Advice needed on quitting BF cold turkey :-(

[Alicebabe]

Hi all

Finlay is now 4 weeks and 2 days. I decided I only wanted to BF him for 6 weeks so thought it would be worth trying out a breast/bottle combo now to wean him onto formula. I tried cutting out 2 breastfeeds a day starting 2 days ago which didn't seem too bad but today, because he feeds every 3 hours or so, I went 7 hours without breastfeeding him and my boobs were absolute agony. I could barely stand to BF him and when I did, he kept pulling off and screaming because of the flow swamping him.

So obviously, this isn't going to work. I am now sat here in agony with boobs like rocks under my arms and about 3 times their usual size and his next feed should be a bottle. I think I should just stop cold turkey. My DH is home for the rest of the week so he can take care of Finlay if I'm in a lot of pain (can it get worse?!). So basically, how do I go cold turkey and am I setting myself up for mastitis?! Any help would be greatly appreciated xx

 

[Sandi4Paul]

i'd think stopping now would be pretty hard cos of your supply being higher now than it might be later, at least that it what i found, i felt a lot less full when i got to about 4 months.

I'm not sure how to go cold turkey right now, maybe expressing off some milk to relive the pain would help in the short term.

it's the sort of thing Sherlock would know.


Sandi

 

[nori]

it's the sort of thing Sherlock would know.

Sandi

I was just about to say the same thing! I stopped cold turkey but it was different for me as my milk had only just come in. My boobs were really painful but the HV said dont express as it will make the milk carry on producing.. I've no idea.

Claire x

 

[kalia]

I'm sorry breastfeeding is not going well for you. I think the advice is to drop one feed every 3-7 days and that way you avoid huge discomfort. Personally I would leave a week between each feed that you drop. Stopping completely at this point would put you at a huge risk of mastitis and be really sore.

 

[NickyB]

I agree with Kalia, 7 hours is a huge amount of time before your supply has settled and I can imagine you're very sore! Try one feed bottlefed and cut down slowly.

 

[Naterjack]

i stopped late last week cold turkey and was in agony ...... but only for a day or so

I was mix feeding for a week or so before i decided and then one evening i just stopped. I had to express that night, and expressed 3 times the next 2 days, but just enough to stop the pain, so it was only about 2oz each breast - that worked well to stop the hardness and lumps

The pain was awful and i was in tears even walking round the house as they hurt with every footfall so i went and bought some gel pads from mothercare which you put in the freezer then in your bra and they really brought the swelling down - a day later and no pain or engorgement at all - i really would recommend those gel pads - they were £12 but worth every penny


A couple of days and you should feel a lot better xx

 

[EllieBelle]

I had to stop breastfeeding just after my milk had come in for similar reasons.........my breasts looked like something out of a horror movie, they were absolutely enormous, disfigured, red & swollen. I spoke to my midwife at the time who advised expressing would just make matters worse and if I wanted a quick fix to put on a tight fitting bra, and some breast pads and to not take it off until my breasts were better - that was nearly a week ago now, and they are almost back to normal - like Naterjack for the first few days it was agony, and I couldnt sleep or walk with the pain!

However I had only been breastfeeding for 4 days when I went cold turkey, which might obviously make a difference!

Can you speak to your MW and get her advice??

Hope you feel better soon, I can sympathise wholeheartedly!!!!

 

[Alicebabe]

Well, I ended up with mastitis and was in agony! So couldn't have fed even if I had wanted to - got some antibiotics and had a horrible couple of days with engorgement and lumps, redness and heat but now starting to feel a bit better - thanks for everyone's advice though xx