Stopping BF

[ReginaFelange22]

Hey, I have slowly taken my wee one off the boob one feed at a time over the last 5 weeks, we have been successful finally, which was a relief. However what happens to my milk? I'm finding it difficult to know what to do?! I know because I've done one feed at a time, that my supply slowed down. But I also know that I do still have milk in there! What do I do?! Any help would be appreciated!! x

[dontpokethebear]

Ditto. I haven't done anything, but I haven't felt engorged so don't feel I need to. If you express it, you'll just keep producing.
I assume what's left just gets reabsorbed?

[CultureSucksDownWords]

Nothing :-) it'll eventually stop. Just keep an eye out for any signs of mastitis, and if you're really really uncomfortable you could hand express a little bit.

[skankingpiglet]

I agree with Culture, leave them alone and the supply will dwindle. Only express off any if they get uncomfortable, and then the smallest amount possible to make them feel better so as not to encourage further production. It can take some months though. I took 3 months to wind down breastfeeding, finishing when DD was 9mo so she had some feeds swapped to formula, and some she had dropped through weaning. Four months later I would still occasionally leak milk in the shower. I never found I needed to express any off due to fullness once I'd completely stopped luckily, but guessing this is because I reduced the feeds really slowly (not planned that slowly, just how things panned out). I had to do a bit after dropping the first couple.

[ReginaFelange22]

Thank you!! I kinda guessed I just had to leave it. As I have done it one feed at a time it's not been too bad, done a feed a week and I slowed down. I reckon it was slowly down anyway tbh, I didn't feel like she was getting enough from me, I had done it for longer than I set out to anyway! Thanks ladies xx

[Dixiechick17]

Sorry to hijack, did you use any particular techniques? I can't get my six and a half month DD to take more than one bottle a day.

[ReginaFelange22]

Honestly no. Although I did give her expressed in a bottle which she took ok. I had been trying to get her to take formula for a few weeks and she completely refused it, we then went on holiday and I didn't want the hassle so carried on with the boob. We came back and night times went crazy! She was up 4/5 times a night! I was on my own and the only way I could calm her was to feed her. It was just getting too much. When my partner was home we started to move onto the bottles. Night time feed was first, then afternoon, morning and then mid morning. When I changed a feed I done it for a week, then done the next feed and so on.

She refused powder formula but was ok with the ready made, when I say ok it still took perseverance before she took it. I cried, she cried but we got there. I started using dr brown bottles too, that's helped with her wind. Now she is taking the powder stuff! Been lucky how well she has taken it tbh! She is nearly 9 months and I started to attempt to wean her off just around 6, reckon the holiday set us back tbh but it's worked out now. Good luck! xx

[Dixiechick17]

Thanks Regina I will persevere. Same with us, all of a sudden will only settle with the breast at night and wakes up five or six times. She's always had a before bed bottle just won't at any other time :) thanks for the reply, gives me hope that it will happen.

[pointysettia]

If you've dropped one feed a week over a period of weeks you've done everything possible to prevent mastitis so you just need to wait for your body to stop production. Depending on how long you've BF it can take a while - I fed both my DDs for 13 months and after DD2 I could still express a drop or so 6 months later.