I need to stop breastfeeding...

[Riot_Queen]

I posted this question in my breastfeeding forum but from the looks of it that forum isn't very active and I only got one response.

As far as I know you can't breastfeed while you're pregnant because it causes your uterus to contract what not-
Does anyone have any good methods as to how to make your milk quit comin in?

I've been slowly weaning Ivy.
As soon as I found out I, day by day, skipped her out on one feeding and gave her a bottle instead of the breast.
Now she only gets it right before bedtime for 10 minutes to calm her to sleep.

It seems to be working so far my milk production has slowed down greatly, BUT, I tried not to give her any last night and I got this really bad ache on the outter side of my right breast, so I woke her up to releive it.

I heard about wrapping an ace bandage around you really tight for 3 solid days, but it sounds painful and very uncomfortable.
My MIL did that and she said it worked, but you cannot take it off even to shower otherwise it won't work!

Any other suggestions??

[Riot_Queen]

Wow!
I was told that it makes your uterus contract and that can cause miscarriage, and also that it'll be too difficult to provide for 2 babies!

I miss it so much.
Ivy is only 7 months old and I REALLY wanted to make it to a year, but I'm starting to be a lil more comfrotable with giving her the bottle.
She doesn't drink much anymore anyways because she gets solid food 3x a day and doesn't really have much to do with formula unless I'm out n about I'll bring a bottle for her.

And I guess you guys just answered my question because for the passed month I'd say [[before I found out I was about 12 weeks along]] she always seemed not very interested whenever I'd breastfeed her. She'd latch on for a few seconds and pull away and look around, then come back then turn away and come back again over n over... maybe I guess the flavor or whatever changed and she didn't like it like y'all said?

Because she downs that bottle every time I give it to her but never drank a whole lot from my breasts.

I guess I'm starting to enjoy having the freedom of the bottle now that she's older.
Because before when I'd give her my pumped milk I'd have to sit there and hold it for her and now I'll lay her down and hand her her bottle and she'll hold it herself. Even sitting up she knows to tilt it upwards if she wants to get anything outta it.
I can set her down with it and go do whatever, crochett, draw, whatever I want.

I'm still on prenatals and I've noticed a difference since I've started weaning.
I'm not as tired as I used to be.
Providing for 2 is hard work on your body- so props to you gals that could do it! Cuz I don't think I could have.

Like I said, this one's probably due between Ivy's first birthday on October 10th and my 20th on November 16th. So maybe it's for the best to have her weaned and on the bottle so I can concentrate on giving this next one his/her first steps in life.

[KM604]

I don't have the experience of stopping breastfeeding while pregnant, but when I weaned my daughter off I replaced 1 or 2 feedings a day with formula to let her body adjust.  They say to replace one feeding a week, and then another the next week, etc. to help the babies body adjust.  One thing I did read is that your not supposed to wrap your breasts tight like your MIL recommended.  If you are engorged or in pain - what you can do is either take a warm shower, put cold compresses on them and/or pump out some milk (do not empty yourself, just enough to alleviate the pain).  Hope this information helps a little :)  Good luck!

[pookie1121]

As far as I know, you can continue breastfeeding when you are pregnant if you want.  I have heard that many babies dont want to nurse because as your hormones change with the new pregnancy, the milk can taste different.  I think some women also get less milk with the pregnancy, but I have never heard that there is a reason why you need to quit just because you are pregnant.

[chantal21]

When I found out I was pregnant I didn't stop nursing. At first I thought you couldn't nurse and was afraid of miscarriage, but I continued with it and my son is now 13 months and weaned himself almost 2 months ago now. Many women continue to nurse their entire pregnancy and everything is fine. My midwife nursed her son while she was pregnant with #2 and continued to nurse them both after she gave birth...wow. Not sure I could do that, but it's possible I guess. I think the taste of my milk changed and that's why he didn't want to nurse anymore. I would still be doing it if he wanted it but I am also welcoming the break as I will be having this baby in Sept. and will start nursing all over again. The only thing I did was slowly took out one feeding and your body adjusts to the amount of milk to produce. Once he stopped, I was in pain for maybe 2 days (hardly any milk though) and then the milk just dried up. I never tried the cabbage because my breasts never got quite that full to where I needed something cold on them, thankfully. But that is always an option for you. I think weaning slowly is the key. If you just stop all of a sudden, you will be engorged and I know that is painful. It was different for me because my son was already eating solids, so I never supplemented with him, but from what I remember Ivy is still pretty young, right?

[luvmy2girls]

I would have loved to continue nursing if I had known I was pregnant I would have just amped up on the calories!!! What better excuse to be able to eat? LOL

[spade22]

-Its fine to nurse while pregnant!  Nursing releases oxytocin but the amount is very, very low and not enough to cause your uterus to contract.

Some of the ladies in the breast feeding forum recommend using a cold cabbage leaf in your bra to help with the pain of weaning - give that a go and see if that helps.  Dropping a feeding every couple of days is the best way to wean baby - sounds like you are doing this the right way but you may need to go a little slower.

[luvmy2girls]

I didn't know you couldn't still nurse?  My milk actually went away and that was my first indication I was pregnant.  I have also heard that ice packs will stop the production and also helps relieve it being uncomfortable.