breastfeeding moms only please?

Question

How long does it take for your milk to dry up once you've weaned baby?

To the ignorant lady who said breastfeed until 21...get a life. I am asking this question because i want information and not stupid, immature responses....Grow up!

I'm asking how long it takes for your breast to stop producing milk once no longer breastfeeding. My son is 8mths and I'm looking into starting formula. I've heard the stories that some women still have some residue, but I guess I just wanted to to know if it takes 3 wks or w mths for the breast to stop "producing" milk.

Answer 1

I think it depends a lot on how long you nursed and if you weaned them slowly or quit cold turkey. I nursed for 14 months, and I weaned for the last 2 months. I never had pain from drying up because my supply dropped slowly over time, but a year later I could still squeeze out a few drops of milk.

Answer 2

I hope you are easing out of breast feeding not stopping cold turkey. Weaning should be done gradually, and can be done over several days to several months.
At first, stop one feeding per day. Wait about 3 days allowing your milk supply to decrease gradually and then eliminate another feeding.
Space these first dropped feedings apart, leavings a breastfeeding in between. Continue to eliminate another breastfeeding every two or three days.
You may experience some residual milk, or little let down at the time of the skipped feeding. It is important to not stimulate the breasts, express the milk or feed the baby during these skipped feedings.
In general, after you have dropped the last feeding, your milk should dry up completely in a couple of weeks.

Answer 3

Sorry you got blasted by the rude squad.

I have been pregnant or breastfeeding for several years now, since I breastfed all my kids. Are you asking how long it is until you can't get ANY milk out at all? Or how long until your breasts stop filling up when it's been a while since you nursed?

In general, it will probably be only a couple weeks until your breasts stop getting engorged/full every day. Here is a page with some comfort measures to help you:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/weaning_mom.html

It's going to depend on how many times a day you were nursing before weaning, and how long you had been breastfeeding, and your unique body. I tend to have oversupply so it takes a while for my body to settle down and stop being a milk factory.

The ideas of wearing a close-fitting bra (not too tight! You don't want mastitis!) and using cabbage leaves are right on if you want to speed things up.

Answer 4

You know, I weaned over a year ago and I still have a little milk. Guess I am ever the human cow. :-) Here are some tips for drying it up:

Wear a snug fitting bra.

Place refrigerated cabbage leaves inside your bra for a couple of hours or till they wilt. Cabbage leaves have been used for years to help relieve engorgement. We do not know exactly why cabbage leaves help with engorgement but some researchers believe that there are substances in the cabbage that help to reduce swelling and inflammation. Break up the cabbage leaves so that there are no hard veins in them. Arrange them in your bra so they are comfortable and there are no hard spots pressing against your breast. Do not use cabbage leaves if you are allergic to cabbage or sulfa.

Use ice packs or frozen vegetables for compresses. Use cold compresses for twenty minutes a few times a day. Do not put ice or frozen veggies directly on your skin. Use a towel between the ice and skin. You may have used heat before to relieve discomfort; this is not advised for engorgement. Warm compresses may encourage your milk to let down and increase milk production.

Use an anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprophen, as needed.

Do not pump. Pumping will signal your body to make more milk. Your body works on supply and demand. If you empty your breast, your body will think that it needs to make milk. When your breast becomes full it signals your body to make less milk. If you are very engorged, hand expressing milk is okay, but just empty enough to relieve discomfort. There is no point in being miserable while you are drying out.

Drink a few cups of sage tea daily. Sage has properties in it that inhibit milk production.

Do not restrict water intake. Some moms try to dry out milk by drinking less. Restricting your fluids will not reduce your engorgement and may lead to dehydration.

Hope that helps.

Answer 5

I think it depends on each person. When I weaned, my milk production stopped after a month. My cousin who stopped breastfeeding 7 months ago still has milk and leaks constantly.

Answer 6

I don't remember when the milk dried up after my first. I only nursed 4 months with him and never noticed.

After my second, who nursed almost 12 months, it never dried up.

My third was born almost 2 years later and he nursed for 15 months. He weaned almost a year ago and I believe I am all dried up now. It took a couple of months though.

Answer 7

our daughter is 6 years old. my wife had weaned the baby when she was 2. however, she still has a little milk in her boobs