advice please

[Isobelhh]

Hi girls, posted this on breastfeeding forum but no replies so far.

I am currently trying to give up breastfeeding due to going in hospital soon and up to now have done a bit of both, mixed feeding with both breast and bottle feeding.

For those that previously breastfed, how did you stop without experiencing milk lumps/blocked ducts. Im down to just one feed in the morning now but wondered how do I stop the last feed?

 

[rihanna]

I am also in the middle of switching from breast to bottle. I have had mastitis once so am doing it very slowly!!

I think when your down to 1 feed maybe you could cut the feed short for a few days and top up with bottle rather than stopping the feed altogether that way your boobs will get used to giving less?

 

[Isobelhh]

will try that, thanks.

 

[bambino156]

I think that as you're down to 1 feed already you shouldn't have a problem stopping altogether when you feel ready. I had to exclusively express and I just went cold turkey - luckily no mastitis, but omg it hurt sooo bad, they were rock hard and leaking for days! x

 

[Isobelhh]

did you experience any lumps?I really dont want to get mastitis on top of going in hospital for operation. In fact if i did get that, I wouldnt get my op probably!!

 

[Bexbex999]

I went down to one expressed feed a day and then started my daughter on formula. I then only expressed milk if my boobs were leaking and then I only expressed a very small amount, after a week my milk had started to dry up with no mastitis or lumps.

 

[bambino156]

did you experience any lumps?I really dont want to get mastitis on top of going in hospital for operation. In fact if i did get that, I wouldnt get my op probably!!

No I didn't get any lumps, well none I could see anyway. I couldn't feel any lumps as my breasts were so solid.
Could you check with the hospital whether you would still get your op if you did get mastitis? If it means that you wouldn't get your op would it be worth just taking a hand pump with you to just express off a little milk now and again to just try and reduce the risk of getting it? Just a thought really.