How do you stop your breast from leaking milk?

Question

I just gave birth 12 days ago and never breast fed but my breast are HEAVILY leaking milk it does only leak in one breast which happens to be the one I have a nipple ring in but I do NOT want to take it out so I am looking for other people that had a similar problem and got there milk to stop pouring out and keep the nipple ring

Answer 1

Try to pump your breast when ever they seem to be getting full of milk or even when they start to leak a little. Breast milk is the best thing to give to your newborn, and by pumping the breast it will help your boobs get less full and then they won't leak as much. Do this before your breasts become sore. They become sore becuase they are filled to the max. with milk, so you need to drain them. Also, try useing breast pads, they help the leaking slow down a bit and it won't soak threw to your shirt.

With the nipple ring, I was unsure of what to say about it, so I went and looked it up on different sites, including iVillage( a site for mothers and information about children and babies and pregnacy) and found this:
1.)
There is no research to date showing that breastfeeding will be negatively impacted in a woman who has had her nipple pierced.
Nipple rings may increase nipple sensitivity. This, along with scarring could theoretically cause some discomfort that is not normally present for the nursing mom. There have also been reports of leaking of milk from the pierced area.
For a woman who continues to wear a nipple ring, it would be wise to remove prior to nursing her baby. If the nipple ring is not removed prior to breastfeeding, choking could occur.
2.)
Q: Anyone out there breastfeeding with either a current or past nipple piercing? I bet its awfully messy but works just fine. What do you think?

A(1):I just read a breastfeeding story recently about a woman who had pierced nipples and said yes it was messy but that she also ended up with several breast infections...
A(2):Here's what the Breastfeeding Answer Book has to say about nipple piercings, p382: "No evidence exists that nipple piercing, which has become fashionable among some, has any effect on breastfeeding. Some women report normal breastfeeding after nipple piercing. A mother who had one of her two nipple rings removed and restricted breastfeeding to the breast without a ring reported that a 'painless, large milk blister' developed in the pierced hole of the breast with the remaining niple ring. This blister gradually resolved without treatment after several weeks (Lee 1995)" The reference is to Lee, N. More on pierced nipples (letter). Journal of Human Lactation 1995; 11(2):90.
Anecdotally, I've had 4 moms who have breastfed after nipple piercing and none had problems.
3)
It seems that nipples get cracked due to piercing and the bacteria managed to get in. This can cause an infection or maybe even lumps in the breast.

I would not breast feed your baby directly from the nipple. It could cause chocking to the baby. Also, I would advise you to talk to a doctor about the nipple ring. When I was reading I found that a lot of people had/have nipple rings when pregnant or breast feeding or pumping, and a lot had leakage of the breast milk. They are said that with the nipple ring in, the milk may not come out like it is suppose to and it could cause infections and lumps.


I have pumped my breast and also breast feed my daughter. Only one boob would produce a lot of milk and she wouldn't take to that one, so I had to always pump that when. I started to pump that breast as soon as it felt like it was getting full and when it started to get heavy. Also, to help elimite the milk from coming out of your breast all the time, when your daughter is crying give her to the father or to someone who is there and go to a different room. Even if it is someone else's child, leave the room when the child starts to get fussy and starts to cry. I have noticed that when I heard a baby cry my boobs would start to leak. So when I heard a baby cry, I would go to another room, and when my daughter would start getting fussy and start to cry, I would give her to my mother or to someone who wasn't busy, so I could go and pump before they had a chance to start leaking.

Answer 2

I don't have a nipple ring so I don't know exactly how that would affect things but I'll try to give some advice that might help. It's normal for your breasts to be leaking milk right now. For the first few weeks after having a baby your body produces a lot of milk because it doesn't yet know how much the baby will need. And it is also not so strange for one to leak more than the other. It might not have anything to do with your piercing. Your body will automatically regulate the amount of milk it produces and you'll stop leaking in time. I seem to recall that things got more normal for me after about a month. Until that happens you can really only keep nursing pads in your bra to absorb the leakage. Most drug stores sell them and all baby stores do. Also you might want to sleep with a towel under you just to keep your sheets fresher in case you leak during the night.

I just checked a few of my baby books and see that binding your breasts can actually cause you to get plugged milk ducts in your nipples which can be really painful. So you might want to talk with an OB/GYN or a lactation specialist before you try that.

Just a note - Breast feeding is really good for your baby. It's a much healthier and less costly source of nutrition than formula and it helps the babe fight infections. It's not too late to try it out since you obviously have a good milk supply. The hospital you had the baby at should be able to help you with learning how to breastfeed if you want to try or check out www.nursingmothers.org. The leaking will still stop even if you do decide to breastfeed.

Good luck!

Answer 3

You breast milk supply is just building up. it is your bodys natural way of thinking u need to produce milk to feed your baby. anytime ur baby cries or even lies near your chest u might leak more than usual. It will be a few days before the leaking stops. although it will be a few months before your breasts actually stop producing the milk. Go to walmart or target and buy some breast pads and put them in your bra to hold any leaking milk. Do not try to squeeze any milk out of your breasts as this will cause them to make more milk. It will go away though. If u have any discomfort u can take a nice warm shower, this will help the soreness and the leaking as well. Good Luck!

Answer 4

I don't know about the nipple ring, but to stop milk from flowing you press firmly on your breast (mainly the nipple), and the milk stops flowing immediatly. As for over an extended period of time, no clue.

Answer 5

I'm asuming you've already heard that breastfeeding is best for baby and mother (less breast cancer), so I won't preach -- but the best resources for info are actually lactation coaches. They have experience dealing with mothers who have been breatfeeding then must suddenly stop due to medicine thaty are taking or the need to have an operation. Stopping suddenly can be very uncomfortable too.

I would look for the best - most comfortable methods in my "What to Expect When you are Expecting" book, but since my baby is 13 yrs old now I've passed the book on. In the sections about breastfeeding/not breastfeeding they have advice a friend of mine used -- I think it involved binding with an "ace" bandage and cold compresses. Your midwife/ObGyn/or lactation coach (call the hosp for the lactation coach on call), or the LaLeche League would have the most up to date info.

Answer 6

The best thing that you can do is bind your breasts. Put on a tight bra and then wrap them tightly with an ace bandage. You can also talk to your doc about medicine to dry them up. And stock up on breast pads, because untill they stop, you will leak when the baby cries. It's just nature. The pills work great though.

Answer 7

My Dr. gave me a shot to stop producing milk. Other than that I don't know of a way to stop it, but they have pads that you can put in your bra to absorb it. But here's a idea, since you just had the baby, why not use the pads you have, cutting them in two or three, and stick a piece in your bra? With the expense of a new baby, it not only saves time, but saves money too! Congratulations on the new baby, and I hope this helps you. God bless.
Vickie P

Answer 8

the best thing to do is wrap them up tight and wear the nursing pads,put ice on them and wait it out.you dont have to take the ring out either.though when your breast get hard they will put pressure on the ring.you can take it out for a few hours but i wouldnt recommend longer then that or it will heal shut.

Answer 9

you cant...i guessing your not breast feeding you just have to wait it out until your milk dries up.....better stock up on breast pads....i wouldn't pump unless you're in pain then you many want to express as little as possible to help with the pain.Too much pumping will "train" your body to continue to produce the milk that you've pumped.

Answer 10

It sounds like your putting a nipple ring ahead of the health of your baby. You'd better get your priorities straight.