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Stopping breastfeeding

Hi, anyone got any advice on stopping breastfeeding!! ? I'm in the process of putting Henry totally on bottle feeds, he's 13 weeks now and I'm trying to get him to go longer at night. I just wanted to know whether I'm supposed to just stop or reduce - I've been cutting feeds down for a week and have just stopped totally last night but I am in SOOOO much pain!! I keep reading not to express but it really is so painful - I feel like they're going to explode!

Anyone else done this and have any advice?? xxx

Replies

  • Hi Emily,
    Know what you mean about the pain! I gave Gracie a new bottle every week for 3 weeks then gave up and my boobs hurt for about 2-3 days. I think it's best to reduce bf like you have and not just stop all in one go but once you've stopped it's best to go with the flow (or not as the case is!) and see it through!
    My top tip is cold green cabbage leaves ( I used savoy which made a nice pattern on my boobs!) down your bra as this soothes and helps draw the milk out a bit. Also bath in bicarb of soda, don't know why but helped!
    If you want to express, I'd only do a bit as this will prolong the stopping and therefore prolong the pain I suppose?
    It doesn't last long tho and Gracie started sleeping thru 12 hr instead of 8hr when I fully ff her after 2 week so start looking forward to more sleep!
    Good luck! Ali x
  • Thanks Ali, I'll go and get some cabbage this evening - I was naughty earlier and when oh went out I quickly got Henry on the boob- I just couldn't take the pain! But I'm being strict again now!! Well Henry only goes 4 hours now so hopefully he'll stretch to 8!! I'm so looking forward to that!!

    xx
  • hows it going emily?

    EVERY DAY i say im stopping, BUT im such a bloody wimp i give in and feed him cos i cant stand the pain
    im tryin to cut out day feeds cos ill be damned if im gettin up in the night to sort out bottles.
    any tips for coping in the day cos he is so long and heavy and im justnot enjoying it anymore. i feel like he is not a little baby anymore and im not liking it.... sorry if that sounds awful or offends anyone..
    xxx
  • I keep thinking about stopping bf-ing but I haven't yet. Cole is mostly formula fed and for me I think there will be no active stopping as such..I'll just gradually end up producing less milk - well I am already. I didn't actively try and cut down on bf-ing to a schedule or anything, I think I kind of ended up alternating feeds at the start, or bf-ing and then topping up with a bottle, and then feeding in the evening with bottle while expressing milk and then I cut out the evening expressing cause it was a pain in the arse. I'm too lazy to want to get up in the morning so a bf first thing gives me a bit longer in bed! I know what you mean Holly about the day feeds - its so awkward isn't it!! I kinda wedge Cole on a cushion on my knee and his legs hang off me.. it doesn't look that comfortable for him!!

    I actually found it easier to give cole a good feed in the night from bottles - we use the tommy tippee bottles with the powder dispenser and all I do is tip the powder in and give it a shake and feed him - take the bottle upstairs before I go to bed. Since Cole mostly sleeps through, the bottle I take up ends up being his first morning bottle after his bf, and it means I still don't need to get up after the first bf ofthe day! How lazy do I sound??

    I think I might have to start putting a cushion next to me on the sofa as well as on my knee for when I feed cole - would that help when feeding ryan?
  • Holly - doesn't sound bad at all. I think you're all doing well bfing as I looked at Gracie just today and wondered how I'd get on feeding her myself as she's so big. They are growing up so quick and not like babies compared to newborns! I half expect Gracie to sit up and talk she looks so old and wise!
    Hope you're getting on ok Emily x
  • Hi girls, I'm still in lots of pain - haven't been able to do much for the past few days!! It's really horrible as I haven't been able to cuddle Henry properly or even hold him! Isn't it horrid that your boobs look so good but hurt so much!! haha!

    I definitely wouldn't recommend going cold turkey with the breast feeding!! But now I've come this far I'm going to keep going! I used the cabbage for a couple of days but I couldn't bear the smell after a while! Hope they go down a bit today!!

