Am I weaning correctly?

[simpsongal]

Per my recent TTC posts, I'm weaning DS.  I'm not particularly happy about it, but I need to do it once I get KU anyway (severe MS) and I suspect BFing is affecting my fertility.  He's over 18 months.

A couple weeks ago, I stopped nursing right before bed.  I was still nursing in the morning and after work.  Yesterday, I nursed him on my left side in the morning, which is pretty dry anyway.  I didn't nurse him in the evening.  Today, I didn't nurse him at all and don't intend to again.

I haven't denied him or said "no" - I just distract.  We offer him milk first thing in the morning, we don't bring him in bed, I don't put him in my lap or really anywhere near me when I'm sitting.  It seems to be working.

Funny story, I actually had to stuff my bra on the left side today b/c I'm so engorged on the right and I look lopsided.

So, am I doing this right?  Is the distraction technique the way to go?  I'm hoping my milk dries up.  Once it does dry up, and he asks to nurse, should I say "no" then?  Or should I let him and see that there's not much milk anymore?

Advice and hair pats welcome.  And cabbage leaves? I'm so uncomfortable....

[anna7602]

Sounds like you're doing great! Try sudafed to dry you up. Cabbage leaves did nothing for me. I also took some sage tea and something else called "No More Milk" when I weaned DD, but I think the sudafed was most effective.

Good luck! Also, be prepared for a crazy hormonal ride as your body adjusts to weaning. I felt like I had PMS x1000 and had a bunch of the same food cravings I had in early pregnancy, too!

[curbsideprophet]

Not sure there is a right or wrong way. I suppose some of it depends what your goals are.

I would not want to quit cold turkey. It sounds like you still had two sessions a day and that in itself is a recent change. I would probably drop down to one session for a few weeks to give my body a chance to adjust. I am sure others would just stop.

[smock]

It sounds like you're doing a great job!

I also had that awkward lopsided phase. Luckily within a week they had evened out, and the engorgement went away completely. I definitely had a lot of discomfort, but I avoided clogged ducts by hand expressing a small amount in the shower--also avoid hot water on your breasts in the shower, because that will increase engorgement.

Also, I probably wouldn't let him nurse to "show" him the milk is gone--he could probably still get a bit, and it might signal your body to make more. If he asks to nurse, you could offer a cup of milk or a paci. DD became much more reliant on the paci when we stopped nursing.

[simpsongal]

Aug 14, 2015 7:57:21 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

Sounds like you're doing great! Try sudafed to dry you up. Cabbage leaves did nothing for me. I also took some sage tea and something else called "No More Milk" when I weaned DD, but I think the sudafed was most effective.

Good luck! Also, be prepared for a crazy hormonal ride as your body adjusts to weaning. I felt like I had PMS x1000 and had a bunch of the same food cravings I had in early pregnancy, too!

I'm tempted but afraid that might not be good for TTC. I'm past ovulation though, so I don't need EWCM.

curbsideprophet , it is a little faster than I would prefer to wean, but I'm concerned if I still let him do 1 session then my supply won't diminish too much.  He seems to be tolerating it so far.  If the weekend doesn't go well, I'll let him have a nip.

[holly116]

I weaned over the course of maybe a week and a half? We were down to four sessions, I dropped one every few days. I was engorged and found I needed to hand express just a bit in the shower or else I was going to die. It was fine, I still dried up pretty quickly. So I guess what I'm saying is, if you find yourself uncomfortable, don't be afraid of releasing the tension a tad, it won't set you back significantly from drying up in my experience.

[MamaMaui24]

Sounds like a good plan. I wouldn't offer to show him it's gone. That would be a big step back IMO.

Wear a tight sports bra.

[simpsongal]

I just realized I haven't taken a pic of us nursing in a while - I have one that's a month old after he feel asleep on me though, I guess that's close enough.

[bananapancakes]

I have no advice as I'm sort of kind of going through this right now. I just want to offer hugs of support. It's so tough and I'm way more emotional about it than I thought I would be.

[simpsongal]

Aug 14, 2015 9:19:11 GMT -5 bananapancakes said:

I have no advice as I'm sort of kind of going through this right now. I just want to offer hugs of support. It's so tough and I'm way more emotional about it than I thought I would be.

Hugs to you too.  I don't know about yours, but DH doesn't get it.  I cried a little at work this morning.  DH just says "it's time...you did great, enough already."

I think I'm going to nurse him a little after work so I can take a picture.  Oh God, thinking about a last time photo really makes me want to cry.

[humpforfree]

Yeah.. we just distracted/replaced that nursing session with something else. In the mornings we started offering him a water cup (with a splash of OJ to cover up his iron drops) first thing. After naps is more water/oj/iron and before bed became a book in the rocking chair instead of nursing.