Whether by choice or necessity a time will come when you will have to stop breastfeeding your child, a decision that, for some, can be extremely difficult.

 

If you have been weaning your baby off the boob slowly then your milk production will gradually decrease before finally stopping.

 

However, if you, for whatever reason, have to go cold turkey, you may experience a number of things that you may not have expected.

 

Always remember that these changes are only temporary and should not have you questioning any decision you have made in relation to breastfeeding.

 

1. You may still experience leaks

Your milk flow won’t stop straight away so don’t be surprised if you leak a couple of times – a few breast pads and you’ll be right as rain.

 

2. Your hormones will be all over the place

So don’t be surprised if you cry at the car insurance ad with the cute cat - your body is just trying to right itself.

 

 

3. You may feel sad

You can blame this on your hormones, but don’t let it consume you; talk to family and friends and know that it will pass eventually.

 

4. Your breasts may become engorged and painful

While you can express a little milk to relieve the pressure this can just prolong ceasing milk production. Take a pain reliever and place chilled cabbage leaves on your breasts to relieve any pain.

 

5. They won’t immediately return to their natural size

Don’t expect your breasts to return to their normal size as soon as you stop feeding because they won’t. It can take a month or more for them to reduce in size and while they can go back to their normal size, this may not happen for every woman.

 

 

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