Help!! Switching over to formula!

[capegirl7]

Hi everyone,
I posted this same post in the breastfeeding section, but thought I'd have more luck here. I am totally not against formula but just have had a positive experience with BF, which is why I am in tears as I write this. I have been exclusively breastfeeding my LO for 11 weeks now. It has been such a positive experience both for me and her. I am going back to work in three weeks and will not be able to pump as I work in law enforcement and need to wear a vest, etc. and it will just not work.
I have about 200 ounces in the freezer that I pumped and next week need to start transitioning her to the bottle with half breast milk and half formula.

Now, my real question is how do I dry up my milk. Whenever I go over 5 hours without a feed my boobs are HARD AS ROCKS and leaking milk. I need to know how to stop breastfeeding for myself and the best way.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[LittleAngel09]

Hi

I'm currently moving my LO onto formula after an equally positive bf experience. Have you tried gradually dropping a bf as your supply will start to reduce within a few days. Also if you get engorged and uncomfy try hand expressing just enough to relieve any discomfort. Just make sure you don't drain the breast as that will make them think you need milk made again.

I hope this helps a little. I'm sad about leaving bf, it's been so lovely. Something I didn't do with my 1st and so glad I gave it a go this time.

Xx

 

[jodilee6]

I've also just switched to FF from BF through my own choice.

I was advised to drop every other feed every 2 days until completely FF. I was only uncomfortable the first day after completely stopping, I just hand expressed off just enough to take away the pressure and took painkillers. It took about 7 days for things to settle down

Good luck

 

[kat2504]

Since you have three weeks, drop one feed a week during that time. Start with the feed that would be in the middle of your working day, then add another bottle feed the next week, then the third a week after that. by the time you go back to work your supply should have adjusted. while you are reducing feeds, pump a little for comfort when you would have fed, but only about an ounce to relieve the breasts, no more otherwise they will still think you want them to make milk.

 

[mitchnorm]

I have transitioned to ff from bf after a very positive experience....totally took me by surprise but LO took to.bf sooo well. My choice to stop for a numbero of.reasons but still felt very sad.....as the ladies say above start with dropping one feed a day...i switched the middle of the day feed to ff. After one week switched the last feed at 7pm and then following week the morning one. After 3 weeks i was ff....bf...ff..bf...ff....bed. It helped that LO had started to.sttn so my supply was dropping due to this. I dd have to hand xpress some 'pain away' but if you take it gradually your body will self regulate fairly quickly.

On a more emotional note...a friend gave me some great advice to help with stopping bf....she said to make sure my last ever bf session with lo was memorable (as my supply had been dropping lo was getting fussy and making it horrible to.feed her as i knew she wasnt getting enough)....i picked a time when we were at home, knew it was a good supply time and sat quietly feeding her...taking it all in...looking her in.the eyes...i think she knew and it was amazing to have that last positive experience. I have no regrets now and she takes the bottle fine

Good luck x

 

[capegirl7]

Thank you so much everyone! Mitchnorm, Your post made me cry again, I am just so emotional giving it up as I love the experience and bonding with her. I know that with work it will be almost impossible to pump and still feed her. I know I just need to accept it but I wish I could go longer.
Thanks for your input everyone, hoping it works!

 

[Lady_Bee]

Capegirl,
I'm so sorry you're having to end your bf relationship sooner than you wanted.

You've got some good advice about dropping feeds. You'll probably be uncomfortable for a while but it'll be bearable... definitely don't go cold turkey *shudder*

Just wanted to reassure you that you WILL still bond with her over bottle feeding though! Bottle feeding is different from breastfeeding, but it really can be equally lovely. I can totally understand about it being hard to accept. Allow yourself room to grieve it (I know that was important to me, anyway). Maybe some extra skin to skin cuddle time will help you to get through this change and help strengthen your bond? xx

 

[mitchnorm]

Sorry to make you cry capegirl.....it was really important for me to make my last time special. Although i can honestly say that i have as strong a bond....if not stronger with my little girl now. Bottle feeding is still a close experience and you have the joy of knowing that when your LO comes to you or gets passed over to you she is not instantly looking for milk. Dont get me wrong there is something empowering and fantastic about knowing that you provide all the nutrients for your LO but there is no denying it is draining sometimes...for me anyway. My hubby can equally share the bond too and i dont feel like a milk machine all the time (no offence intended but i am sure all of us have that feeling at one time or another espec through those growth spurts)

