When milk disappears after stopping breastfeeding

Termination of lactation is not a quick process and requires knowledge and an individual approach in each specific case. The benefits of breast milk are undeniable both from the point of view of pediatrics and the personal experience of women. A lack of breast milk leads to a woman’s postpartum depression, and the task of “feeding” is first on the list of a happy mother. In favor of breastfeeding, Dr. Komarovsky often mentions among his advice that breastfeeding allows the child to receive all the necessary vitamins and nutrients from the first days of life. This option is also convenient for mothers, as it makes it possible to move freely with the baby, without fear that he will get hungry. However, the question “at what age to stop breastfeeding” is also important.

When to stop breastfeeding?

Weaning a breastfed baby is not a piece of cake for everyone. There are many opinions on the topic of when lactation ends. Lack of knowledge leads to mistakes. Pediatricians are confident that after a year, breast milk completely loses its benefits, and in some cases can be harmful. The opposite point of view is that feeding should be done for at least 2 years. This is also evidenced by historical experience. In some tribes, babies receive mother's milk even after 5 years of life. Of course, this approach is incompatible with our reality. The debate continues, but when is the best time to wean your baby? This article will describe the personal experience of one of the authors of this site.

Stopping breastfeeding became a dream after my son reached his first birthday. It was difficult to lean towards one opinion or another, so I firmly decided that I would act based on my own feelings and intuition. The opinion of doctors and sources of information is unanimous - the end of breastfeeding should occur gradually, so I, having gained patience, decided to follow this position. The decisive argument was that this should not cause my son extreme stress.

The first thing I did to stop lactation was to start reducing milk intake, first once a day, then twice, etc. When my son wanted more, she fed him formula, hoping to wean him off completely soon. At first it really seemed that there was not enough milk, but the process took too long and one drawback arose. The breasts became swollen and the unemptied milk had to be expressed. In the end, my patience ran out and I turned to one of the radical ways to end breastfeeding.

How breast milk burns out: signs, sensations and duration

Breastfeeding is accompanied by dozens of myths and speculations. And the topic of milk “burnout” is one of them. Experienced mothers, elderly midwives and even old doctors talk about it. There is an opinion that milk necessarily burns out when breastfeeding ends and often during a woman’s illness, stress, and even during prolonged weaning of the baby, for a period of more than 20 hours. What exactly is meant by the term “breastmilk burnout”? And what is the essence of this process?

Process Features

The term “burnt out” in relation to breast milk has a long history. In the Middle Ages in Rus', this was the name given to the completion of the breastfeeding process. At the same time, a woman who decided to wean a baby or was forced to stop lactation due to the death of a child or her own illness was in high danger. The development of infectious mastitis for a resident of the Russian hinterland in the Middle Ages threatened much greater complications than for a modern mother. A ritual was used to reduce the risk of illness and help the milk flow “easily.”

The woman had to drip milk from her breasts onto a hot stove. It was believed that then it should disappear as easily as its evaporation from the oven. The milk was burnt or burnt out, they said in Rus' then. The term has taken root in modern culture, but is used in a broader sense. By it we mean:

• completion of breastfeeding;
• spoilage of milk due to a woman’s illness with a high fever;
• suspension of lactation due to stress.

Each case has its own lactation mechanisms, but, oddly enough, the milk does not burn out at all.

Breast milk cannot burn out, disappear, or spoil. It is as physiological for a woman’s body as blood. It is not spoiled by high temperature during illness and is not stopped by stress. During the period of weaning a child from the breast, it is correct to talk about suppression of lactation.

Stress and illness can cause temporary cessation of lactation. Each case has its own nuances of breastfeeding disorders.

In case of illness

Symptoms of breast milk burnout are looked for in a woman’s increased temperature, engorgement, or, conversely, a feeling of empty breasts. This opinion is wrong. With the development of an acute viral infection, the temperature rises in response to the attack of the virus, as the body's immune defense. As the temperature rises, the body experiences a greater need for moisture, and if it does not receive it, signs of dehydration are observed.

