How do you stop your breast milk flow?

Question

My milk came in today and I am bottle feeding. I feel huge how do you get it to go down quickly.. I tried the frozen veggie thing already!

Please don't tell me "the breast is the best" speech.. She has to have formula she wasn't nursing and I am not going to let my baby starve. It doesn't work for everyone.

Answer 1

I tried breast feeding and it wasnt for me either. Id nurse for an hour and she'd still be screaming, so id just give her a bottle. It took me 2 months to find one that worked for her. But, wear a bra every day, all day and when you sleep. Only take it off to shower. Try not to let the hot water run too long on your chest, but wear a sports bra or something tight. It will go down over time, but I havnt breast fed my daughter in weeks, and I still have some milk. It leaks seldomly, but not compared to when my milk came in. That first few weeks after it came in, i was definately in some pain. I would let her feed just to get the pressure to go away and alternate the bottle. Also, express while you are in the shower so that the pressure will be relieved for the time being. The main thing is keep them in a bra.

I was distraught over not being able to breast feed my daughter, but in the end...the bottle worked out better.

Dont worry about the Boob-Nazi's.....what ever works best is your decision. Babies are healthier on average if you breastfeed them...and if you can, do it for the first few weeks. That is the most important milk of all. Even if you do both, but let 'em get those nutrients and let prevent you from feeling like you are about to explode.

In the cases of miscarriage, they recommend binding as well. Wrapping an ace bandage around yourself, but honestly...im not a boob-nazi.....but Id say, let her feed those first few weeks the milk comes in alternating breast and bottle...or pump. I can still express some 2 months later, but its not like it was when it first came in.

Answer 2

Congratulations on the birth of your baby!

If you formula feed your baby your breasts will stop producing milk on their own although it will take a week or so.

However, you mentioned that you are bottle feeding now because your baby wouldn't nurse. It could be that your milk hadn't "come in" so if you still wanted to try it, you could still do so.

There is no reason why you couldn't do both bottle and breast for a while. There is colostrum that babies really need, so even if she only had a little of your milk it would do her good.

Either way, she is your baby and you can decide if you will give her breast, bottle, both - whatever - as long as you give it with love you will have a happy baby!

One of my babies wouldn't nurse and it turned out that my breasts were so full of milk that she couldn't latch on - once I had expressed a little milk the swelling went down and she latched on and fed like a little piglet!

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Try fresh cabbage leaves and/or a hot shower. It is also okay to express a little milk. I understand you saying that breastfeeding is not for everyone. Although, I have been nursing my little girl for 3 months. I had problems at first too. I tried a breast shield and supplemented with formula at first until she got started. If you are still interested in breast feeding, try putting a little prepared formula on your nipple and it will help her latch on. Also a breast shield will help her latch on. Last but not least, now that your milk is in, it will satisfy her more and she may be more likely to take to it. If not, that is okay, you are right, some people just don't do well with breastfeeding. My sister-in-law hated it!

Answer 4

Don't atomaticly stop all at once, it's not good for you or the baby. try to slowly wein the child off you. then when that's said and done and milk is still around, pump only a lil out. less and less each day to the piont were u can just stop. if you do so right off the bat your breast will swell with milk and become sore, and sometimes even leak!

Answer 5

Warm up some cabbage leaves, some of the hardest ones near the core. The heat realeases some enzymes and for some reason helps dry you up. It really does work, but it does take a couple days.
A hot shower will help relieve the pain, but don't express any. If you have to, only a tiny bit to get rid of some pressure. If you relieve too much the milk will keep on producing.

Answer 6

put cold compresses on your breast. wear a tight bra all the time even at night. do not massage them, you can express some milk to relieve some of the pressure but i would not pump til empty. and try to pump as little as possible. if you are not using the milk your body will stop making the milk. do not put hot water or compresses on them that will only "let your milk down". i did all of these things and they worked for me. or try the cabbage leafs i heard that really works.

Answer 7

If you get engorged, let your doc know and there is a shot that can help dry you up. The best thing to help stop the milk is to just let it happen naturally (which took me about 4 weeks) and to make sure you keep wearing your bra and don't stimulate your breasts too much in the shower because that will just make them fill up. I took a shower backwards, letting the water be mostly on my back, until I was dry.

Answer 8

I switched to the bottle as well. I felt bad about the breast is best too. In the mean time I have been pumping off when I get too sore...it's about all I can do.

Answer 9

Okay I went through this. are u engorged. Put a hot towel on our breast and just chill out. It'll dry up. Sadly, they don't give out the medicine to stop the milk. You just have to deal and make sure you don't breast feed or expess milk. I was engorged and I had to take vicodin to sleep. Wrap yourself and just stay in bed. I know it's hard. Trust me I know. I busted my stitches getting up to get my baby girl

Answer 10

cabbage

it drys you up.. just take a large leaf and tuck like a cup around the breast under the bra.. your breasts will dry up the cabbage and stop the milk..
and your right.. it doesnt work for everyone..