Good luck x

 

[AmyR]

I just finished weaning my 7 month old, for a few reasons (Hubby and I are going away for 3 nights kids free in 2 weeks, i wanted my boobs back, she was biting and fussing at boob) she takes the bottle and formula (and meals) really well and has not really cared about the weaning. Breastfeeding was getting frustrating for us both cause she preferred the bottle that was "easier". I am sad, yes....but I am also kind of happy! We are a busy family and now that I dont need to stop and find a place to sit and breastfeed, and have her biting etc, it is sort of nice. I did 7 months and I am very proud of that. Plus my little one is almost 20 pounds and thriving very well. Dont feel sad, its hard not to but think about it this way, they must wean at some point!

 

[kanga]

Hello. As the other have said, do it gradually and listen to your body.

It is sad when you stop breastfeeding, not least because of all the hormones. Remind yourself of what you have done for your baby so far and how great that is and focus on that. And you have weaning coming up in a few months so maybe start looking into that and planning.

Your bm stash is great. And you could always drop down to morning/night feeds so kepe the bf going a bit longer. GL in your journey! xxxx

 

[WendyJ]

I know people are saying don't go cold turkey but to be honest, it's what worked best for me. I tried gradually stopping and expressing small amounts to ease the hardness and pain but my breasts just showed no signs of stopping milk. So I just stopped expressing and went cold turkey. Yep my boobs went rock hard and man did they hurt in bed but by day 3 my boobs were back to normal and i've never had any leakage since. That was two and a half weeks ago. I just wore a tight bra, placed cold cabbage leaves over my breasts (the cold soothed them and the cabbage has something in it that helps dry up milk) and only at one point had to take two painkillers. My boobs are now totally normal, all lumps have gone and like I say no pain or leakage. What works for some wont work for others though so its a personal choice x

 

[sweetpeaxo]

I know people are saying don't go cold turkey but to be honest, it's what worked best for me. I tried gradually stopping and expressing small amounts to ease the hardness and pain but my breasts just showed no signs of stopping milk. So I just stopped expressing and went cold turkey. Yep my boobs went rock hard and man did they hurt in bed but by day 3 my boobs were back to normal and i've never had any leakage since. That was two and a half weeks ago. I just wore a tight bra, placed cold cabbage leaves over my breasts (the cold soothed them and the cabbage has something in it that helps dry up milk) and only at one point had to take two painkillers. My boobs are now totally normal, all lumps have gone and like I say no pain or leakage. What works for some wont work for others though so its a personal choice x

^ I did the same thing. I breastfed for acouple of weeks, but my son wasn't gaining the weight, so I had no choice but to switch to formula. I quit cold turkey. It was painful those first few days, but then I was just fine. Cabbage leaves are definitely a godsend! Stick them in the fridge first so they are chilled, it will help ease the pain. I leaked for maybe a week or so after, then everything dried up.

 

[Utahgirl]

Don't be sad - you gave your baby a great start with breastmilk for 11 weeks! Also, if it works for you, you could still do one feeding a day if you're feeling like you'd still really like to do some. Or one in the morning and one at night.
I just went back to work last week, and I had to reduce my pumpings down to half what they normally were. I pump before work, once during, after work, before bed, and once at night (baby never did get the hang of breastfeeding so I pump and give bottles). The work one is really not working out, so I may just go to a couple pumps a day soon.

Your biggest worry for stopping will be clogged milk ducts and infection. I've had these and they are NOT fun. But, I started taking Lecithin, a holistic supplement which keeps your milk fat from separating, and haven't had a clogged duct since. Second worry will be the pain. If you can take it, and you're not that worried about an infection, cold turkey is fine but painful. I found I could handle adding on an hour between pumpings each day, until they were spaced far enough apart to where I wanted them.
Good luck!

 

[capegirl7]

Thank you so much!! I have decided that I am going to continue breastfeeding a couple times a day and see how it works, I just was not ready to give that up. I go back in a week so I will see how it goes!