Weaning My Son

I saw this on Nannie 911, make the baby very comfortable and lay his head beside something that smells like you. Also use bottles with real nipple shape nipples.

Yes,you should stop one feeding every few days and this way you should not get engorged. Remember nursing is all about supply and demand. You should continue to nurse through the mastitis as you want to unplugg those ducts. Good luck!

With my first son, I had mastitis and the doctor told me to NOT stop breast feeding under any circumstances. That the best thing for me is to continue and do it as often as possible. Trust me, I listened, it was a very painful condition, which I am sure you are well aware of! Anyway, when you are ready to wean, what you have been told is correct, start by stopping one feeding every couple of days. Your body will adjust and produce less milk at those times. Then keep removing one feeding at a time. The last feeding I stopped was the night feeding. I did the same with both of my sons. It did work out the best and I did not have a problem with engorgement.

The first time I weaned, my pediatrician recommended dropping a feeding every 3 days for my own comfort. He said that it wouldn't matter to the baby if I stopped cold turkey, but to keep myself from becoming overly engorged this would be the best way. It worked out really well. I saved the feeding just before bedtime for last. Prepare yourself for an emotional rollercoaster. Some women find it very easy to stop, but for me it was tough. Have your husband give as many of the feedings as he can while you are weaning. It will be easier on you and baby both. As for the mastitis, I have no advice. Good luck weaning and great job breastfeeding!

I had mastitis while nursing too and I was told to make sure NOT to stop nursing that makes the milk back up more, so I would not try to wean him right now wait a couple of weeks and then do it very gradual.

Don't wean until you recover. Nursing helps clear the infection. And, the schedule for weaning you mentioned seems about right if you're in a hurry to wean. I weaned one meal per week. Remember, there's an emotional component to weaning. You might want to take it slow.

Hi. I had a similar problem weaning my second child. I did slow down the weaning process. It can't hurt them. As far as normal weaning, I was told a week for every feeding. In real life for us it was a month for the first feeding to be eliminated then we went from there. You shouldn't substitute another feeding until the baby has accepted the cup or bottle for the first feeding. My oldest took almost 3 months (very stuborn, my secong child I pumped and put it in a cup prior to stopping breastmilk and he took a couple months. Hope this helps. M.

I did it very slowly (cut out 1 feed every week) and it was so incredibly painful, I don't suggest doing it that way. Most people I know did it quicker and found that to be easier and didn't have any pain at all. Good luck!

Nursing is the best thing for mastitus, keeps from plugging more ducts, I think. Do warm compresses and massage, etc. As for weaning, take one feeding away a week, or you will REALLY be in pain.

How old is your little one? Check out a few yahoo groups as well for more info. One is breastfeeding support and one is breastfeeding working moms, whichever category you fall into. I joined both and they wer eso great. I nursed my now 15 mo till 1. I didn't expect to go that long, but he has lots of allergies and the formula that he would have been on is Neocate, which is like $150 for 4 teeeeeny tiny cans, so I went with the free stuff, lol.

Email me back if you have any more questions!

Jenn :)

I would wait until your mastitis clears up because you need to empty the breast frequently.
When u are ready to wean, don't worry about following the book, go by your son's readiness and the way your breasts feel. Wean slowly. It will take a while, but your breasts and your son will both be happy. It took me 2 months to completely wean, leaving the morning feeding as the last one to stop. I dropped one feeding every 4 or 5 days and if my breasts could handle it, then i'd drop another one. Your body will know.
When i completely stopped, my breasts hurt for almost 2 weeks. I thought the milk production would never stop! Don't stimulate your breasts by pumping or touching (unless you are so engorged and uncomfortable...then you can express or pump just a little to feel better). Then i swear, it was like overnight...i was hurting all day and by the next day my breasts were all shriveled up (LOL).

Hey R.
I have 2 kids, breast fed em both, I got great advice from my bf who has 4, drop a feed, the one after the afternoon naps is the easiest, because then you have a just a few hours till next feed, so YOU won't be too engorged till bedtime feed. Then wait a few days until you feel okay, it can be anywhere from 2-7 days, everyone is different, then pick the next convenient feed for YOU to drop, after those two are dropped, don't pick em up, you'll have to start all over again, it goes very fast. Be prepared to be very emotional about it all, totally normal
Good luck!

check with the doctor, usually if your on antibiotics the doc says not to breast feeding or giving him any of the milk as you are passing on bacteria that his body doesn't need. This is also a great time for you to just use a breast pump to keep the milk flowing to be able to feed him with a bottle and wean him off. You should always have a supply of breast milk in the freezer, this will also allow for your husband and someone else to feed him so that he knows that not only mom has the milk. It also releaves you from becoming stressed.
Are you weaning him off breast milk or feeding from the breast. Breast milk is great to give for the first 1 - 1 1/2 yrs. In weaning a boy off from the breast it is best to pump during the day only feeding him from the bottle and just giving him the breast at night. This help to calm them for a good nights sleep:) for both you and him. Keep that frozen supply in the freezer, then you husband can have that late night bonding time with his son. If your weaning him from breast milk to formual or regualr whole milk then just eliminating a feeding at a time every week works best. Boys love to eat. I did this as well because my husband became a dad at the age of 49 nt knowing anything about babies. our son now is 13 and my husband works many nights and they have a connection that can never be broken no matter what life throws our way.

Hi R.,

Mastitis will be helped tremendously by breast feeding. I had mastitis and I actually breastfed more often to relieve the pain and clear the ducts. It worked within a few days and I never had to go on medications.

Also, there are a few antibiotics that are said to be safe while breast feeding. Personally, I try to stay away from all medications.

Also, breast milk is always full of wonderful healthy nutrients and is always healthy. Some mamas breastfeed until 3 or 4 years old. Breast milk contains appropriate amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat. It also provides the digestive proteins, minerals, vitamins, and hormones that infants need. Breast milk contains valuable antibodies from the mother that may help the baby resist infections.

Hi R.,
I hope you haven't decided to wean BECAUSE of the mastitis because that will definately make it worse. How old is your son? Do you still have flowing milk? If so, then you will become engorged when you stop and this will make things harder for you. I would suggest waiting until the mastitis clears up and until you feel better to wean. But don't let that be the reason to wean. Especially if things were going well for both of you before it happened. Good luck.
S.