Hi, my DD is 18 weeks and EBF on a 4 hour easy with only an 11pm dream feed during the night (have only been giving this one night feed since she was about 9 weeks old). I have also fed from one side and the next side at the next feed, never both sides at the same feed. Unfortunately I have suffered from a repeated blocked duct (it's the same place every time) and this is now happening more frequently, twice in the last week. It makes me so miserable when it happens and due to the increasing frequency, and the fact that I would like to be able to get pregnant again this year if possible due to my age, I am seriously considering weaning my DD to formula. I do love breastfeeding her but I feel that perhaps if I started now and very gradually. I would be grateful for any advice about how to do this given the problem I have with blocked ducts and that of course the cure is frequent feeding which goes against trying to wean from breast to formula.
I have tried lots of different things for the plugged ducts, made sure clothes are not too tight, not carrying a strap/bag over the area etc. etc. but the only thing I haven't tried is feeding from both sides at each feed as I know this increases milk supply (I have a lot already) and this is not what you want with plugged ducts. I think i may have a narrow duct that gets blocked easily as it never happens in the other breast or any other part of the breast no matter how engorged they get.
I was thinking of perhaps substituting one feed for 2 weeks, before another for 2 weeks and so on so the process would take a couple of months, rather than doing it any quicker, or would this be too slow? I have been giving DD a bottle of Expressed BM a day for a few weeks now so she can take a bottle (today she even held it herself bless her). I am very torn as I do love breast feeding so much but it makes me so unhappy when I get blockages plus as I said I do want to start trying for another but don't think i will be able to without stopping breast feeding.
Any advice appreciated.
