I am trying to ween my little guy off of breast milk. How do I stop producing the milk? I am uncomfortable, should I pump to release some of the milk? What can I do to stop producing milk? How long does something like this take?
When I wanted to stop, I put cold cabbage on my breast. At first it was very uncomfortable, but after time, I wrapped my breast just like the cabbage......laugh. Seriously it works. Good luck
S.:
If you are uncomfrtable you should -pump to comfort- this will not cause the breast to make more milk.
cabbage works to reduce swelling and will give you comfort.
sage tea/tablets can be used to help reduce your milk supply.
slow gentle weaning is easier on everyone.
there is no data on how long it takes the breast to stop producing milk... every woman is different.
P., RLC, IBCLC
Pres. Lactation Support Group, Inc
www.lactationsupportgroup.com
I usually dropped one feeding every three or four days or until I was comfortable. Listen to your body, it knows what it is doing. Try not to wear underwire bras. I got clogged milk ducts with my first one when I started weaning and I think it was b/c of my bra. You will probably only have to pump during the first feeding you are dropping, if it is that uncomfortable. Good luck and enjoy a little more freedom!
cabbage worked for me by just putting it in my bra and before i knew it the milk stopped.
Put cabbage leaves in your bra. Sounds weird, but it works!
Get some Cabbage leaves and put them directly on your breast under your bra....it's kinda werid actually but you will see the milk coming out of your pours. Good Luck!
Not sure if others responded. But what I did was when I was ready to stop nursing with my son - he was biting me for a week, I just started the bottle with him, alternating between formula and any pumped breast milk. As for my breast, I would pump a few times a day, then went down to 1 time a day then eventually within a week, stopped. Your milk supply will naturally decrease without baby on your breast. As you pump, you will notice less and less milk, and you can determine how you feel too. But it was about 2 weeks for me if I recall correctly.
A.
wahm of 2
www.myfamilyathome.com
Don't do anything. If you keep pumping/feeding, you'll keep supplying the milk! It's all about supply and demand! If you feel very uncomfortable, soak your breasts in warm water or use icepacks to relieve some of the pressure.
I feel the same I would like to stop too, but our little ones need it so I will wait a little longer, but I don't know how old your baby is but just stop one of the day feedings and either replace with a bottle if he is under 1 or if older than 1 give him a snack at that time to kind of replace it. Do that for a week or so depending if he does good or bad. Then do the same until all you have left is your first or last feeding some keep the bedtime feeding but mine was opposite I kept the morning one because if she doesn't have it she is a crab. Right now I am left with the morning feeding she doesn't want to let that one go I have tried so good luck. Roughly it will take 1-2 months Good luck
I haven't weaned my son yet, but had a friend who did using a pump. On the advice of her doc, she pumped 10 mins every 4 hours for a few days (5-7). Then 10 mins every 5 hours for a few days, etc. until she was not really pumping at all. Took several weeks but was pain-free.
What I did was just fed my daughter twice a day from my breasts for about a week, but fed her formula for her other feedings. I then went down to once a day for about a week and then eventually stopped. There were a few days there when I was uncomfortable and I would pump a little bit but not a lot just to relieve the discomfort. Just remember that if you keep pumping you will keep producing milk so don't pump a lot. It took me about 6-8 weeks after I completely stopped before my breasts were back to "normal."
Hi S.,
My advice is to ween very slowly. I weened my son over 3 weeks. It's less painful to do it slowly. Your milk production will start to be less because you are nursing less. Unfortunately after the last time you nurse you really just have to bare the uncomfortableness of full breasts till you completely stop producing. Mine were full and uncomfortable for two weeks but as time went on it got better and better. Good Luck and hang in there.
It usually takes at least a month or so to dry up breastmilk.
The best way is gradually- cutting a feeding a day or so. When you become engorged you can put cabbage leaves or ice packs in your bra. Avoid heat or hot water from the shower on your breasts as that can stimulate flow/production. Some people may advise you to bind your breasts but that can cause mastitis (breast infection) so it's best not to do that. You can take ibuprofen for the pain and after a month or so you shouldn't be able to express any milk. Avoid pumping as that will stimulate your breasts to make more.
It's much easier on your body to slowly ween, dropping one feeding at a time. I think I dropped one feeding a week with my second one and I did even slower than that with my first. With my second one also, after not nursing him AT ALL for a week, I was leaking quite a bit and felt full. Out of curiosity, I pumped and got about 5 ounces after nothing for a week. It surprised me, but the doctor said it is very normal and takes 2-3 weeks commonly for your body to stop producing the milk. As far as the discomfort, you can pump a little to relieve the discomfort, but remember that your body will think that milk is being used so will make more. A shower also helped with the discomfort some. Best wishes to you!
Don't pump, if you pump or release the milk then you will continue to produce. The best that I can say to you is to double up on sports bras and use cold and warm compresses to help relieve some of the pressure. I have read that cold cabbage leaves in your bra also helps. Good luck!
