Cutting Back on Breastfeeding

If you are planning on only breastfeeding once a day, the best way is to gradually cut out one feed over several days time to prevent engorgement and even mastitis (infection in the milk ducts). Babies and our bodies don't adapt well to sudden changes. I advise friends and patients to pump only if they become so engorged during the weaning process that they are very uncomfortable. Your breastmilk production functions as a "supply and demand" system. The more you nurse (or pump), the more milk you make. Be kind to your self and your baby and start the process of weaning immediately and go very SLOWLY. I've weaned 2 children, one over 6 weeks time and one over 2-3 weeks and I'm happy to say that it was neither tramatic for me or the baby. Best wishes and congrats on breastfeeding your baby. You gave him/her the best nutritional start possible. R., happily married midwife SAHM of 3.

I would recommend cutting out one feeding at a time. I quit cold turkey with the older kids and I was miserable. With my little one now I cut out one at a time and it was so much better. I started with lunch time for a couple of days then when I wasn't engorged anymore I cut out another

Good Luck

You should start cutting back now. You don't say how old she is, so I'm gonna guess at a couple things and you can pick the right scenario. If she is less than a year, you will need to give her bottles of formula or stored breastmilk for the feedings you skip still. Start cutting one out every few days, and giving a bottle at that time instead. Pick whichever feeding is easiest for you to skip. After the engorgement from skipping that feeding has gone away, skip another one and give a bottle.

If she is over a year, just start her on whole milk to make up for the nursings, whatever amount she should have for her age.

Keep doing that until you are down to where you want to be. I would leave the morning feeding for last, because if you don't get them all cut out in time before you have to go back to work, you could still nurse in the mornings for a while to relieve some of the discomfort if you need to. If she is only nursing a few times a day, it shouldn't be too bad or take very long. If she is little and still at 8 times a day, you will have to deal with more engorgement probably. You can always hand express a little bit until you feel better, but don't overdo it or your body will keep making milk. Your body will make as much milk as it is "asked" to. When you stop asking for the daytime feedings it will stop making so much, but going cold turkey can be pretty uncomfortable.

I would NOT do the cabbage leaves unless you want to quit completely. My lactation consultant said using the cabbage leaves but not quitting completely can actually backfire and you make more milk. I don't know if that is true, but I wouldn't chance it.

You should really step down your milk gradually or you will be looking at blocked ducts and possibly mastitis.

Here is what I would do:
Nurse her before work if you can, if not, pump. Then pump at work about 5 hours after you are there, then nurse her when you get home and then through the night.

If you think of it this way, you could get it to work: Many breastfed babies who are older (2 year-olds) can go the night without nursing, but will nurse during the day to "tank up". These babies can go about 8 to 10 hours without nursing and their mother's will still produce milk. The key is to alter your nursing schedule SLOWLY. Your body eventually will be able to go from 8 am to 6pm without needing to pump.

What is she going to eat during the day though? Don't you need to pump anyway to feed her when you are not home?

Cut out one feeding at a time ( like one per week) and your body and baby will adjust.

Your body should catch on. When you get engorged (like over full) that signals to your body that your baby isn't eating as much as you're making so it should automatically cut back on production. Pumping doesn't keep your supply up quite like nursing but may keep things going longer. I would hand express just enough so that I was comfortable (often in the shower) and that seemed to work well. I've also heard of a lot of people using cabbage leaves but I never got to that point.