    Henry still is only going 5 hours at night too so it all seems in vain at the moment but I have a feeling within a week he'll be sleeping through!! Fingers crossed! xx
  • My son is 6 weeks on Wednesday and I'd like to move him onto formula (god that sounds so bad) reason being, well I'm selfish I suppose, I want to be able to not worry about leaking, fed up of wearing a bra 24/7, a full nites sleep, be less moody with my 2year old daughter bless her the list goes on. Anyways, I haven't even brought the bottles etc yet where do I start? I'm going to buy the ready made milk so wont need to do the whole boiled water thing yet until I'm in a good routine. Where do I begin with the stopping of feeds? I went cold turkey with my daughter but she was only 2 weeks old and my milk dried up in 2 days! It could be the same this time but who knows? I also feel sooo guilty for this but it's just not for me image I'm not confident and will only feed indoors at home! Hellllllp!! Sorry for intruding ladies <3 xx
  • I could have written your post!

    My baby is 3 weeks old and I am breastfeeding her. It took a while to get the hang of it and I have one very cracked nipple and bruised feeling breast to show for my efforts. The dilemma for me is thar I'm just not enjoying doing it. I love the cuddles and the bonding that I have with my baby but have never felt truly comfortable with the feed.

    I bottle fed my 1st daughter from 4 days old because as soon as she came home from the hospital she refused to latch on. (in hindsight and with a little more knowledge I could have persevered but she thrived straight away and was a very hungry baby).



    This baby also seems very hungry and enjoys comfort sucking. I can have her latched on from 5pm - 9/10pm some evenings. This makes me very frustrated since I have a 2 year old that needs feeding, bathing, reading to and putting to bed. Plus a meal to prepare and cook for hubby and myself. Never mind time to relax with hubby who has been at work all day. I feel awful but think I will have to stop and put her on the bottle. I keep saying '4 weeks 4 weeks... just keep going till 4 weeks' It seems to help having a focal date.



    I get so tearful and emotional about neglecting my eldest and hate hearing myself get so annoyed with her just because I haven't got the time to devote to her play. Shes a beautiful, clever little girl who just wants to interact with mummy and I am turning into Godzilla with her and my husband just because I am permenantly feeding my baby girl.

    There is so much pressure to breastfeed and I feel like I am being selfish by bottle feeding to make my life easier, but I remember being happier last time. Happier that my husband got to have some feeding/bonding time with baby and also that the pressure was off me to be constantly sat down. (I have never been good at sitting doing nothing).



    We have tried a couple of bottle feeds at night and shortly afterwards she wants the breast again for comfort. Hope you have been able to stop bf comfortably and if you have any advice I would be grateful!
  • Katykris - I just wanted to say after reading your post I feel so much better! I am so glad its not just me!!

    It breaks my heart when my 4yr old comes to me with her reading book and i can't help her as my 2 week old is screaming to be fed!



    I hope stopping bf helped you. x
  • Hi mummy's! my baby will be four months old next week and i stopped breastfeeding abruptly on tuesday evening since then my boobs have been in agony and have been rock hard and lumpy! I have been using cold flannels and taking ibuprofen to ease the pain and thank god they are getting slightly more comfortable as each day passes! Good luck to everyone doin it cold turkey it does hurt but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel now!
  • I was unable to breastfeed properly as I didnt produce milk properly. I was advised by my GP to stop trying as my dd was starving and I was very distressed. She was four weeks when we stopped and but had been topped up with formula from a couple of days old because of my problems. Anyway, my GP told me that if I got any of the symptoms you ladies have described then I should use a bandage to bind my chest as tightly as is comfortable until it eases. However, I never had any thing like what you are describing. Thank you for posting this because it makes me thing that perhaps there was nothing I could have done because clearly my boobs weren't doing the right thing. Its refreshing to hear of other people having issues, sometimes I feel like I was the only one x
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