How do you make weaning easy for Mom?

[Jen in Chicago]

I have decided I can not be a chew toy. We have an early teether. I (and my breasts) survived tooth 1 and 2, but this round is much worse. After 4 attempts (4 nursing sessions cut short with both breasts offered) of being a chew toy I decided it is time to wean (skin I thought had been broken, but it is just very irritated.) He is having NO issues with getting a bottle all day and night(he used to refuse bottles from DH at night.) He had a record amount of formula over the weekend and no problems to date. During the days until we run out daycare will give him 3 bottles of EMB, then formula. At home we will give him formula and if I have to pump the milk from my pumping sessions.

Friends have told me that drying up was SO hard. How do I make this as painfree for myself and avoid a breast infection? I pumped Saturday morning after my 4th attempt, and last night at 2am I was in pain and pumped. I was thinking I would just pump when I feel the need. Is this the right thing? I will only pump until I have a full bottle from each breast. Is this wrong?

All weekend I thought if I could feed him a bottle without him chewing the nipple I would try to breastfeed him. That never happened. During the night the was consoled right away with a bottle.

The decision is obviously harder on me than on him. Which is good for him, but a bit disappointing for me. My 6 month goal I did not meet. I planned to partial wean at 6 months, but that isn't in the cards.

[flagger]

Are you looking for physical support or emotional support? Just remember you are not evil for feeding your child formula. You have given him so much since he was born. Nursing has to be both something the mother and the child wants and can do. If you are ready to quit, and he is taking formula fine, it is ok to quit. He certainly will be ok on formula.

As far as the physical aspects of drying up, I would have to turn you to someone with more experience with that. Just know that you are not a bad mom for saying enough is enough.

[Momof3Labs]

I don't know much about weaning, but pumping a full bottle from each breast sounds like too much - you have to balance pumping for comfort (and to avoid infection) with signalling to your body to stop producing milk. I'd think that you should taper your pumping so that you don't get engorged or plugged ducts, but only pump enough to relieve yourself - don't pump until you are empty.

When you wean by nursing, you gradually drop one feeding (say, drop one per week) until you are down to zero feedings. Since you want to pump through your weaning, then you probably want to follow a similar pattern, using the pump instead of nursing.

[mom2noah]

I agree that you should only pump to relieve discomfort if you are trying to cut down your supply.

I have heard that cabbage leaves help with the weaning. Put a cold cabbage leaf in each side of your bra and change it every couple hours. Don't know why this works but it's supposed to help dry up the supply and ease the discomfort.

[Tondi G]

Cabbage leaves to help with the engorgement.... keep it in the fridge and replace the leaves as they get wilted! If you find yourself totally engorged just pump off a little bit , enough to relieve that I'm going to burst feeling, but not enough to stimulate your supply!!!! And you can take some tylenol to help relieve some pain as well! If you find you have a lump in your breast that gets red and hurts bad contact your doctor... you could be developing an infection!

Good Luck

keep in mind you have done SOOO much just by nursing your child this ammount of time! Any ammount of time at the breast is better than none!!! Seems like your child is transitioning fine. It is time to wean when either of the partners in the relationship are not happy anymore!

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason (2) and #2 edd 6/6/04