How to stop breastfeeding

[Dani711]

Hello.  Colter is just about 5 months old and as soon as he starts sleeping through the night I want to stop bf'ind.  I have a couple questions.  Well first it is breaking my heart to take away something that I know he loves so much but I am down to two or three times a day now.  He has started standing up, pulling my shirt own and sticking his head down LOL!  Ok, so how do I go about stopping the milk so it doesn't hurt so bad?????

[kc1021]

When I stopped breast feeding my son (who is now 3) I stretched it out over about a month, but you can definitely do it faster if you wish.  Feed him only from the breast (or pump) when you are very full, like you said you were doing.  Let only a little bit of milk out, just to relieve the fullness, but do not completely drain your breasts.  Continue to do this until your breasts are no longer producing milk.  Im not sure about the breast pain because when I weaned off breastfeeding I did it gradually.   They may be sore for the few days that you are pretty full but when your body catches up with the demand for milk (which is gone) they will feel better! Good luck!

[Karen616]

OK, speaking of stopping bfing...can anyone tell me WHY I am still leaking when Layla is 6 mos old? I only pumped for the first week and stopped after i couldnt get the hang of it and Im STILL leaking! My gyno said he doesnt believe in giving pills to dry it up and to wear a tight bra. Yeah, well, the tight bra isnt working...obviously. It doesnt leak on its own, but if i apply pressure, there is still white milk that runs out. I joke with my husband that maybe i should start breast feeding our 6 month old since money is tight and I still have milk! I have definately come to the conclusion that I will still be leaking on my daughters fifth birthday. Im on the depo shot...is there any chance that is causing my milk to linger? lol.

[Dani711]

I am soooo afraid of the pain which is weird cause I was in labor and didn't feel it, my
c-section never bothered me, no pregnancy complaints and I am most scared of the pain of stopping  breastfeeding lol!!

[eternidad200]

Zazou- bandaging the breasts, ouchhhhh, I bet it hurts like crazy. I can't imagine just stopping for me was painful enough.

[zazou]

A friend of mine told me she bandaged her breasts for 3 days (that's what her Gynae recommended) and it was gone. I'm still BF and I love it!!! But it is tiring at nights. Medina is waking up so often and is restless since about a week but I think she's teething and maybe is going through a growth spurt now.

[Dani711]

Thanks- right now I supplement ALOT.  I am only bf'ing now when I get really full.  He takes the bottle just fine, I can go back and forth from bottle to bf'ing with no problem.  Just a bit worried about the painful part of stopping.  The sports bra makes total sense now that you mention it.  
I just love having it as a tool to get him to sleep, but I am ready to eat dairy again :)  Thanks again :)

[kaprovea]

When you do stop completely you should wear a sports bra or wrap an ace bandage very tightly around you.  This will help with the pain after you stop.  Also don't let the warm shower water go directly on the breasts.  

[eternidad200]

I just finally stopped completly, but it took me about a month, first  you need to make sure he takes the bottle well, and what you shoul ddo is pump and give him the breast millk in the bottle also alternate breastmilk and formul aso he starts getting use to the formula flavor, one he is ready for the bottle and formula then the pumping should start weaning off, I startd pumping every 3 hours for couple days bc he was eating every 3 then  then every 5 and then every 8 then once a day, then every 2 days, every 3 days, ect until your milk supply comes low, if you try just to take the whole thing away your breasts are going to feel like exploding and hurst sooooo bad, so kind of doing a slowing down makes it easier for you and him, but remember it takes a while, be prepared to have some pads for your breast bc even when you totally stop they will leak.

Hope this helps

[Tasia32]

I think you just slowly take away one feeding, not quite sure but you might be able to find articles online or in your baby's first year book. Maybe some of the second time moms can help you out.