BF coming to an end - how do I deal with my boobs?!

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My dd2 is 15 months and has over the past month shown less and less interest in the boob, having just a few minutes morning and night. She had previously been exclusively BF and been a greedy guzzler! For the past 2 nights she has refused completely (shakes head and tries to get away) so I'm assuming our BF days have come to a close. I'm ok with this as it's come to a natural end, led by her, but my boobs aren't ok with it! I'm quite sore and lumpy and a bit red. I managed to express a bit by hand in the bath but am still tender. Should I try to keep expressing it off, or will that just stimulate them to make more milk? Any advice gratefully received
Thanks

Personally I would try expressing a minimal amount, as you know if you express more it just encourages your breasts to maintain current supply.

Things will probably settle down very soon. Are you ok? I remember having mixed feelings when my dds eventually decided they had finished bf.

If she is sleepy in the mornings, then try to encourage a tiny little feed if you feel you want to. dd1 "gave up" around 10 months but accepted the breast for a further couple of months as she was quite dozy and cuddly in the mornings. I think that helped my body to adjust (i.e. the feeding gradually tailed off)

yeah thanks I'm ok with it. I was gutted when I went back to work (when dd was 9 months) because I thought that would be the end of BF, and that wouldn't have been a decision to stop based on anything other than pratical stuff. As it happened I managed to carry on, and now it feels like if she's fine without it then so am I. A bit sad though. Did it affect your emotions/ mood when you stopped, with the hormonal changes?

I did feel very slightly sad (but not overwhelming) with dd2 especially as we are not going to have any more babies.

Dd1 wasn't a "cuddly" baby at all. So the a.m. feeds were a chance for me to have a little snuggle.

I gave up at 12 months with dd1 and 18 months with dd2. However I was only really doing morning feeds (with both dds) from around 10 months when I went back to work.

I work shifts (nursing) and although I know I am legally entitled to express etc at work, it really wasn't compatible or practical with my job. Sometimes I am called out in the night so I really would have struggled to continue fully bf.

I don't recall any significant hormonal changes. iirc I started to have "normal" periods around 8 months after each birth, no doubt connected to me cutting back on the bf.

my periods came back a few months ago. So maybe the hormone thing would have been more then. I'm just thinking about it because I've had PND and I know I struggle more when I get my period, so am wondering whether to brace myself for a 'wobble', or whether I've perhaps done the hard bit, hormonally/ emotionally?!! Just over-thinking as usual probably!

Sorry to hear re the PND.

From your posts it sounds as if the hardest bit was preparing for your return to work so hopefully you won't have a "wobble"

There is a positive side too of course. that's why I said it was mixed feelings for me.

yes you're right about the positives - the thought that bedtime can be DH's job too now is quite liberating - even if I've no social life or anywhere to go - I could if I wanted to!

Yes, my dh does bedtime nearly 100% of the time.

I pop downstairs to open the wine tidy up and make a start on dinner.

Occasionally we even have a babysitter now and dcs are of an age where we can leave her to read the story. (so last night I was in the pub eating chicken pie and drinking wine, rather than being at home eating and drinking. )

ouch! Worse today Any other tips? I'm not very good at this hand expressing thing!