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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

How do I give up breastfeeding?

4 replies

Lobyd · 30/01/2010 21:09

So I've been EBF my DD for 5 months now, and for various reasons I plan to gradually switch to FF from 6 months onwards.

The main reason behind this is mastitis - I constantly have rock hard, engorged, sore boobs, and had one bad bout which knocked me out for about 10 days - I'm constantly dreading it happening again.

But that's why I would love some advice about how to reduce the amount I BF. I've been told to cut down one feed a day per week - but the other day I missed one feed as my DD was spending the afternoon with my DH, and by the time of the next feed both boobs were really sore and full and this carried on for the rest of the day, until I expressed later.

Obviously if I'm trying to cut down on the number of feeds expressing will be counter productive, as it will maintain the amount of milk I'm producing, rather than reduce it.

So how can I safely reduce my supply? Ideally I'd love to carry on with the 7pmish and 7amish feeds but will go FF if I have to.
(I should add that for me, one boob = one feed, which means that even with regular feeding, the last-emptied one gets pretty full by the time it's next needed!)

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
NanBullen · 30/01/2010 21:26

i just did what you were advised to do and cut down on one feed a day per week. i just put up with the really sore boobs for a while i found strapping them up quite tightly helped with the pain. sorry not much help!

AppleAndBlackberry · 30/01/2010 21:28

Have you tried block feeding to reduce your supply if you think you have an oversupply? This page could be helpful?

I'm not an expert but maybe you could cut out a feed and then express but reduce the amount you express by a small amount each day (e.g. 1st day 4oz, 2nd day 3.5oz, 3rd day 3oz etc) so that it's a very gradual withdrawl.

Lobyd · 30/01/2010 21:37

Thanks for those tips - I haven't tried anything yet as I plan to keep going until the magic 6 months, but that does sound sensible, AppleAndBlackberry.

How long did it take you, NanBullen? They reckon on 8 feeds a day don't they, was it 8 weeks? 8 weeks of strapped up boobs, poor you

OP posts:
NanBullen · 30/01/2010 21:40

no it wasn't that long i think as my supply adjusted they got less and less painful. probably about 4 weeks.... sorry i'm being a bit vague it was 2 years ago! i'm sure someone with better advice will be along soon

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