Stopped bf, now when's the milk going to go?

[MooM00]

I stopped bf dc3 (12m) rather suddenly a week ago. I had been trying to give up bf for about 2 months and then she went on nursing strike last Monday and after 3 days I decided not to try to feed her anymore as she started drinking milk out of a cup(at last!!!). But I still have full rather sore breasts and I don't recall this problem before. I was only feeding her 2x per day and sometimes only once. Does all this milk have to leak out or will it just 'disappear'? I've trawled the internet but I'm still ignorant of what will actually happen to my milk! Any advice or answers?

[MooM00]

Bump!

[TanteRose]

no, it will just dry up and be absorbed into your body. having said that, you may notice that it doesn't dry up entirely for ages...I could still express a few drops a year or two after I stopped breastfeeding

[MooM00]

Thanks tanteR, any idea how long it could take to go? I'm just surprised to be so full after a week.

[bigkidsmademe]

I am a lot earlier than you but sadly stopped at 5.5 months when I had to go for an operation. I just hand expressed off into pads to relieve pressure, so it did go down quickly, but two weeks later one breast is still leaking. The other hasn't for over a week. They are so small now too! I fed DS once last week when I ached and that was all it needed - perhaps express just a bit, just once?

[bigkidsmademe]

Sorry, I meant three weeks later.

[cinnamongreyhound]

I stopped feeding ds1 at 15months, I only fed him at bedtime by then and I never felt full after I stopped but there was still milk there for almost a year.