Since breast milk consists of 90% water, a lack of fluid in the body is detrimental to it. Its production cannot be carried out in the same volumes. At the same time, the temperature itself does not have any effect on the milk. Moreover, with the development of acute respiratory infections, doctors strongly recommend continuing breastfeeding, since with milk the baby will receive antibodies to the viral infection from the mother. And in case of illness, it will be much easier to bear.

Another possible situation is breast engorgement. It occurs due to stagnation due to the fact that the mother is afraid to feed the baby and breastfeeds less often. This situation is even more dangerous, since after recovery from acute respiratory infections, mastitis may develop due to stagnation.

What to do to prevent milk from “burning out” during illness?

• Feed as usual. Do not wean your baby off your breast, as you will do him and yourself much more harm than good. Continue feeding, despite the presence of fever and pain.
• Drink more fluids. Water will help maintain lactation at a sufficient level and alleviate the condition when the temperature rises.

With infectious mastitis and taking certain antibiotics, a woman is prohibited from breastfeeding. But after recovery, lactation can be restored.

Under stress

In a stressful situation, lactation disturbances are possible, but milk cannot “burn out” from stress. In this case, the following processes occur.

• Milk production does not stop. It is activated by the hormone prolactin, whose function is not affected by stress. From a hormonal point of view, no changes occur in the body, and lactation can remain at normal levels.
• Milk secretion becomes more difficult. The hormone oxytocin is responsible for transporting it to the nipples and controlled release from the breast. Stress really does have an effect on him. A decrease in the level of oxytocin leads to stagnation of milk in the breast: there is product in it, but it is trapped in the ducts, which makes it much more difficult for the baby to extract it. Stagnation, in turn, inhibits the work of prolactin, which “understands” that milk is not used, which means less of it is needed. The situation is aggravated by the deterioration of the mother’s emotional and physiological state: the baby refuses the breast, worries, screams, the breasts swell and hurt.

What to do to prevent milk from “burning out” from stress?

• Feed as usual. Do not reduce the frequency of breastfeeding.
• Work on the “oxytocin reflex.” In a negative emotional state, it can be induced artificially. Drinking plenty of warm water, warm water procedures, and massaging the nipples with a towel will help “deceive” the body. But the best way to return oxytocin to its previous level is to have skin-to-skin contact with your baby, touching him to your breast.

Correct behavior of a woman during periods of illness or stress will eliminate problems with lactation and allow her to maintain breastfeeding.

Burnout at the end of breastfeeding

When the baby is weaned from the breast, the processes of suppressing lactation are launched. However, it is useless to look for symptoms of how breast milk burns out in this situation. Your body is not a mechanism in which milk production can be turned off “with one button.” Lactation fades gradually, and it is better if you notice these signs before you decide to stop breastfeeding.

With natural completion, involution of lactation (or its suppression) occurs under the following circumstances.

• The child has reached 2.5 years old. When children reach this age, they begin to pay more attention to games and communication than to “mother’s boobs.” A decrease in demand also reduces supply - there is less milk.
• Breastfeeding is a small part of the diet. The child fully eats “adult” food, and asks for breastfeeding only occasionally, 1-2 times a day.
• There are no night feedings. They usually last much longer than during the day. During the day, the baby may not pay any attention to the breast, but at night he literally “hangs” on it. In this situation, natural completion of lactation is impossible, since prolactin production peaks between three and eight o'clock in the morning. Weaning from the breast will be painful for both mother and baby. The possibility of involution will ensure that the child sleeps peacefully in his crib until the morning. And this can only be achieved through pedagogical methods.

If these signs are observed, feeding may be suspended. How many days does breast milk “burn out” in this case? Production will be significantly reduced within five to seven days. But it will remain in the mammary glands for a long time - up to six months.

Natural involution of lactation implies a painless completion of breastfeeding for mother and baby. However, if the separation occurred suddenly, the woman’s breasts may become engorged due to stagnation, causing discomfort and pain.

