Switching from breast to formula

[kat08]

Hi

After 10 days of trying to breastfeed unsuccessfully and giving baby EBM (as much as I can get out!) I have made the tough decision to move to formula feeding exclusively.

I just wondered if anyone could tell me how they went about this to avoid getting engorged breasts. I have slowed down on the expressing and my boobs are really heavy and sore but I am worried if I do continue to express my body will continue to make the milk.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Kat

 

[bambino156]

I'm afraid that I can't advise you as to how to avoid getting engorged breasts, I just went cold turkey and put up with the rock hard breasts for a couple of days! If you continue expressing frequently then, yes, you will continue to make milk. Maybe you could try dropping an expressing session each day and gradually reduce it? Hope this helps x

 

[kat08]

Thanks Bambino - just wondering how you managed to do this without getting completely engorged boobs or mastitis?

I have reduced no. of pumping sessions today and already my boobs are really sore and one nipple is looking quite red.

Feel a little bit stuck between a rock and a hard place because I don't want to keep making the milk but also don't want to end up with mastitis.

 

[bambino156]

I suppose I was just lucky really that I didn't get mastitis, I did gradually reduce the number of expressing sessions I had each day as I introduced the formula. But to be honest it still hurt like hell when I stopped completely and my boobs were really engorged, but I just rode it out. Good luck x

 

[gypsy]

Hi i gave up breastfeeding after nearly 3 weeks(last friday),just couldnt do it any longer,my boobs hurt like hell for 2/3 days but with plenty of pain killers and cabbage leaves in my bra i got through it.hope this helps.x.

 

[kat08]

Thanks Gypsy - did you just stop all together or did you relieve any pressure by hand expressing or pumping. I am so worried about mastitis that I don't know whether to hand express or pump a little?

 

[gypsy]

Yes i just stopped altogether,i didnt express anything and i didnt get mastitis thankfully,i think you can express a little to take some of the discomfort away though.

 

[AriannasMama]

I also just stopped all together, I would put my breastpads in the freezer and use them when they were cold. After about a week I was fine.

 

[kat08]

Great thanks Mrs Stokes.

I only stopped this afternoon and already my nipples are quite red. I'm so worried about getting mastitis just don't know what to do for the best!

 

[stephmum2be]

I had to stop EBM after 6 days of trying breastfeeding with her, you cant really get away from having painful engorged breasts youve just got to grit your teeth and bear it. I just stopped expressing and after about a week they turned soft again and all the pain had gone, you could express a little by hand for a bit of relief though hun x