Switching from boob to bottle, how do I stop my boobs exploding?!

[Scubes]

Hi

Just going from breast to bottle, have done transition really slowly over last couple of months, and not suffered any probs.

But finished final feed yesterday morning and now boobs are really painful. I expressed a little bit off this morning to prevent engorgement but don't want to express too much incase they keep producing milk.

What's the best way to do it?

[StealthPolarBear]

No experience sorry, but I do think you can keep expressing in small amounts for as long as you need to...after all if it was the other way round and you wanted to continue feeding, a few ml twice a day would not be enough to keep your supply up iyswim

[lacarte]

I went down so gradually that in the end dd had one feed in the afternoon at 10 months, which she occasionally missed, and when we stopped everything was back to normal. I think expressing a tiny amount to take the pressure off but not enough to encourage production would help? Sounds like the expressing equivalent of what I did with feeds. But I'm only going by how I felt, not an expert by any means!

[Scubes]

Thanks, thought I'd finished with the blessed expressing but it would appear not! I seem to have enough milk to feed the nation at the moment. Will try expressing a little each day and gradully reduce that and see if the pain subsides. Had no problems at all throughout my bf'ing career so would be a shame to get mastitis or infection now!

[kw13]

You could try all the usual treatments - hot (or cold) flannels on your breasts in the bath; massage; wearing a really really good supportive bra (or even 2!). It does go in the end!

[Ripeberry]

Savoy cabbage leaves inside your bra (straight out of the fridge) are heaven! but you need to replace them every 2 hours or so.
The greener the leaf the better.
Also you need to bruise the leaves a bit so they can work their magic.