After the pills

Taking medications to suppress lactation quickly reduces milk production. However, lactation consultants point out the dangers of such drugs. According to breastfeeding consultant Natalya Razakhatskaya, it makes sense to use hormonal drugs (Bromocriptine, Dostinex and others) only in exceptional conditions when it is impossible to reduce prolactin levels in any other way.

Such conditions include, for example, a pituitary adenoma, which provides increased levels of prolactin. In other cases, a woman can control the volume of milk production herself, gradually reducing the number of breastfeedings. After the pills, negative consequences often develop (nausea, headaches, fatigue of the woman), plus they do not always help achieve the expected result. And after a two-week course of treatment, breast engorgement returns.

One of the most negative consequences of ending lactation with the help of pills is the prolonged effect. In this case, the drug may inhibit milk production in the next pregnancy.

The question of how long breast milk burns out usually concerns the first, most painful days at the end of lactation. This period takes about a week. Simple means can alleviate a woman’s condition.

• Periodic pumping. The breasts should not feel full; this will prevent the development of lactostasis.
• Reducing fluid volume. Eliminate soups, juices, and other drinks from your diet for a while. Instead, drink decoctions of mint and sage in a volume of no more than 0.5 liters per day.
• Cool compresses. Soak the cloth in cool water and place it on your chest to normalize your health.

You will notice a decrease in milk production due to the condition of your breasts. Initially, you will need several pumpings per day, then their number will be reduced to one per day, then to one every other day. When the mammary glands become soft, you will no longer need to express. But the milk will remain in them and will last for quite a long time.

According to Yulia Nedosekova, an endocrinologist at the Siberian State Medical University, small separations from the mammary glands can persist for three years after pregnancy. Moreover, it does not matter whether the pregnancy ended in childbirth or was artificially terminated. Active stimulation of the nipples during sex and even communication with the baby in your arms can provoke the production of fluid from the nipples.

After finishing breastfeeding for three to six months, milk may leak from the breasts. This is how the “oxytocin reflex” manifests itself, which occurs in response to taking a warm bath or drinking hot tea. In the future, production will decrease and become almost invisible. But it can manifest itself over several years or even a lifetime. At the same time, there is no reason to suspect that a woman has any hormonal pathologies unless there is a parallel menstrual cycle disorder or the fluid discharged from the breast does not acquire a distinct color or smell.

The process of “milk burnout” is not typical for the female body. The physiology of lactation is much more complex than is commonly believed. The fear that milk will burn out during illness or stress is unfounded and can be eliminated by increasing the woman's awareness. At the end of lactation, the mammary glands gradually lose activity. And they come to a “pre-pregnancy” state within six months.

kids365.ru

Breast ligation as a radical way to get rid of milk

From one of my friends I heard about such a method as tightening the chest with a tight bandage. She assured that this was a good method to quickly get rid of milk and start a new life. Stretch yourself - and no problem! But I’m not in the habit of taking the word of someone else’s experience. Therefore, I decided to learn about this method of interrupting lactation from other sources. So what would you think? Almost all printed and electronic publications assure that breast tightening is one of the toughest ways to resolve the issue! What stops it is that there is little benefit in tying the chest, but the harm is colossal. The fact is that constriction of breast milk disrupts blood circulation, resulting in stagnation, and this is fraught with lactostasis and even mastitis. Naturally, after such information, the desire to bandage the mammary glands quickly left me.

The only tool you need to equip yourself for the period of completion of lactation is a comfortable and tight “wireless” bra, preferably made of cotton. This will not only reduce the risk of stretch marks, but also protect your breasts from sagging.

And back to mom again: how to replenish resources

— What other advice can you give to women who decide to stop breastfeeding?

