How to Stop Breastfeeding - Tampa,FL

WestonPrice has a protocol for weening- take a look- I think that willclarify things for you.
best, k

Just cut out one feeding at time as the other poster said. Also/or you can pump when you become really uncomfortable, but just enough to relieve the discomfort. Your body will soon respond to producing less. However, you will want to go slowly. Everyone's body takes more/less time. Mine took a while. Just start by skipping feedings or not fully draining the breast each time and see how your body responds.

i do not suggest you go cold turkey. there is a reason our bodies were made to produce milk. if you must stop nursing your child, i would slowly wean. not sure how old your child is, but for me at 2.5 years of nursing mine, my breasts did not hurt at all when we stopped nursing. if your child is younger than that, i would slowly wean. also, when you do get to that point, put cabbage leaves on your breasts, they will help.

I agree with D.M. I had no pain whatsoever when I weaned my son. At 1 year, he was nursing 6 times a day. I eliminated one feeding every 4-7 days. In place of that feeding, he got whole milk in a sippy cup. If you leak or feel extremely full, just pump a little to relieve pressure. Don't pump the whole 6 oz or so that he might've drank. Just pump a little to relieve pressure. When weaning the feeding we kept until the end was the bedtime feeding. And that one just dried up on it's own. I guess my body was understanding what I was trying to tell it. My son struggled to get any milk out and took his sippy cup. All done. Easy for us. Good luck to you!

try putting a warm wet cloth on your breasts that should help take them down so theey won't be so sore.

I weaned..which meant I started cutting back and supplemented in between and after about a week. I just stopped all together and took an OTC Sudafed (which helped dry up milk a little faster) and if I was engorged I would express just a small amount as needed (did not give to baby when taking the medicine obviously!) It wasnt as bad as I thought. I was too nervous to go cold turkey! Oh and wear a good fitting bra to keep you comfortable.

I did one feeding a week (started with 4). Although I held steady a little long if necessary, until he was ready because he didn't want to take a sippy cup if I was there. I know that you can do it every 3-4 days too since you aren't transitioning her, just your breasts. I was fine for about a week at the end of it, and then was very full and in pain for a week. I chose not to pump because I didn't want to encourage the production at all. After a week, there was some discomfort, but everything was good about 2 weeks after stopping.

I totally understand your pain. First I begged the OB for a prescription to dry up my milk... Of course they don't prescribe that anymore.

It is painful.......you can take a warm shower and massage your breasts to relieve some of the pain. (and to expel a bit of milk) You'll want to watch out for plugged milk ducts... and- monitor your temperature to make sure you don't have mastitis or any kind of infection.

I tried cabbage leaves for a few days.........I was so desperate for any kind of relief.

Also- wearing two layers of bras helped. (TIGHT) A nursing bra with a sports bra on top.

I think I was normal within a week.......of course I leaked a little for months, but it wasn't painful.

Good luck!

If baby is ok with the bottle; and many often choose to turn away from the breast because there is much distraction; yet still comfort in being with mom, dad or siblings...It's your body that will adjust to the reduction of milk production. So, go ahead and express what is in supply and add to the bottle. Without nursing the supply will dwindle. It's a process that you will get through. A hot compress (plain hot water wrung out on a clean wash cloth or hand towel) will alleviate the pain.

I had my son down to 2 feedings a day (at 18 months) & quit cold turkey for medical reasons...- I do not recommend it at all. It hurts & is tough on the child. I would go from 2/day down to 1/day & then maybe even every other day.

Sounds crazy- But cold cabbage leaves on your breasts help a bit.

Good luck!

Cold turkey is painful. Your breasts will fill up and get hard lumps. Then when you take off your bra, it will squirt everywhere. I would recommend doing one less feeding every few days instead. Then when you stop completely they won't fill up as much. Wear a tight bra. When you take a shower, rub out the lumps just enough to ease the pain, but don't empty them completely or you will be sending the wrong signal. When it gets to a point where you are not too sore, just let them dry up and don't mess with them at all. Putting a warm rag on your breasts can help with discomfort too. It's been almost 3 years since my last child breastfed, but it seems like it was only a couple weeks before they dried up.

Just do it,.. And I know this will sound really weird ,but,it has worked for more than I person I know,..... Take 2 big raw cabbage leaves ,(1 for each side ) and place them in your bra,you may have to do this for a few days ,but, it does dry your milk up so you don't feel the pain of engorgement. Just remember as long as your nipples are stimulated you will continue to produce milk, so easy on the lovey,touchy with your hubby partner. ! ! Good Luck, CS

HI! Just start leaving out one breastfeeding and bottle feed her that time. Gradually do this.

Morning,

I went cold turkey too, and yes it was a bit painful for a few days. Sandi B. mentioned cabbage leaves - they may not help with the pain, but they will help dry you up. Yes it does sound crazy, but that's what the lactation nurses in the hospital told me to do when I was ready to stop breastfeeding.

Good luck!!

E.

Going cold turkey would depend on how often you breastfeed. Once a day? Three times a day or more? It doesn't have to be painful but if you are indeed breastfeeding more often, then you will have to express some to relieve engorgement if it comes to that. NOT relieving your engorged breasts can lead to plugged ducts, which can lead to a breast infection, which both are very painful. The "pain" you are referring to is the engorgement that follows when you don't express some of the milk. You won't have to express much but enough just to relieve your breasts. I would suggest you contact Le Leche League in your area. It's an organization for breastfeeding moms, and it's free! Anytime I had breastfeeding issues, I called my local leader for advice. There is also a web site called breastfeeding.com. You should find all the information you need there and I'm sure there are women who will post to help you further. I did not wean cold turkey. It was a gradual process for me. Good luck!

How often are you feeding now? That makes a big difference.

Cold turkey is not your friend. It could lead to plugged ducts and mastitis. Do not bind your breasts either as that could cause the plugged ducts and mastitis as well. You can stop nursing but you will need to pump off just enough for comfort. And that's not really much at all. You don't say how old your daughter is so it's hard to tell you how long it will take your body to adjust.

After going back to work (after 3 months) I wasn't able to pump enough to make bottles for him throughout the day. I wound up giving him formula during the day (nursed at lunch as I was right down the street) and then nursed at night. Eventually, my body kind of got the hint that he was needed less and less. There were a few times I would have to use the pump just a little to relieve the pain/pressure, but in the end, my body just understood. Hope this helps.

i went cold turkey, after weening down to two feedings. what worked for me was telling my daughter "all done" or "no more" and she really seemed to understand w/o feeling rejected.
also, i was SORE and engorged for about two weeks after we stopped.