going cold turkey...what to expect?

earwig1971 · Apr 18, 2011 12:37PM

Hi....this has all probably been asked several times before but I don't really have the patience totrawl through pages and pages with my boobs feeling this way....so apologies if I'm asking old stuff

I have breastfed my 12 week old exclusively up until Mnday of this week. I have tried for weeks to encourage her to take the bottle as I'm heading back to work on Monday, and finally cracked it on Monday just gone. I have decided not to express, for various reasons, and so from Monday she was having the breast for her first and last feeds of the day, with formula in between, but I decided to go cold turkey and last fed her yesterday morning at around 6am.

Inevitably, by now, some 36hours later, my boobs are rebelling big style! Basically I would like to know what adverse signs I need to look out for....I know to expect the hardness, the pain, the leaking, the joy!....but I'm not sure how long to expect this to go on, what I can do about it, and what things to seek medical advice on. I can't see me getting a whole heap of sleep tonight as they are so painful I won't be able to lie down....I have expressed a very minimal amount at times of pure agony, but trying not to any more as I know it'll just prolong the agony. Any help wouldbe appreciated. Thanks

Socksxx · Apr 15, 2011 3:00PM

I really wouldn't go cold turkey hun, I understand that you hate expressing but if you keep your boobs that hard not only will they be agony but you might get an infection as you will get bacteria growing in the milk inside your boobs. If you wish to stop bfing altogether the best thing you can do is express every other feed then every third feed etc. When my lo started going through the night, I would get up at 4 and express missing the usual 10, and 2 feeds then I was ok until the morning. You can then cut down gradually. I understand you want to go completely to bottle but watch you don't get an infection xx

norfolkbabe76 · Apr 15, 2011 7:08PM

been there n done it, i would not recommend it. its very painful, as previous post says, decreased your supply over a few days.

LadyTottington · Apr 15, 2011 7:25PM

Paracetamol, bath, cold flannel on the breasts, then savoy cabbage leaves in the bra. Sounds crazy, but the cabbage leaves really work. Leave them in for about 20mins, and repeat as necessary.

I went cold turkey for various reasons and these worked for me! Good luck - pain only lasts a couple of days.

earwig1971 · Apr 16, 2011 8:39AM

thanks....heading out for the cabbage now. By now, things are settling down a little....still hard but slightly less painful. Figured I'd gone so far on the cold turkey I didn't want to re-start the expressing, and there's nowhere in work for me to do so anyway....even tho it's a bloody children's centre!!!!

Thanks for you help xx

Lisaj142 · Apr 18, 2011 12:37PM

Hi earwig!

I am in the same situation and gave my 16 week old his last breast feed on Saturday morning. I've been using cabbage leaves etc and things seem to be settling down a bit. I just wondered how you were getting on? And do you feel as guilty as I do? I keep telling myself I've managed 16 weeks and I've given him the best start but last night when he woke for a feed I just sat in tears giving him a bottle when normally we'd be snuggled in bed feeding.

Hope you're not in too much pain

Xx

going cold turkey...what to expect?

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