Ways to stop breast milk?

Question

I've heard on putting cabbage leaves in your bra to dry up the milk.

Does anyone know if this works? Any other ways you know of?

thank you!

Answer 1

Too much milk: Sage and other herbs for decreasing milk supply

http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksuppl...

    This is best used only if you are in the process of weaning, though it may also be used in extreme cases of oversupply when the usual measures are not effective. Be careful with this if you are not in the weaning process! Don’t overdo it once you’re seeing some results.

A Sample Seven Day Dry-Up Plan

http://web.archive.org/web/2004120411401...

    In the past, new mothers often received medication which would suppress the production of milk. These medications were often referred to as dry up drugs. These drugs are no longer available because of severe health problems experienced by many mothers.

    Although most pregnancies have happy endings, some do not. Losing a baby is a tragic experience. When the breast milk starts to flow and there is no baby to feed, pain and engorgement will usually follow.

    When breastfeeding is not part of your plan for any reason, follow the directions here to minimize pain and engorgement during the drying up period. Depending on your situation, you may wish to ask your doctor or healthcare provider for pain medication to use during the first week of drying-up

Guidelines For Rapid Reduction of Milk Supply

http://www.bflrc.com/ljs/breastfeeding/d...

    Sometimes breastfeeding mothers must quickly stop breastfeeding. I hope each mother has exhausted all avenues for help before taking this step. Nevertheless, all mothers have a right to wean safely and comfortably. These guidelines have helped many mothers:

Lactation Suppression lactation

http://www.breastfeeding-basics.com/html...

    Once your milk supply is established, stopping abruptly causes certain physical changes. Your b*****s will continue to produce milk for a while, and if some isn’t removed, you may become engorged, and possibly develop mastitis. You will also experience a sudden drop in prolaction levels, which may add to your feelings of depression.

Weaning after infant loss

http://xpedio02.childrenshc.org/stellent...

    At Children’s Hospitals and Clinics, we support you during this difficult time. Your feelings are stronger because of the physical and hormonal changes in your body. Your b*****s have been prepared to nurse. As long as your b*****s sense a “demand” for milk, they will keep making it. If there is no demand, they will gradually stop. In order to help you feel more comfortable during this time, we have prepared these instructions. Please let us know if you have any questions, or if there is anything else we can do to support you.

Lactation Suppression: Forgotten Aspect of Care for the Mother of a Dying Child

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/4645...

    Suppression of lactation prior to the 1990s was done with medications that influenced the brain’s directions to the breast regarding milk production, such as parlodel and bromocriptine. These were eventually found to have other brain-related side effects and taken off the market for milk cessation (Stehlin, 1990). Ice use was suggested in 1966 (Bristol, 1966), and both fluid restriction and forced fluids had time of popularity. Breast binding with ace wraps became the next form of care, with little scientific supportive evidence. A recent clinical study by Swift and Janke (2003) compared a control group using a support bra with an experimental group having their b*****s bound. Swift and Janke found the women with bound b*****s had more leakage, more pain, and needed more pain medication than the non-bound group. A study by a group of nurses in Sweden (Radestad, Nordin, Steineck, & Sjogren, 1998) did find that for women who had lost a baby, breast binding served as a concrete reality of the loss and aided in the grieving process. The use of cabbage leaves has often been suggested to ease the pain of lactation suppression. Several early reports indicated comfort to mothers, and this is a frequently recommended practice. Yetina Cochrane Library examination of evidence (Snowden, Renfrew, & Woolridge, 2003), cabbage leaves and other vegetable substances on the breast did not show greater comfort than the placebos. It was suggested that placement of the leaves on the breast and the massage of placement may be the helpful issue. The same results of improvement equal to the placebo occurred for the use of ultra sound to the b*****s. Prevention of engorgement was recommended.

Answer 2

STOP EATIN

Answer 3

  don't know it

will stop by it's self

a little while after you  stop brest feeding

Answer 4

Yes.  Stop breast feeding.

Answer 5

I was told about the cabbage leaves also-- I heard that it works.

My baby wouldn't take the breast so mine dryed on it's own.

Last resort you can also get a pill from your doctor.

Answer 6

Yeah the cabbage leaves work because they draw out the moisture.It will take some time. I don't know any other ways. Good luck:)

Answer 7

Gradually stop breastfeeding and your milk production will stop.  If you stop completely then just express a bit to relieve the pressure in your b*****s.  Your body will only produce as much as is needed so if you decrease the feedings then the milk production slows down then stops.

Answer 8

Aw, that's too bad.

Have you thought about donating it?  There are babies out there who can't survive on formula and they rely on donated breast milk.

Answer 9

There's a couple of things you can try. First avert any kind of nipple stimulation because it can resume the milk production. As for fresh green cabbage leaves over your b*****s, it can work as it will gradually help dry up the breast milk supply. Place these leaves in for some days and replace when they droop. You could also try to have two to three cups of sage tea every day.

To deal with the transitory pain and discomfort, you can take pain relievers. Also drink water as often as you can, since it helps dry up the breast milk supply pretty fast.

    

Answer 10

Don't eat too much.

Due to lack of diet, the milk will stop itself

Answer 11

I've never had a kid, but I've taken Child Development (plus my mom and sister told me too) that when you stop breast feeding your baby it will stop producing, but I think it takes a couple months for it to completely stop. That's how women breast feed their kids until they are like 6 because they never stopped.  

Answer 12

There are several do's and don'ts.

Do:

   1. Wean gradually. This will tell your body to stop, slowing production over time. Gradually substitute feedings with an alternate method, primarily bottle-feeding with formula. Wait a few days before substituting another feeding and so on, until the transition is made.

   2. Pump or hand-express just enough milk to keep you from feeling swollen and overfilled. When milk is already in the b*****s, additional production slows, therefore only remove a small amount at a time.

   3. Apply cold compresses, gel packs or cold cabbage leafs to your b*****s. This helps reduce swelling and can contribute to diminishing the milk supply if used consistently. If you use chilled cabbage leaves, replace every couple of hours.

Don't:

   1. Don't allow your child to feed in order to relieve pressure. The natural supply and demand kicks in and alerts your body that it needs to produce more milk, putting you back to square one.

   2. Don't stop breast feeding abruptly unless absolutely necessary. This will cause frustration for your baby and discomfort for you.

   3. Don't bind your b*****s. This may actually increase the pain, while providing no real benefits to depleting your supply.

   4. Don't allow room for nipple stimulation. This also activates the production of your milk supply.

   5. Don't use heat, such as a heating pad, hot water bottle or even running hot shower water on swollen/engorged b*****s. This may just aggravate the situation.

After your b*****s remain softened over 24 hours, you should be in the clear. However, watch for signs of your b*****s filling and if necessary, repeat the above steps.