elimating breastfeeding.

[cynthia76]

im planning on going back to work in 1 month and will be unable to breastfeed only pump. currently i breastfeed and pump at least 3 times a day. im concern that when im at work i will have breast engorgement. i already had mastitis and was put on antibiotics and that was painful. how can i start now reducing my milk supply and continue to give breast milk until i go back to work?

[lovin3]

Is your baby on a schedule yet? Do you know what your schedule will be like at work so that you know when you'll be able to pump? Will you have to supplement at all, or are you hoping to pump for all of the feedings that you have to replace? Have you created a backup supply at all? I'd definitely try to get your baby on a schedule and work to have it meet your work schedule a week or so before you go back so that you can make any adjustments before you get thrown into the chaos of working and pumping. Try to figure out how many times your baby nurses during your work hours and if you will be able to pump for each of those feedings while at work. You are more likely to have to deal with engorgement if you suddenly drop a couple of feedings, but if you are planning to exclusively breastfeed by nursing or bottle, you'll have to pump to replace what your baby is drinking anyways. If you are supplementing at all, you'll want to wean your baby off of those nursing times and let them adjust to the formula before you have to go back to work. This will also adjust your supply. If you are able to pump for all of the feedings that you'll miss, you'll still be able to nurse on the weekend/days off. You can pump after they nurse to build an extra supply, just do it at a time that is consistant whether you have to work or not (like right after the morning feeding, which is when you're most likely to have "extra" milk to be pumped). Sorry if this seems like rambling- I got off on a bit of a tangent, but I hope it helps! :)

[EVsMom]

I had to get my baby onto formula/breastmilk bottle combo before I went to work, partly because my production could not keep up with her needs but also to prepare for daycare.

The previous schedule was: Breastfeed first thing in the morning, bottle of milk/formula combo before work, 2 bottles of combo at daycare and I pump at work, breastfeed when p/u and get home, combo for dinner, pump at 8, breastfeed at 11pm. That went on for two months when I went back to work (EV:3-5 mos).

Somehow my body seemed to know to cut back, a combination of working (and its stresses) and supplementing. Then my left side stopped production when she was 6 mos so I'm carrying on with the right, however it probably produces at most 6 oz a day now. Not really worried about weaning her off for her sake, more for mine! I just miss it now that we're down to BF only for the first meal of the morning, the rest of the meals are combos and some baby food. Like I said, somehow the body knows to slow down. There are the fortunate few (or unfortunate, depending on who you are) that continue to produce like heck through the first year.

[cynthia76]

evsmom, milk/formula combo u mean breastmilk n formula in a bottle combine in a feeding?if so ho much of formula n how much of breastmilk?

[EVsMom]

Yes, right now I am producing so little that I like to spread it out. Because I even want to have a little bit in each bottle of formula, I probably put an ounce or more of Bmilk and then mix 5oz of powder formula. I pump into the Playtex Drop-Ins (using pump attachment) and then store individual 1-2oz bags of Bmilk in the fridge, then add formula to it when ready to feed. As I said, I only produce about 6oz a day now. Plus I heard Bmilk helps break down formula so the baby can digest better. I rarely give her formula by itself, only when out and about and didn't bring Bmilk with me (spare formula and bottle in babybag). Anyway, at most she'll drink 6oz at a meal but averages 5oz. She eats 3-5oz of babyfood (2x/day) but it has not yet replaced a bottle at mealtime. I'm sure we'll be on formula and babyfood only soon...

[yfox]

When my son was 3 months old, I went back to work part-time for two weeks (only in mornings and was with him in the afternoons), since that time, I'm back to work full-time now. My production wasn't keeping up with his needs just before I started back to work, so I started supplimenting (4 oz bottles every two hours with half breastmilk and half formula). Since then he's in the last two or three weeks increased to 5 oz every 2 hours to every 3 hours. Which is 2 oz breastmilk and 3 oz of formula (Most of the time every two, however, when he's at home with me, he usually breastfeeds exclusively. At that time he'll usually eat every hour.) Oh, and forget sleeping over night and we usually co-sleep due to the night nursing. Our schedule is currently like this: 5 am (nurse - bf only); 6 am (pump); 6:45 to 7 am (nurse - bf only); 9 to 9:30 am breakfast at daycare (usually 5 oz bottle and ceral with some kind of fruit) ----- meantime I pump at work at 10:30 am (depending on the day of the week 3 to 6 oz); 12 pm lunch at daycare (usually 5 oz bottle mixed); 3 to 3:30 pm afternoon snack at daycare (usually 5 oz bottle mixed) ------ meanwhile I pump at work at 3:30 (depending on the day of the week 3 to 6 oz); 5 to 6 pm (depends - I pick him up at 5:30 pm) he usually has another meal (5 oz mixed bottle at daycare) - if not I feed him when we get home. If not, I wait until his next feeding and nurse. Usually he will eat again around 8 or 9 pm and then the night shift starts...

Ususally he goes 4 hours without needing to eat, but then it goes every two hours. Honestly, I said if I could do breastfeeding, I would until 6 months +/-. He will be 6 months old next week. I'm looking to wean, but I can't remember what the lactation nurse said to do. Any advice? I was thinking of not doing one morning feeding (maybe this one - "6:45 to 7 am (nurse - bf only)") and not doing the 10:30 a.m. pump. Can I do that without getting an infection and then drop another feeding or two, until I completely stop? (As in one of the night ones and maybe the afternoon pump?)

I've read you have to "bind" them when you are stopping breastfeeding, is that really necessary? Thanks for the help!

[northernva.mommy]

When you stop breastfeeding, your body knows how to adjust. I would not recommend going cold turkey. Start by eliminating one feeding at a time, like the midday feedings. Then wait a day or two and cut out another one. Your body will still produce milk and it should help alleviate any engorgement issues.