- Of course, you need to try not to stop feeding abruptly, but start “from afar.” It’s not that today I decided to stop feeding (despite the fact that the baby suckled 8-10 times a day), and tomorrow I bravely hold on and don’t give him the breast at all. With the beginning of the introduction of complementary foods (after six months), plan to reduce the number of feedings, and by one and a half to two years, when you breastfeed once or twice a day, only then can you think about stopping feedings altogether. At the age of about one and a half years, as practice shows, weaning occurs most painlessly from the point of view of the emotional state of both mother and baby.

— How should a woman eat at the stage of reducing the number of feedings and after stopping breastfeeding?

— Recommendations that are the opposite of those we give to nursing mothers: do not give the body resources to produce milk. If the first advice to breastfeeding people is to consume a lot of liquid, then for those who finish breastfeeding, on the contrary, it is better not to drink a lot at first. And do not put the baby to the breast, since sucking is the main powerful stimulus that restarts the hormonal mechanism of milk production.

— You probably also need to eat less?

— Maybe less, but more often. For at least another month and a half, you should try to maintain fractional meals. That is, eat often, but little by little - just like during breastfeeding. This is necessary so that the body does not suddenly begin to accumulate everything and put it in reserve. From a nutritional point of view, the first months after breastfeeding are critical for women in terms of weight gain. After all, while the woman was intensively breastfeeding, not only the incoming substances, but also the resources of her own body - everything was directed towards maintaining lactation. Milk production itself is a rather complex, energy-intensive process, and often nursing mothers, on the contrary, lose weight. But at the end of breastfeeding, a woman can finally not limit herself and indulges in sweets, chocolate... But her energy consumption no longer corresponds to the previous level - and everything received is deposited in fat depots. By the way, this is generally one of the main rules for those who watch their figure: the same set of foods in terms of quantity and composition, eaten in six meals, is absorbed completely differently than the same food eaten, say, in two times.

- Like this?!

— The less often you eat, the more intensely nutrients are absorbed. Roughly speaking, the body cannot understand: “Where is all this going, why?” And most importantly - “when will I be fed next time”? – and puts it aside just in case. So if for ordinary healthy adults the optimal diet is 4 times a day, then for pregnant women, lactating women and those who have just finished feeding, it is 6 times.

— And if the mother ate no more than three times a day during breastfeeding, is it still necessary to switch to 6 meals a day at the end of lactation?

— Yes, during this period, in order not to gain excess weight, I recommend dividing the same amount of food that you previously consumed in three times into six small meals. Increase the number of meals, but do not increase the amount eaten. For example, do not eat the first and second dishes at once: eat only the first course, and the second two or three hours later. Weight gain in the first months after breastfeeding is also facilitated by a change in lifestyle: often, after finishing breastfeeding, the mother immediately goes to work, where, as a rule, she has to sit a lot. And, literally, while sitting at work, she no longer spends as many calories as sitting at home with her child. In general, it should be noted that staying at home with children is a very difficult task in terms of physical activity! So, when she stops breastfeeding, a woman, firstly, actively turns to sweets, and secondly, by inertia she continues to eat a lot, but she eats less often (since she goes to work), and most importantly, she no longer spends as many calories as before. Here are the main points due to which weight gain occurs immediately after the end of lactation.

— What else can you do to improve your health, support, and replenish your resources? After all, there is probably a loss of various substances in the mother’s body, for example, calcium... They say: with each child, a mother loses one of her teeth...

— Prevention of various types of losses should begin not even during pregnancy, but at the stage of preparation for conception. And during pregnancy, a woman should support herself with vitamin and mineral complexes. When we don’t do this, our own resource goes into milk. And on the contrary, if we take additional calcium supplements, iodide, protein or something else (which is recommended), then the body’s resources are not depleted so much. But the most unpleasant thing is that not everything that “left the depot” can be replenished. “Nature abhors a vacuum,” and if a nursing woman does not receive, for example, the same additional sources of calcium, then something else is built in its place (into the tissue of bones, teeth, nails). And as a rule, these are heavy metals. And then, even if at the end of lactation we begin to take calcium supplements, it is sometimes not possible to “build” the once lost calcium into its rightful place - the place is already occupied by other microelements. Therefore, a woman who is still preparing for pregnancy should already saturate her body with vitamins and minerals. Research shows that if a woman ate poorly during pregnancy and began to monitor her diet only after giving birth (starting breastfeeding), then the substances she receives do not go into milk! They go primarily to replenish its own resources. Because it is an organism, and milk is its secondary product. And the body takes care of itself first, and only then about its additional functions.

