How do you stop breast feeding? Do I really have to bind my breasts?

Answer 1

I don't know about binding but they say drink less water and don't take hot showers (not possible for me lol). Maybe the doc can give you some meds to help dry it up.

Answer 2

No No No No!

That can cause awful pain and infections! The best way to stop nursing is to do it slowly!!! Every 2-3 days, skip a feeding. If you feel soooo full that it hurts, just express a little bit of milk to release pressure, but don't empty your breasts (or your body will just make more milk.)

Use cool compresses. Take some tylenol if you have minor pain. But if you have flu like symptoms or pain in a specific part of your breast, you might have a blocked duct which needs to be taken care of pronto!

Going slowly is the best way to do this!

Answer 3

The easiest way to stop breastfeeding is to eliminate one feeding each week. Say, for example, that your baby nurses in the morning, at noon, late afternoon, and evening. Start with eliminating the late afternoon session. Give your baby a cup or bottle at that time instead. It works best if someone else can do it as your baby will associate you with breastfeeding. After one week (or at least 3 days) eliminate the noon session. Again, give your baby a cup or bottle in its place. Continue eliminating the different sessions until they are all eliminated. While you are doing this do NOT pump to relieve pressure in your breasts. It shouldn't be too bad if you are doing it slowly like this.

Another thing you can do is drink herbal tea.

One source says, "Sage, parsley, peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, periwinkle, sorrel, thyme, chickweed and oregano are all natural herbs that can be used to stop the flow of breast milk. These are all common ingredients that are found in teas designed to help the breasts stop producing milk. Eating lots of peppermint candies or menthol drops also can be used a method to stop the flow of breast milk. Drinking a tablespoon of dried sage infused in a cup of boiling water, three times a day is the most common method to dry up your milk supply. Normal amounts of the above ingredients is not sufficient to cease milk flow, you need to ingest a significant amount through tea infusions in order for the natural herbs to work."

A weird remedy that you might try is to buy fresh cabbage and place cabbage leaves inside your bra so that they come in direct contact with the breasts.

Answer 4

Get a breast pump. Fill bottles up and slowly wean your baby. It isa natural thing. I do not know of anyone that binds their breasts. You'll do fine.

Answer 5

It is called weaning. You just give them less from the breast each day until they get none.

If you stop all at once you will get engorged and it will be painful, so do it slow but sure over a 3 week period.

Answer 6

Just stop. You don't need to bind anything your body will realize what you are doing and stop producing milk. Binding is an old wives tale and has not been shown to be of any use except make you more uncomfortable.

Answer 7

you can just start spacing your feedings apert more and more and your milk production will slow accordingly till you are dry - this is a little painful as your breasts will be full...but its not that bad, more uncomfortable than painful...

you can just stop 'cold turky' but the baby won't really understand and this is more painful (i did the above), but quicker.

Answer 8

If you MUST wean, you need to do it slowly. Baby and mom suffer when the breast is taken away all at once.

Read up on weaning here: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/index.html

Answer 9

I just wanted to say that I know people who will continue to nurse their children until they are 5 years old. I stopped nursing when my baby was a little under a month because I got married. But I do believe that there should be an age limit. I think that when kids get to a certain age they know things. My oldest son is 4 and he still remembers when I nursed his brother and will tell anyone who will listen. So I think nursing at over 1 is okay, but you should pump. Give the child the breast milk in a cup instead of giving them your boobie! I just think it's wrong! My son has a friend who is still nursing at over 3 years of age and it is very confusing for him. I try to not let him around when the mother is nursing! He thinks it's gross! It is a personal choice and I don't think anyone should take it away from you, but at a certain age I would rethink my reasoning for nursing!

Answer 10

don't bind--that causes mastitis!! read the book How Weaning Happens. it should happen naturally and gradually, and therefore easily