What happens to your milk supply when baby starts to wean?

Mary - posted on 03/11/2010

Hi Stevie! As Sara said, your antibodies passed to the baby in breast milk are way better than any benefit from stopping nursing during an illness... other than in the case of a woman with AIDS, in which case the mother should not nurse.

The weaning comfort depends on a lot of things... if you have well established nursing (for several months or a year, or 3-4, like Allison and others) then your breasts are very efficient at supply and demand and if feedings are replaced 1 at a time it only takes a day or so for your supply to cut down to size. If you were to wean after only a few weeks of nursing, then your breasts are not as efficient and you might go through some trials. Also, if you try to wean "cold turkey" (where the heck did that saying come from anyways??) then you will be very uncomfortable and leaky and engorged and I would never never recommend that, unless for very serious reasons like having to be hospitalized or take extremely strong and dangerous drugs... if that ever were the case it would be best to use a pump and gradually pump less and less as you get more comfortable... but the best and most comfy way to wean a baby when you are ready, is gradually replacing feedings over several weeks time.

You are smart to be wary of interspersing formula with breast feeding, especially at first, as they do sometimes refuse to nurse once the more stubborn or smart little ones decide it is "easier" to drink from a bottle. :) Some moms who have to be away from baby for a feeding will have their care giver feed them formula or pumped breast milk from a sippy cup instead of a bottle to avoid this.

Good luck with it all and I commend you for deciding to give your sweet baby the very best start in life that nature has provided. your milk! :)

Allison - posted on 03/08/2010

My almost 3 year old son and I just finished weaning after about 4 months of gradual decrease in nursing. I didn't notice any differences in my body, or his attitude, since it was really gradual and pretty much a mutual decision between us - he was ready for more independence :) There wasn't any leaking or anything. Now, after over month weaned, I think my milk is almost all dried up.

I just wanted to say that it continued to be one of our special times together all the way to the end, and was a saving grace when it came to calming him a sad or stressed situation, or reconnecting with him when I had to work a lot. And even if you work a lot away from home, you can still nurse whenever you are there. Pumping can be stressful, but definitely worth the health benefits to your baby, and I only had to do that for a little over a year to make a "daytime" supply for him - after that, he just had food and water during the day, mommy's milk in morning and evening.

Suzi - posted on 03/08/2010

weaning your baby is tough. Expect to leak and possibly get engorged until your milk eventually dries up. the less you feed the less milk you will produce

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 03/08/2010

If you get sick you should continue to breastfeed. You pass antibodies through your breastmilk that will prevent baby from getting sick or lessen the duration/severity of the illness. You just have to be sure your thoroughly wash your hands and don't cough/sneeze on the baby.



If you let your baby self wean then your baby will slowly drop feedings as he/she doesn't have a need for them anymore. Self weaning typically occurs between the ages of 2 and 4. A baby will wean gradually. If a baby all of a sudden doesn't want to nurse then it is more than likely a nursing strike and there are ways to get baby back to the breast when that occurs (my daughter had a short strike at 9 months which happens a lot because they start crawling more and are very distracted). If you wean the baby then you will still want to wean very gradually. If you wean cold turkey you will be in a lot of pain and you will probably leak. Expect a leaky phase in the beginning while your body adjust to your baby's needs. Since breastfeeding is supply and demand, once your body regulates, you will make what your baby needs. Congrats on the baby and good luck!