Kind of Confused....

yes you can totally get mastitis when trying to dry up but as long as you do it slowly you should be fine. Just start by taking out one feeding or pumping session at a time. I get mastitis a lot while I'm breast feeding so when I wean it takes a while because I have to be very careful. So just do it gradually and you should be fine.

When you pump only do so when you are engorged and uncomfortable and just enough to relieve the pressure. The less you remove from your body, the less you will produce. It's a tough balance, don't stay in pain,. but don't fully pump or your body will just keep replacing that amount.

I just removed one pumping per day for a week, then the next then the next.... and kept thie night time feedings. It took about 3 weeks, but I did it slowly and with very very little pain.

I never breast fed with my second so I had to deal with drying up milk from day 1. The cabbage leaves just provide tenderness and pain relief. DO NOT PUMP!!!!!!!!It will NEVER STOP if you keep pumping. As tempting as it is and as relieving as it would be DO NOT DO IT! It increases the production and will make the whole process last longer. I had rock hard SUPER SORE breasts for about 3 weeks before the milk stopped building up. I never expressed any and just wore sports bras with bra pads and took ibuprofren regularly at night. It really sucked but it worked and only time will get it to stop. Once my breasts were no longer engorged and rock hard they returned to a normal shape and size but would still leak milk in the shower or if squeezed until about 6 months post-partum.

I went through this same process with my first baby (I did breast feed then for 1 month) and the process and instructions were the same and so was the end result. NO MASTITIS and NO INFECTIONS but do not tight wrap your chest (that is what leads to both).

GOOD LUCK AND THERE IS A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE BREASTFEEDING TUNNEL:)

I agree with what everyone else said-FIRST do it gradually-supplement more, less nursing and do not pump. When I was completely done nursing I would only express small amts for comfort and just wore a good fitting sports bra for support and I also took Sudafed (to dry up the milk) it worked. No mastitis and just some discomfort but it wasnt severe. I think doing everything gradually is the best advice. Your body will figure it out. Good luck!

I was engorged so bad It hurt to move and I swear by the cabbage leaves and tight sports bra. Put the leaves on then wrap yourself tight with an ace bandage and then use the sports bra on top. Keep it on all day and then replace leaves after you shower. Also shower with cold water (hot water will stimulate milk) and try and keep the baby at a distance when he/ she is eating (that will also stimulate your milk). The cabbage leaves will get gooey, that's normal just replace when that happens.
Good luck

The cabbage leaves will work, but you also need to buy an incredibly TIGHT sports bra. I am telling you, my bra was SO tight I thought my straps were literally cutting me, but I did stop producing milk pretty quickly (as in no major supply after 3-4 days). Good luck!

I tried the cabbage leaf thing and all it did was provide soothing from the coldness of the leaves and made me smell like cabbage:D What I did was I would go as long as I could stand it and then just pump an ounce or so out of each breast. In your case, maybe try to go four-five hours and pump a couple ounces from each breast. Then the next four hours or so, just one ounce from each side. Mine dried up in like a week or so. Of course I did do this after nursing a year so I already had less milk, but they did get pretty full there for a couple days which is why I had to pump a little for relief. But after a few days of just pumping when I couldn't stand it, I was fine. I didn't get mastitis or have any bad side effects. I have heard there is a pill you can take, you may want to call the dr and check that out as well. Good luck!!

the best relief I got was taking a warm shower and letting it leak out without pumping or anything. I did it when the pain was at it's worse and so I could sleep.

If you keep pumping your never going to dry up. You have to stop pumping. Also, do not take hot baths or showers. It will only increase the milk. You can put cool compresses on your breast if they are hurting, but not heat. Pumping every 3-4 hours is way too much. The more you pump the more milk you produce and you won't dry up....Also, the doctor can give you pills to help you dry up faster if you want to go that route.

I'm not sure if you are breastfeeding AND pumping...it sounded like you were only pumping to me in your question. If that is the case, I would pump for less time each time and slowly reduce. (And perhaps shave extra minutes off of the first pumping you want to cut out.) When you breastfeed, I think your child gradually decreases what he takes from you even though you may not realize it. You should try to mimic that and only cut out one pumping every few days. If you truly take a gradual approach you will NOT have all of the pain. Of course, you can also go extreme and deal with the pain in the meantime and be done sooner. Either way, I don't think you will get mastitis from it. And someone mentioned sudafed...that can help because it dries up everything, including your milk. Could be an option.

Sorry -- but it will be painful.... the only way to dry your milk supply is to stop. You will leak and have lumps and be sensitive -- but of you really want to stop, you just have to stop. Your body will continue to produce milk when you pump. There is no way around that/

Good luck,
C.