Weaning from breastfeeding sore boobs HELP

[TKG16]

I know the advice is to drop a feed at a time, but little on is 18 months and eats well. Asked for boob by day when tired / bored / wanting comfort but was able to distract from this in last few days. However, he would feed at night before bed and then throughout the night. This weekend grandparents have kindly taken him to help break the breastfeeding. (I love it but needed to stop for myself and whole family and lack of sleep etc). So...in spite of knowing that advice is drop one feed at a time, I’ve gone cold turkey since Friday. Boobs now so enforced amd getting painful. Have had mastitis before and don’t want it again. Also though don’t want to express as don’t want to stimulate production. Ideas please for should I express or not? Can anything help dry up supply? Dealing with pain/ avoiding mastitis? Already getting “hard” bits in boob but so far don’t feel got to touch/underweather like with mastitis.

I went cold turkey after months of unsuccessfully trying to cut down feeds. Sudafed helps to dry up your milk, I took it daily for a week and then had no milk left. You need to express a little to ease discomfort but not enough to stimulate supply, it's tough.

Sudafed helps x

Thanks so much!!

You should express a bit, just to take the edge off. Not enough to stimulate supply.

Just express enough off to relieve the worst of the pain, that would work the same as reducing feeds more slowly.

Cannot tell you how grateful I am for advice. Going to pick him up later and can’t wait to see him but also scared of pain/mastitis risk and not wanting to smell milky to him or be encumbered in giving massive cuddle cosnof painful boobs!!

Every time you get engorged it sends a chemical signal to reduce milk supply, so you’ve got the signal already! Express enough to be comfortable, or more if you’re really worried about mastitis.

It's pretty much impossible to express off as much as a baby gets by feeding, so don't worry about expressing too much.

How has he slept without feeding all night?

On another note, he won’t drink milk...have been trying make sure plenty of yoghurt/cheese etc but any tips on getting milk into him? Should I try formula stuff if sweeter for an easier transition? He’ll ask for milk but then doesn’t drink it.

Randommess thankbyou, that’s really encouraging. He struggled to get off to sleep on first night but then slept from 10.ish to 5ish....absolutely unheard of normally!! Most he’s ever done is about 4 hours and that’s pretty rare. Has been more of a newborn wake/feed pattern...for 18months!! And he’s getting bigger and I could feel that he was wanting to stretch out whilst also still wanting the comfort when he awoke - that’s part of why felt had to change - felt like wasn’t working!

He doesn't need milk if he's eating a balanced diet tbh - give him yoghurt, fromage fraud, cheese he'll be fine.

You could flavour cows milk with strawberry or chocolate milkshake flavourings - just a hint but don't bother with formula it's utterly rank!

Humans don't need milk in their diet beyond a certain age - all other mammals give it up pretty young!

I heard Epsom bath salts also dry up supply. I bought some post pregnancy to ease soreness and was warned about it stopping milk by a few people.
It'll also help ease the discomfort for your boobs in any case.

Put some cabbage leaves in your bra - I thought it sounded ridiculous but i was desperate, andit actually worked for me!

Thanks so much for all the helpful tips and advice and supportive comments. Really appreciated. He slept for 7 hours solid last night, then needed minor soothing to resettle for further two hours and again for another two hours!! Trying desperately to emulate now!! Thank you!