I think I have stopped breastfeeding - how do I stop my boobs from exploding?

[Umlellala]

Have gradually cut down and have been just breastfeeding ds at bedtime for a couple of weeks. He is 14mths. Well, tonight I decided to just not give him the breastfeed and he went to sleep fine with a cup of milk (a little cross but nothing terrible).

So, is this it??

I want to stop so am pleased BUT am also a little tearful too. He is growing up so quickly...

And what do I do now? Do I express to stop discomfort? When will my body realise, and stop making milk? Last time I missed the bedtime feed, it was agony by the time I saw him. Can I do anything about it?

Thanks

I'd say the easiest thing is to go and lie in a hot bath and hand express off enough to ease any discomfort. Or use a pump to express a little bit. After a day or two you'll be fine. You might find that you still have milk lingering for a couple of weeks, but you probably won't have any discomfort or need to express after a couple of days. I always feel absolutely horrible when I give up bf (I'm going through it right now - I'm down to the final evening feed and am intending to drop that in a day or two), I feel weepy, depressed, tired...... but a week or so after I've stopped I suddenly feel absolutely fantastic.... some sort of weird hormonal thing I suppose. I'm feeling particularly sad this time as I don't think we'll be having another baby so this is it for me for bf.

Thanks - have felt quite depressed and tired this last couple of months (have been prescribed meds for it) - do you think it's related to stopping bfing? Never thought of that.

A few days sounds do-able though. Hot bath sounds good too

It is sad they are no longer babies (well, always our babies) but exciting they are growing up, I suppose.

Hi Umlellala - I did exactly the same as you at 14 mnths with my DD. Nelly's advice on hot bath and a little bit of expressing sounds right. It was a good while longer for me though before I wasn't producing any milk at all. No discomfort or anything but I still had a little bit of milk for a good few months after I stopped so think it can take a while for milk production to cease completely esp if you've been feeding for quite a while.