“I think with horror: throughout the entire year of breastfeeding, I myself took calcium supplements at best. And those - from time to time. What should I do now - run to the pharmacy for drugs?

— There are many different drugs, dietary supplements, various food components, special-purpose products, fortified products... You need to purchase one or another product, depending on what the body needs. As a rule, all mothers who have finished breastfeeding experience a deficiency of calcium, iron, iodine and a number of vitamins.

— Is it possible to independently determine which substances the body lacks?

“There are, of course, very complex tests to help establish this, but usually no one is consulted, and women take standard, affordable vitamin-mineral complexes or vitamin cocktails for pregnant and lactating women. But of course, it is better to start taking any medications after consulting a doctor, because everything is individual. For example, if a woman ate half a kilogram of cottage cheese every day throughout the entire period of breastfeeding, then she may not need calcium at all, but vitamin D. And another, for example, does not receive calcium at all from foods, and she certainly needs a calcium supplement . And if we recommend that every woman (not pregnant or lactating) consume 1000 mg of calcium per day (relatively speaking, this is a liter of milk or kefir), then a nursing mother - no less than 1500 mg. If we don't get this amount of calcium, whether we want it or not, a deficiency occurs.

- And yet, there are probably some external signs: for example, they say that with a lack of calcium, nails become brittle and peel, hair begins to fall out...

— Most often, there is a combined deficiency; many factors in combination can cause similar symptoms, and therefore complex drugs are prescribed, where some components enhance the effect of others, complement each other, and the body still, as they say, “takes its toll.” The same hair may fall out due to a lack of not only calcium, but also iron and iodine, and this may also be a sign of a lack of B vitamins and protein... Nails are, indeed, a calcium depot, but they can also suffer due to a lack in the body of zinc and iron... It is quite difficult to say unambiguously why certain symptoms occur - you need to analyze the woman’s diet as a whole and take into account the lifestyle that she leads. and to this we need to add: how all that wonderful, vitamin-rich food that you eat is digested. You can eat, eat, and eat valuable food, but all this will be excreted with the same success...

Folk recipes - to help nursing mothers

There are no food products that can help stop lactation at home. In order to have little milk, you need to exclude spicy, salty, smoked foods, which provoke thirst. The mechanism is simple, drinking plenty of water means increased milk production. The same goes for vegetables and fruits with a lot of liquid.

Mothers' first friend for stopping lactation is herbal decoctions. These include parsley, sage, basil, lingonberry, bearberry, horsetail, cinquefoil, etc. Their diuretic effect allows you to remove excess fluid from the body, which means reducing milk production. My grandmother also used such a good herb as sage. There were many children in the family, so suppression of lactation was common.

The recipe is quite simple: you need to take 2 tbsp. one of the herbs and brew 0.5 liters of boiling water in a ceramic or glass container. After a couple of hours, the infusion is ready, which is consumed instead of water, but no more than 6 glasses a day. Sage also worked for me, which I drank daily (3-4 times, half a glass). About the fourth day I felt significant relief, my breasts became much smaller, the pain went away. However, do not forget that before you start using any folk remedy, you need to consult your doctor. This or that herb can cause undesirable consequences in specific cases.

To help mothers: compresses are a good way to help get rid of pain. Rubbing with camphor oil 3-4 times a day significantly relieves tension and pain. Applying cabbage leaves is also considered effective in folk medicine. Tie them to your chest for about an hour. It is enough to do this once a day for a week.

