I want to stop breast feeding, how should I go about it?

Question

My baby is 6 months old and is solely on formula milk. I want to stop breast feeding and wean him. How should I go about it? I'm a working mum and have never used a breast pump. They are very expensive and not so readily available. The problem is my boobs get so full and begin hurting as well as dripping with milk especially if I take tea or have lunch at work in the course of the day, such that I cant wait to get home and feed him. Please advice. How can they stop getting so full and hurting?

Answer 1

Your baby is so young to be weaned! Please consider continuing to breastfeed in the evenings and weekends when you are not at work, it is so good for him and for your relationship with him.

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Answer 2

I am a mother of a 1 year old baby boy and a nurse so you get 2 types of answers. First the nurse answer, in our office we generally advise women to wear a tight fitting sports bra and apply ice packs. There used to be a pill that was prescribed but it was discovered to be hazardous although I do not know the details, only that it is not used now. Now as a mother who is now starting to ease off the pump, I have found that while tight sports bras and ice packs help, so does decreasing the number of times you nurse or pump. This allows the body to gradually stop producing as much milk, simple supply and demand. Once you get to once a day it should be fairly easy to stop all together with minimal discomfort. This has been my experience and I hope it helps!

Answer 3

Go slow. Reduce your number of feedings gradually. (You said he's solely on formula-- does he not breastfeed at all any more?) If you feel too full, you can always squeeze out a little milk with your hand. No need for a pump. Just don't squeeze it ALL out, because the body will replenish what's gone, and start the cycle all over again. Just squeeze out enough to make you comfortable. Your body will gradually adjust and make less milk as he stops drinking it.

There are also herbal products you might want to try, that are supposed to dry up milk supply. Try sage tea.

Answer 4

Dr.s won't prescribe anything to dry your milk up anymore because of the side effects it causes. I stopped with my daughter and went cold turkey and ended up with mastitis and a high temp, was in bed for almost a week. When I stop feeding my son I'm going to buy a pump and every time I fill up I'll pump some off but not completely empty. My body needs to know it's time to slow down the production. Good luck, but don't expect it to be completely pain free.

Answer 5

I first have to say good for you for choosing to breastfeed your baby. You gave your baby the best start in life. It would be best for you and baby to continue breasteeding, but I understand that it can be difficult to breastfeed and also go back to work.

With that said, it is best to wean your baby slowly. Cut one feeding out every other day or so. When I breastfed my first child, I slowly got down to just feeding at night (perhaps you can still do this for a few more months?), and when we were ready to wean, I just stopped the night feedings. My milk dried up without me ever realizing it (no leaking, swelling, or pain).

In time, your body will regulate your milk. After a few days, you will end up only producing milk during the time that you feed your baby.

And just to add, the pill to dry up your milk everyone is suggesting is no longer on the market. It is was found unsafe for women to take.

Answer 6

My daughter and that i have been a nursing couple for 3 years so it develop right into a touch a lot less complicated because we suggested it. through that element she in elementary words nursed for convenience like at nap time or mattress time or if she did not sense properly. Is your toddler getting maximum of her energy from good nutrition and does she feed herself - typically? if so you're good to bypass yet do it steadily, that is the poor twos time and having the relaxation of the breast can truly be a lifesaver even as they're all out of varieties and in simple terms having a no-good,very undesirable time. i'd not furnish the breast earlier food and may want to work out that there develop into various liquid with or in the nutrition. in case you're taking a bf destroy earlier naps. commence substituting a cup on the on the spot. do not positioned plenty in the cup that is extra of a ritual than a meal. i'd not remove the nighttime time nursing till very last and then furnish a important snack or toddler might want to commence waking in the nighttime from starvation and who needs to get at nighttime again. you could also commence speaking about what huge females and boys do this can no longer a similar as what toddlers do. do not concentration on the breast feeding yet include it in a favorable way like toddlers have mommies milk yet huge boys use a cup to drink. and so on. Take it over a pair months, relax all of them quit finally and a lot less complicated no matter if that's no huge deal.

Answer 7

if that's what you want to do stop breast feeding then just stop! it will take a couple of days for your milk to dry up. the more you feed the more you produce so if you don`t breast feed it will dry up all though this is sore for a while, has you are walking around with busts that are waiting to explode. but there is no easy way of weaning down.

Answer 8

My little girl has not fed since January and guess what...yep you guessed I still got milk in my boobs. Its not the full on full feeling but sometimes a little bit just pops out. It takes ages to get it to go so I would see a doctor and get the pills that make it dry up. I am pregnant again so obviously I wont be doing that but wish I had earlier on cos bb`s used to hurt.

Answer 9

i was a in bad situation when breastfeeding my daughter for almost 2 years and the breast was everything to her she wouldnt even have solids. when the milk would start dripping it would really hurt me but to stop it u can slowly massage your nipples and the milk and pain would stop. how i got her off was a tricky 1 i did it stright away i decided thats it no more... so i cut a half a lemon and squzed it in my nipples and when she wants the breast i wouldnt say no but give it to her and she would refuse her self she hated lemon they all do too sour. but its weird coz my son who is 11 mounths is doing the same thing taking the breast 24/7 , any way good luck

Answer 10

Wrap an ace bandage around them, for a while with out breast feeding, this is what a doc told me to do, it really helps. It may be uncomfortable because of the pressure but it works.
And to ween him off just stop and go to formula, since you said he he was already on it all the time.

Answer 11

Get a good manual pump, Avent Isis or Medela.
And pump just enough to relieve the pressure, wear a tight sports bra or wrap your chest. It should take about 3 days for this to start to work.
CT