How do I stop breastmilk production???

Question

I had a baby almost 6 weeks ago, and I am not breastfeeding, but my breasts are still producing a lot of milk. Is there a way to stop it??

Please, stop telling me to just use the milk for breastfeeding. I cannot breastfeed because of a medical condition, and medication I have to take that would harm the baby. Telling me to breastfeed just makes me feel worse about it.

Answer 1

The only way to stop producing milk is to let them dry up on their own. I had a baby 7 weeks ago and my breasts still leak a small amount occasionally, but only when they are stimulated. Try wearing a tight fitting bra 24/7. It sucks to wear a bra while sleeping, but it will help. When you shower, do not let your breasts get hit by the hot water... it stimulates them and tricks your body into thinking there is a nursing baby. Try ice packs, but do not leave them on exposed skin, and do not apply them for more than 15 minutes at a time... it could damage the nerves in your breasts. If you are still having pain, use the ice packs with cabbage leaves. Cabbage leaves will not help to dry out the milk, but they will help reduce swelling, as well as help with pain. If nothing else works, try binding your breasts with an ace bandage.

According to my doctor, it could take as long as 6 months to completely dry up the milk... so definately get yourself some nursing pads and remember, do not stimulate them.

Answer 2

Don't feel bad about not breastfeeding. Just be thankful that you have a choice of formulas to feed your baby instead! Situations like yours are a great example of why formula was originally invented! Millions of babies around the world grow up just fine with formula. You are doing the best you can for your baby, don't let anyone criticise you.

To reduce the flow of breastmilk, I think time is the main thing. After six weeks production usually evens out, so hopefully you should be seeing a reduction soon. Do you have a pump? If so you could pump a little to relieve the pain and engorgement, but don't pump any more than you need to or you will stimulate more production.
Use cold compresses (ice packs) alternating with warm compresses to relieve the symptoms. Don't keep a cold compress on for more than about 15 minutes at a time.

Chilled cabbage leaves are the old-wives remedy. I haven't tried them myself but several people I know swear that they really work.

Oatmeal is supposed to stimulate milk production, so avoid eating that if you want to reduce production.

Congratulations on your new baby! Best wishes!

Answer 3

Ignore all the advice to bind your breasts... that is a big mistake, as it can cause you to develop mastitis, an infection of the breast.

Cabbage leaves in your bra can help. There are several herbs that can help dry up your milk - sage, jasmine, and various mints come to mind. Buy a bottle of peppermint oil and massage your breasts lightly with it; and also buy peppermint or spearmint tea to drink.

Sudafed also causes your milk supply to drop (but you don't want to take too much of that) and birth control pills with estrogen can dry up milk.

There is no "shot" from the doctor anymore. They used to give women a shot to dry up breastmilk. One shot contained a super high dose of estrogen, but it has been linked to a possible increase in breast cancer risk and is not commonly recommended. The other was bromocriptine (this is the shot that women who had babies in the 70s and earlier remember) and it was discontinued because of strokes in women who'd had the shot.

Take some ibuprofen to help with pain and/or swelling, and make sure you don't stimulate your breasts.

Answer 4

Why not just use it. That is such a waste. Pump and put it in a bottle. Breastmilk is the best for the baby, but I guess it's up to you. Wrap your bust with an ace bandage and keep it one for a while until the breast milk stops. I can't believe you are still producing even though you are not feeding! You should really start breastfeeding if that's the case. There's nothing like it! You really bond with the baby! Just give it a try.

Answer 5

I agree. Why not just use it? It's cheaper and healthier for your baby. If s/he is accustomed to the bottle, then pump it. I was going through store circulars this morning and saw that one store had a couple of brands of formula on sale for $22. I'd hate to see the regular price. Personally, breastfeeding was the only option for me. As I type this with my right hand, my daughter is nursing on the left side.

Answer 6

i wasn't breastfeeding to, because of medical problems. So don't care what people say, they don't know that sometimes people have problems and they can't do it.
But anyway, my doctor told me to take pills to stop a lactose.
So talk to ur doctor and he will tell u .
Good luck and don't listen people.

Answer 7

try drinking some dandelion tea, a natural diuretic, and limiting your liquid intake and a good support bra. also letting your hubby feed the baby will make you not produce the hormone that encourages let down.

Answer 8

Nope. I will just dry up on it's own. Just be sure that you're not stimulating them to encourage let down and it'll stop eventually once your hormones even out.

Answer 9

Your doc can prescribe a medicine that stops production.

Answer 10

use the cabbage leaves to help dry it up--also, your birth control will help dry it up--depending on which one you are using.