How to stop lactation naturally and get rid of breast milk

When we talk about the natural cessation of lactation, we mean the complete disappearance of breast milk. At the same time, we do not take into account the whole range of physiological factors that prompt our body to produce it. In our chest there is not a factory or a train that can be “slowed down at full speed.” Our brain, nervous system, hormones, and only then the mammary glands work to produce breast milk. Therefore, the question of how to stop a woman’s milk lactation must be considered, first of all, from a physiological point of view.

Physiology of lactation suppression

According to research by anthropologists, in the primitive world, stopping breastfeeding a “human child” was practiced when it reached two and a half to seven years of age. With the development of civilization, these dates have shifted significantly. It’s hard to imagine a modern mother breastfeeding a six-year-old child! However, our body is capable of this.

Suppression of lactation naturally, that is, as nature programmed us, occurs in the presence of the following factors.

• The child's age is from 2.5 years. During this period, the composition of breast milk changes dramatically. Breastfeeding consultant Natalya Razakhatskaya claims that by the age of three, the baby’s food begins to more closely resemble colostrum. The intensity of its production decreases. And the composition is dominated by immunoglobulins and biologically active substances. Their number is large - one application to the breast provides the child with 60 doses of immunoglobulin, which forms the child’s immunity. Thus, the practical importance of breast milk is changing. It no longer becomes food, but a “vaccination” against diseases.
• The extinction of the sucking reflex. Physiologically, the need for sucking goes away as the child’s nervous system matures. And this happens by the time he reaches three years of age. Stopping breast milk before this time means prolonging the period of its maturation, since this food contains neurostimulating substances responsible for the development of the nervous system.
• Lack of frequent need for breastfeeding. Sucking a mother's breast is not a whim of a mature baby, but his physiological need. Over time, it goes away, just as a baby goes from crawling to walking upright. For women who continue to breastfeed until this period, the question of how to get rid of breast milk does not arise. It disappears on its own as the baby asks for the breast less and less.
• No breast engorgement. It is possible to complete lactation naturally only if the mammary glands are not filled “to capacity” when the baby is rarely applied to them. The intervals between feedings can reach 12-24 hours, and the woman does not experience any discomfort.
• Separate sleep. It is impossible to remove breast milk without resorting to pedagogical methods. A baby should be accustomed to sleeping in his own crib separately from his parents after two years. You will need to come up with your own “ritual” of going to bed; reading books, a bedtime song, or a fairy tale will do. At the same time, at night, if the baby asks for breastfeeding, feed him and put him back in the crib. Gradually the frequency of such “requests” will decrease. And the child will sleep peacefully until the morning.

Even at an “adult” age, after two years, stopping breastfeeding is a violent decision towards the child. For him this is more than a habit. This is close proximity to mom, food and pleasure at the same time. Be patient and wean your baby gradually.

However, cessation of lactation by achieving involution is not always possible. There are other scenarios:

• weaning immediately after childbirth - for medical reasons for a woman or child;
• self-refusal of the baby - the baby does not want to suckle at the breast for various reasons, he has to be switched to “adult” food;
• weaning after a year - this is facilitated by the woman’s physiological or emotional fatigue, the need for restful sleep, and the desire to “free up her hands.”

In each case, it is important to consider that the World Health Organization recommends maintaining breastfeeding until the age of two. If stopping it is desirable for a number of reasons, try to extend lactation until the baby is one and a half years old. At this age, it is unacceptable to switch him to an “adult” diet in the summer. After two years, the season at which lactation ends is not of fundamental importance.

The onset of involution of lactation in a woman occurs within forty days. This period should be counted from the moment the baby was last put to the breast. If active sucking is resumed, lactation may return a month after the last feeding.

After 40 days, the structure of the mammary glands changes, making the return of lactation impossible. The glandular tissue is replaced by fatty tissue, after which the breast goes into a “pre-pregnancy” state.

