Hello - I have been breastfeeding and bottlefeeding my 3wk old since he was born. I would like to ween him off of the breast entirely by the end of next week. I have expressed and frozen enough milk to last another two weeks but is there a way that I can return to work without having to worry about pumping? Is there something I can do to stop lactating in the next two weeks?
Thank you everyone for all of your great advice! Yesterday I put on the tightest sports bra I could find and decided that I would quit cold turkey - ha! easier said than done! I didn't really experience any pain -- what bothered me is that my son had a hard time quitting cold turkey! He was used to getting on my breast after each bottle feeding and so he's been really fussy! I caved in and let him suckle once yesterday. But today has started out a lot better. He's been sleeping so well and actually taking in more formula. Which has now lead me to my new request for advice. I'll post my question now.
Thanks again!
I did it in two weeks but it didn't feel so great. Start dropping feedings now. For instance if you do 6 a day, do 5 for two- three days then drop to 4 for two days and so on. You may still be sore at the end but it only lasts for a few days....good luck!
K.
This may sound totally nuts but I have talked with several moms becuase I'm beginning to ween too and it really works. Buy a head of cabbage and cut in half. Put a cabbage leaf in each side of your sports bra when you get home from work (obviously). There is something in the cabbage (some type of sulfur I think) that helps the milk dry up quicker and with less pain. It sounds kooky, but once it gets really painful, you are ready to try anything!!
Hi! My little guy is 13 weeks old and I stopped breastfeeding at 7 weeks - and went back to work when he was 10 weeks old. I weaned him in about a week without many issues. I had company at the house and we were doing a lot of running around and I kept going longer and longer without pumping and next thing you know - it had been 24 hours since my last feeding or pumping so I waited 36 hours for the next feeding and then 48 hours and I was finished. I wasn't ever in pain and really didn't have any leakage issues.
Check with your Dr. You might want to research the benefits of breast milk compared to formula. I am a 43 year old Mother of 2, and just talking from experience, breast feeding is so much better for the baby. I was only 20 years old with my first child and no knowledge of the benefits of Mother's milk. My oldest has had severe allergies and asthma all her life. I breast fed my second child until he was 4 months then had to start supplementing with formula because I couldn't pump enough at work. But I breast fed as long as I could and pumped until I had nothing left. He is very healthy and no allergies. I realize every child is different,and we do the best we can with our current situations. Good luck and congradulations on your new little one.
hi L.,
i have a 3yr old and am expecting my second next month!
when i weaned my son i cut out one breastfeeding meal and replaced it with the bottle and did this same thing for about 2 days then cut out another breast feeding. i also put cabbage inside my bra to help with engorgement... sounds weird but it works. i learned it from one of my other friends!
good luck.....
I don't know how you can do this before you return to work without putting yourself through a lot of pain, but here's the NO PAIN way to do it and is actually easier to do once you return to work.
Simply, slowly lengthen the time between pumpings. You will eventually drop a session because you lengthen the time so much you run into the next session. I would start the delay at around 30 minutes and go up from there in about 15 minute increments. So if you normally pump at 10am, pump at 10:30am. Keep doing that until your breasts eventually stop producing a significant amount of milk (less than a couple of ounces). I did this over the course of 2 weeks, never had to bind my breasts and was never in ANY PAIN. Going cold turkey is an option, but not one I would recommend. Why put yourself through so much pain when there is an easier way?
Also, pumping at work is actually not that bad. It's a great escape, a nice break, and I would actually take a 10-15 minute catnap while I pumped. GLORIOUS!!!
Good luck!
I started replacing one feeding with a bottle every day until my baby was drinking just formula, and to stop my milk supply I went cold turkey and stopped any pumping and expressing. It was a little painfull but my milk was gone in 2 days, I wore a really tight sports bra and took tylenol and applied ice when I hurt to much.
Hope this helps.
P.
Hi L.,
If you really want to stop breastfeeding, you need to stop stimulating altogether...no pumping, breastfeeding or anything. Wear something nice and tight like a good sportsbra and let your breasts dry up. They will ache as they are drying up. It is different for each woman as to how long this will take. Your doctor will give you the same advice...they no longer give medication for the milk to dry up.
Good Luck,
A. RD/LD & Lactation Specialist
Hi L.,
I went through the same thing when my daughter was 2 weeks old. She is now 5 weeks old.
I weened her by giving her 1 ounce breastmilk and 2 ounces of formula combined. Then, as the supply got low I did 1/2 ounce breast and 1 1/2 ounce formula. By the time she was on 100% formula, she couldn't tell the difference.
Here is what I did to stop lactating and it took about 2 weeks. After I emptied my milk supply, I put a cold cabbage leaf in each of my bra cup. (it sounds weird and it smells, but it works. My ob/gyn told me to do this). After you do this bind your breasts with an ace bandage. Repeat this when the leaves wilt...a few hours. During this process I engorged so much, I had to pump once and I repeated the process. I did the cabbage for about a week and I stopped. I still leaked but my breast pads were sufficiant. Today I am free of cabbage, pumping, and leak free! I hope this helps.
Good luck,
S.
Wear a tightest sports bra you can find (sleep with it on), don't stimulate your breast (touch them) and apply cabbage leaves to them. And brace yourself b/c it's most likely going to be painful! :)
