Weaning... Sort Of.

Lots of good advice already. I'll just add that it worked for me when I gradually decreased the amount of time I was pumping each session and then gradually decreased the number of times a day I was pumping. If you make it a slower transition (maybe over a period of 5-10 days) it should help a lot with discomfort and leaking and also help you avoid clogged ducts or other complications. Then maybe you can actually get a break here or there! Hang it there. These little ones are SOOO much work, but such incredible blessings!
B.

Why not pump WHILE he nurses? It will keep your milk supply well established and it won't feel like all you are doing is pumping and nursing.

Formula is no where near as good as breastmilk and once you let your milk dry up, you can't get it back. It is also easy to take to the beach (ha ha - just you an baby, no coolers)! And the packaging is very nice in a bikini!

Stick with what YOU make. Recently breastfeeding has finally been in the media big time in the USA. The most recent studies shows that formula breastfeeding could save roughly 900 babies a year (which means the 900 babies die needlessly due to that fancy company that sent you 90 formula samples, diaper bags, etc). Other countries have always known this, but America gets sucked into the fancy marketing. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/05/health/main###-...

On the flip side, formula has been getting slapped with fines for toxic chemicals like rocket fuel and BPA leaching into the formula. I love how the formula companies try to defend themselves by saying they add in other chemicals to OFFSET the danger of the toxic ones. Well, THAT's HELPFUL . . .

All women should know - they are truly WONDER WOMEN! We make the best food in the known universe and no company, anywhere should make you doubt your superpower. In many countries it is illegal to even allow formula marketing to any pregnant woman. Hopefully our country will smarten up and save nearly a thousand babies a year from needless deaths.

Find other, long term breastfeeding moms - they will be your advocate, your best pal and the one who understands you completely.

I am part of the Cape Cod Breastfeeding Moms group on Facebook and we have an amazing group of moms who represent every walk of life and have overcome many obstacles. Find your Superpower and don't let anyone take it from you. Tell them, "Boobs are Best, so Buzz Off!"

EDIT: Someone said that the chemicals we eat end up in our breastmilk. People shouldn't make such incorrect assumptions like that. The breast is amazingly complex and filters most of what we eat. You could drink bleach (though not recommended!!!) and it wouldn't show up in breastmilk in any dangerous level. Someone should read medical journals on occasion and educate themselves . . . myths such as "The food we eat that is also full of chemicals is what makes up breastmilk" is what perpetuates the pervasiveness of formula feeding in America. It is very unfortunate that such myths persist, by women no less.

.

Start by mixing a small amount of formula in a bottle of mostly breast milk. Do this at every feeding and slowly over the next few weeks increase the amount of formula until it is 100%. There is a flavor issue that it can take some time to get used to. Before doing this I would try one bottle of formula just to see how he reacts to it. My boys took both from birth, so switching back and forth was never an issue, but I did have to use the above method when trying to switch to cows milk.

I would call the dr. as they have an advise line I am sure and also try to find a local LLL that can help you. I highly caution any advise that is not from a professional, that is why I wont give you any, bc it is milk, your body and you can get an infection from clogged ducts if you go about it wrong. good luck xo

My daughter was the same way - only nursed at night - wanted nothing but a bottle during the day so I have been in your shoes! Start by skipping some pumping - and if you cut back on drinking fluids it will help too - your body will start making less milk although you might be a little engorged at first. But not drinking very much helped me. Mix a little formula with the breast milk to get him used to the taste of formula, then you can gradually move to all formula. Good luck!

Just cut out one feeding per day - aka skip pumping! The less you pump/feed, the less your body will produce. Maybe cut one early/mid day or right before the evening feeding - whenever you need to. Then continue to cut out one more each week -or whenever you are comfortable cutting back more. Good luck

hi R.,
i found my breasts to be EXTREMELY cooperative about this. i literally just quit pumping and kept feeding that one sweet 'before bed' snuggle time and my breasts adjusted within a week and produced exactly the amount i needed. there was some engorgement and leaking in the meantime but it wasn't bad at all.
i do realize that i was pretty lucky here, i've heard of women having a harder time with it. i do hope it's as easy for you.
what i didn't do and should have was to start mixing breast milk with formula as i made the switch. it seems like such a big 'duh' now!
good luck!
:) kharirete
S.

I was diagnosed with cancer when my daughter was 10.5 weeks old and had to discontinue nursing to start chemo.

We went cold turkey on the breast milk to formula. I had to keep pumping for a few days to help reduce the demand and eventually let myself dry-up. By gradually reducing the number of pumping sessions, I was able to stop nursing without any discomfort over about 5 days.

As long as the night time demand is there, your son should be able to nurse in the evenings with whatever method you prefer during the day.

My daughter really didn't have a strong preference for the taste of breast milk vs. formula. She just loved to eat, so anything was going to make her happy and satisfied.

Good luck.