After stopping breastfeeding, how did you feel?

[stopgap]

I stopped nursing 21-month-old DS nine days ago, after months of nursing him just once a day. Since then I've felt awfully tired, irritable and constipated, but I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't "mourn" or anything (possibly because five months ago, DS pushed me away during his evening feed, so I went through a grieving stage then). Right now I wouldn't say I was depressed, just really tired. Is this within the realm of normal?

Also, how long after stopping nursing should one wait before buying new bras?

DC1: stopped at 15 months after great BF experience. I felt sad to stop and a little guilty. Stopping led to a bad bout if mastitis so I was run down for a while.

DC2: stopped at 15 months after a difficult BF experience. It was such a relief and I immediatly felt better physically. I was less tired, my battered immune system rallied, I felt happier and more able to cope.

DC3: I cry at the thought of stopping but luckily he is only a few weeks old!

So basically I think how you feel can vary from child to child not to mention adult to adult. I hope you feel better soon.

Congrats on such a good run - it sounds like you were both ready! I'm sure the hormonal changes could make you feel a bit woobly.

Can't comment on the bra thing as when DS1 weaned I was already pregnant with DS2, so god knows what's going to happen to my boobs when I'm finally done. They may fall off.

Hi, I don't remember exactly because DS1 is almost 5.
I stopped breastfeeding him throughout the day at about 20 months and at night at 22 months. I wanted him to wean himself off but found that I wanted to stop more because I was so tired of it.

I think being tired might be because of chasing a toddler around! Do you both sleep through the night?
Maybe your body is adjusting to the change.

I stopped wearing maternity bras when DS was about 18 months. Do you feel that you still have milk? It took a while for things to settle down and wear new bras.

Relieved when dd1 was 12 months. A tiny bit sad a few weeks later but it passed.

Better

Another relieved at 13 months. I was knackered, but put that down to early pregnancy.

Also interested in the bra question - after three years of maternity or nursing bras I'm desperate to ditch the crumb trays ...

I was absolutely overjoyed but DS was nearly three, and I was pregnant so it hurt like buggery. Pregnancy was already making me tired and constipated so I have no idea what affect, if any, it had on my body.

I ditched nursing bras whilst still feeding, DS was about 18 months. I needed underwire I think the most important thing is to make sure the new bras are really well fitted and that the underwire doesn't dig in.

I felt ready, DS was 17 months. It wasn't as terrible stopping as I had feared.

Feel a little but hormonal and tired but I hadn't thought to link that with stopping bf until reading this thread!

Don't know about bras, mine feel like sacks at the moment.

Thanks for the replies :) I feel a bit more energetic today, so maybe the veil of tiredness is lifting.

I haven't worn maternity bras for at least six months. My question related more to buying the correct size. I'm currently a cup size bigger than before pregnancy, and wondered if, say, over the course of a month after weaning, they shrink some more?

god knows what's going to happen to my boobs when I'm finally done. They may fall off.

ROAR

Really guilty and upset, and incredibly hormonal and engorged! I would have liked to have carried on a few months longer than 13mo, but was starting medication that wasn't bf-friendly.
Fine now, but I still feel a bit sentimental about it. Want to run up to random nursing mothers and squee at them, that kind of thing!