilty, inadequate and sad. Getting through these emotions may be the hardest part of the whole process, but having a good support system will help.
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One-sentence summary -- Wean gradually, whenever possible. Take a pain reliever containing ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Avoid nipple stimulation, as this will trigger milk production. Avoid pumping your milk as it signals to your body that it needs to produce more. Drink lots of water. In severe cases, talk to your doctor about estrogen injections. Prepare emotionally.

During a quiet moment when you won't be interrupted, tell your spouse how you're feeling about your in-laws. Ask them what they think of the situation. Work on finding a solution that you can both live with. It's unlikely you will resolve the dilemma in one conversation. The discussion should be ongoing. Avoid accusing your in-laws of being bad people. If your spouse is still on good terms with them, they might jump to take their parents' side. Instead, focus on expressing your feelings in a neutral way. For instance, you could say, "Blake, I know you love your parents, but I'm having a hard time dealing with the way they criticize me to my face whenever we see them. Have you noticed this, too? What can we do about it?" Cutting off your in-laws is a more complicated matter if you and your spouse have kids. Consider whether your children will continue to see their grandparents and, if so, how these visits will be arranged. Identify what types of behavior would warrant cutting off your in-laws' access to their grandchildren. For example, you might decide that you will not allow them to be around your children if they are abusive, hold them to impossible standards, or put them into dangerous situations. Discuss the logistics of future family visits with your spouse. Think about whether you're willing to spend time under the same roof as your in-laws and, if you're not, whether your spouse will still attend family gatherings. For instance, you might decide to opt out of the annual Fourth of July barbecue with your in-laws, but agree that your spouse will still attend with your kids. Decide what boundaries you want to enforce, and why. Talk about your boundaries with your spouse to ensure you're both on the same page. Also, make sure to reevaluate these boundaries periodically to see what is working and what is not working so you can make changes as needed. For example, you and your spouse might be overwhelmed by your in-laws interfering with parenting. This may be one of many boundaries you choose to communicate. Other possible boundaries might be not discussing finances with them or not allowing them to stay at your home during visits, but setting them up at a nearby hotel.
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One-sentence summary -- Talk with your spouse. Think about how you'll handle the issue of grandchildren. Consider how you'll handle family holidays and get-togethers. Set boundaries you can live with.

This exercise should only be tried when you are flexible. You may need to follow a regime of improving your flexibility first, otherwise you will find this exercise next to impossible. You can do this by jogging, doing jumping jacks or running on the spot for at least 10 minutes. Extend your right leg straight out in front of you. Gently stretch for 10 seconds. Switch over to do the same with your left leg. Stretch for 10 seconds. At this point, you may find that it isn't happening as well as you'd like. That's finetake all the time you need and keep working on this step until you get it. Put both hands in the middle of your legs, and lean down. Stretch for 15 seconds. Your legs should form a butterfly shape. Do this gently. Lean to the right for 20 seconds, then lean to the left for 20 seconds. Have them above your head and keep them up for 30 seconds. You can choose to stop here if wished, as your legs are now over your head. Or, you can go one further with the next step. When you have achieved this, then try to bring back your left leg as well. At this point, realize that this is exceptionally hard to do, so do not push it. It can take a very long time to do this successfully, perhaps even a year or two before it works for you. The second foot is harder to do than the first, because you have to get it beyond the first. Whichever leg is less flexible, do first.
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One-sentence summary --
Work on your flexibility. Place a mat on the floor where you intend to practice this exercise. Warm up your muscles first. Stand up and stretch for 15 seconds. Sit down on the floor mat. Put both your legs straight out. Put both of your hands on your toes and stretch for 15 seconds. Separate both legs as widely as you can. Bring both of your legs together. Bounce both of your legs up and down for 20 seconds. Bring both legs out straight. Point your legs straight up in the air. Try to bring your right leg back and over your head.