I really don't want to breast feed

[shinyshilling]

I have thought and read lots and lots about this and for various reasons have decided that I don't want to breast feed at all.I want to bottle feed from day 1. Can anyone let me know what happens if you don't. Will I still produce milk? Can this be avoided? I can find lots of information on BF but not on what happens if you don't want to. I'd be really grateful if anyone could give me some advice.

Hi Shinyshilling I am also interested in what happens so I will watch this thread closely.

You will still produce milk but this will dry up if it is not used - not certain how long it takes (have forgotten!) Don't think there's any way you can avoid this.

You'll still need nipple shields though as you can still leak all over your clothes!

I am afraid the answer is yes. You will still produce milk. My impression though, is that if you never ever feed, milk would go away relatevely fast.
I'm afraid I can't tell you anymore because i bf both my kids

Think you are supposed to wear tight tops and not express any of it unless it's really unbearable, because that would encourage production of more milk.

I bfed too, so don't know how long it takes to go away either.

Your milk will come in, which can be quite painful. I think that expressing to relieve the engorgement is not recommended because it increases demand and therefore supply. You'll basically have to wait it out. I think warm (?) compresses can help relieve the engorgement. And yes, it could well be a wet and leaky few days!
I have absolutely no issue with your decision not to bf but would be curious to know the reasons? Or would you rather not say?

ooooops mt

probably worth trying chilled savoy cabbage leaves on your bosoms too I would have thought. It will be hot and hurty otherwise.

Dunno Kama, tbh. I just heard that was how to stop milk production asap.

For 3 days you'll have breasts that even Jordan will be envious of then they will revert back to normal. The whole process only took about 5 days for me. Didnt need nipple shields, didnt leak at all but wore 2 pairs of tight fitting bras which I didnt take off for 5 days. Slight discomfort but compared to everything else that will be going on, it will be the least of your concerns.

it takes about 5 days to dry out they say but mine took what felt like months. it was only painful for about 3-5 days though. you can't express, get hot water on them or do anything to relieve the pain. I used savoy cabbage leaves and they were magical, they really cooled the breasts down and made them so much less tender. hope this helps.

oh forgot to say mine really did leak for months but only a little bit. I just used the little breast pads. it wasn't a big problem, only a little bit but I wouldn't have wanted to get it on clothes.

this is strange - waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back with dd - they gave me some pills (my bf a year earlier had her breasts bound )
with ds2 the midwife told me to lie on my front in the bath (said she shouldn't have told me really!)
did the same with ds2

remember leaking abit but no pain - mind you it was eons ago

Wear your bra as tight as you can bear it and dont take it off, until milk has stopped
Except to change it or you will smell of satle milk!!!
Dont touch them if at all poss as this stimulates the milk supply
Wear breast pads and grit your teeth!
should take about 4 days IME

The pills have been associated with some deaths, so they're not recommended.

I only bf for 4 days. When I stopped I had no pain at all, none of what is being described here, and one breast leaked once. Makes me wonder if there was any milk in there in the first place! No wonder dd screamed for 4 days.

I bottle fed ds from birth and never felt any engorgement or never had any leakage from my breasts either pre or post birth. I've always wondered whether I simply didn't produce any milk at all. Does anyone know if this is a possibility ?

I was in hospital for 5 days after the birth and midwives kept asking me "How are your breasts are they uncomfortable yet?" but I can honestly say they changed not one iota which is why I am so curious as I've never come across anyone else who had the same experience.

not sure your reasons for not wanting to breastfeed, but having just found a lump on my breast (apparently is a cyst), highlighted how important breastfeeding is, just for your OWN health, let alone your baby's.

Obviously don't want to start anything controversial, just so you have covered addtional benefits

I think that closing your mind to the idea of breastfeeding at all before you even have your baby might not be the way forward - obviously I don't know why you've decided not to, but unless you will harm your baby (by taking strong medication, for instance) why not give it a go?

If you decide you don't want to once you've tried it, that's fair enough - but to decide you don't want to before you have even tried, I don't understand that.

God, I'm going to get slated for this post. But I think it's an important enough point to make to risk that.

i agree hunker. it's like women who "close their minds" to eg caesareans and don't find out anything about them...and then they end up having one despite their dreams of a natural birth, and feel peeved.