A: Dear Heidi,

If you have already been breastfeeding for some months, then it is best to try and wean slowly. Your body is now conditioned to make milk at regular intervals; stopping cold turkey is very difficult and not recommended. Your breasts will engorge, and be most likely to develop lots of pain and possibly mastitis (a breast infection.). It is better to plan to discontinue breastfeeding over several weeks.

Each week, you can drop one feeding out of your daily schedule. Your body will gradually adjust to the lower demand for milk and will begin to produce less. When you are down to only one or two feedings a day, it will be easier to completely discontinue feeding. Your breasts may become somewhat uncomfortable and engorged after you completely stop nursing.

While in the past, physicians used to rely on medications to suppress lactation, many women suffered unpleasant side effects on these medications and they are not routinely used. You can use cold packs on your breasts for pain relief, mild pain relievers and minimize stimulation to your nipples. Wear a supportive bra and don't squeeze your nipples to see if you are still making milk—this would give your body the message that you need to produce more milk again. Even if you discontinue breastfeeding for many weeks, you may notice that pressure on your nipples can cause some fluid leakage.

As an aside, some women who would like to minimize daytime breastfeeding in order to work find that they can continue breastfeeding at bedtime and mornings. This allows them to continue the special bond they have established by nursing their infant, and can be a source of comfort to the baby for many months.