when do you stop lactating if you decide to switch to formula after a couple months of brestfeeding?

Question

I am 37 weeks preg. and i want to brestfeed this may sound like a stupid question but what if i start breastfeeding and then decide to stop do i just stop lactating or what i know this is probably common sense but this is my first preg. and none of the women in my family breast feed any of there children i only ask because i will also be working so using a formula after a couple of months may be the best way to go

Answer 1

You will continue making milk for a couple days, during which your breasts will swell and be very sore and probably leak. But then it will eventually decrease in a couple days and go back to normal.

Answer 2

You will not immediately stop lactating; in fact, you will probably go through a painful spell as your milk dries up, especially if you were breastfeeding regularly. You're better off weaning the baby gradually to formula, rather than doing a sudden transition, both for the baby's health and digestive well-being and for your own comfort. For example, if you were breastfeeding about every four hours, you might try going five or six hours at a stretch, and supplementing with formula; then extend the time period, until you're down to a couple of feedings a day. From that point, you just eliminate one of the two feedings, then you're done. This way, the baby's digestive system has plenty of time to adjust to the formula, he/she is still getting plenty of benefit from the breast milk (ie immunity, tailored nutrients, etc.) and you're not so uncomfortable.

Answer 3

Breast milk is a supply and demand type of thing. When the baby nurses a lot, you produce more milk, and when the baby nurses less, you produce less.

So basically it depends on how you wean your baby. If you do it slowly, over a few weeks or so (eliminating one feeding per day), the milk will slowly diminish...if you stop breastfeeding abruptly (after nursing exclusively) your breasts will become engorged with milk (this is very uncomfortable) for few days and then eventually dry up. I recommend the former method over the latter...I've done both. Stopping abruptly is hard on your body and very difficult emotionally. Don't worry, you'll be fine, and so will baby.

Answer 4

i only fed my baby breast milk for the first few months because i couldnt get her to latch on and i had to pump milk all the time. when you want to stop breastfeeding you do it gradually, taking out a feeding a day and substituting formula. i think it took me a few weeks to be totally dried out.

Answer 5

you will dry up in a couple of weeks.