Expressing all Feeds, what happens when I stop?

[JustCallMeDaisy]

My baby is 5 months and I dont plan to stop for ages yet! But I am wondering what will happen when I stop. I express 8 times a day so every morning my boobs are full!

Surely I will be in agony when I stop. Any suggestions please?

Thank you

JustCallMeDaisy x

I think you don't go cold turkey, so to speak. You cut down gradually, and sometimes express just a bit, so you're not in discomfort.

JustCallMeDaisy - just wondering why you express 8 times a day? Do you express and give it to your LO in a bottle? Do you put your LO on the boob as well?

I exclusively expressed for 18 months and when I stopped I found I had to drop no more than one express a month or I was in a lot of pain. It dragged out for ages in the end but I didn't mind.

At 5 months you could almost certainly be expressing a lot less than 8 times a day now. I think by 5 months I was doing no more than 4 or 5 at most and still getting more milk than DS needed so I froze some for later.

He is having a growing problem so I have to add fortifier to my milk as prescribed by hospital. We are waiting to see a genetic specialist in August to find out what is wrong. On BM alone he loses weight, but by expressing and adding the powder he is slowly gaining. He also hates being breast fed. And nobody knows why! But I am happy to keep going as we are because at least he is having my BM!

He also has 8 feeds a day! Tried giving more less frequently but that doesn't work. I am aiming to get him back on breast if only once a day but at mo that will be a tall order.

wow - well done that must be exhausting.

Hope you get to the root of the problem in August.

goodness, well done for keeping going.
hope that it goes well in august.

Good for you JustCallMeDaisy. I know how flipping hard it is. My DS also had lots of smaller feeds rather than fewer big ones like formula fed babies often do. But I was still able to get the same amount in fewer expresses. I read a book called Exclusively Expressing and that explained the whole process quite well. You can buy it here if you are interested.

Thanks I will definielty be getting that book to have a read.

It is hard work, but so definelty worth it! I am writing myself a story of my progress which keeps motivating me, as well as setting small challenges like 'keep going until the next hospital appointment' or 'express all week and get my self a treat' Its working well!

Thanks for your kind words

JunstCallMeDaisy x

I have been pumping for nine months now and this forum has been invaluable - loads of good advice on there about weaning off the pump too. messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppexcluspump

Sorry not a proper link - new to this!

Well done on pumping - it is incredibly hard work and many days now I feel that I have had enough but I am finding it so difficult to stop emotionally.