The question of how to quickly stop lactation immediately after childbirth arises when diseases of the mother or child are identified. It is necessary to alleviate the woman’s condition if the child was stillborn or had a late miscarriage. In order for breast milk to disappear, it is necessary to use folk remedies and medications.

In the first days, the mammary glands will secrete colostrum, which will be replaced by full milk already on the third to fifth day. The inability to remove it from the breast will lead to redness, soreness, and fever. With proper care, this condition will last for several days. But it takes longer to completely suppress lactation. Its extinction occurs within two to three weeks.

A woman’s tactics should be coordinated with a doctor, who will recommend how to stop the production of breast milk in a gentle way.

• Wear a tight bra 24/7. It should not compress the chest, but it is important to fix it well.
• Apply cool compresses. Ice wrapped in a towel or cold bandages will help stop lactation at home. Apply them to the mammary glands to relieve pain and burning.
• Do not allow your chest to expand. When your milk becomes too much, express it. Do this a little at a time to eliminate excess. Over time, its production will decrease naturally.
• Take painkillers. Paracetamol and ibuprofen based products will help normalize the condition. The latter has an anti-inflammatory effect.
• Use folk remedies. Termination of lactation using folk remedies is safer than using pills. Place cabbage leaves in your bra, which relieve swelling well and work as a cold compress. You can reduce the severity of hot flashes with the help of sage. It should be brewed in two bags or a tablespoon and consumed as a cold infusion. Using camphor oil, you can improve the condition of your breasts and perform a massage to facilitate pumping.
• Consult a doctor if persistent lumps form. Milk stagnation manifests itself in the form of dense lumps in the breast. If you find them, gently massage these areas. If they persist, your health worsens and a fever appears, lactostasis has probably developed, which requires drug treatment.

It is impossible to stop lactation correctly and do it quickly. Milk production decreases gradually as milk flow from the breast (consumption) decreases.

Doctors often prescribe the drugs Bromocriptine and Dostinex to achieve a quick effect. The former is banned for use in the United States due to the numerous side effects it causes. The second can also cause headaches, fatigue, and nosebleeds, but is allowed in a number of countries due to fewer side effects.

Before using them, it is important to understand the real need for use. It exists if the level of prolactin is critically high, and it is impossible to stop lactation by other means. In other cases, it is not advisable to resort to taking pills, since they provoke not only immediate effects, but also delayed problems in the form of hormonal imbalances.

By woman's decision

The question of how to stop lactation at home often arises because a woman is tired. The baby has grown up and is very active, but breastfeeding seems to take so much energy and does not allow him to fully rest at night. The decision to stop breastfeeding when the baby reaches one and a half years of age will be justified. Until this time, milk continues to play a vital role in the development of his body.

It is natural to gradually wean the baby from the breast, including reducing the number of feedings. It creates better conditions for mother and child.

• Less discomfort. There is no feeling of fullness of the mammary glands, the risk of lactostasis and mastitis is reduced.
• No emotional discomfort. If you “tear” a baby from the breast suddenly, at one moment, a jump in the hormone prolactin occurs. It causes a woman to feel depressed. A gradual reduction in the number of feedings allows you to “survive” this condition in a mild form.
• The baby experiences less stress. His adaptation to new living conditions is easier.

It is necessary to postpone stopping feeding if the baby is sick or restless. Do not plan this “event” for periods of sudden changes in his life (moving, you going back to work, etc.), as emotional breakdowns are likely.

The most important aspect in the question of how to stop breastfeeding is the mother's consistency and self-confidence. A positive attitude and clear coordination of actions help to complete lactation calmly and without negative consequences.

Use the following sequence of actions.

• Avoid applying during the day, while you are awake. Find an attractive alternative (juice from a sippy cup, cookies, apple).
• Eliminate feeding upon waking. Let someone else be with the baby at these moments: grandma, dad. If this is not possible, distract the baby with something interesting: look out the window, pick up a new toy.
• Teach your baby to go to bed without breastfeeding. Daytime feedings will go first, then before bedtime. Come up with another way to be close to your baby: sit near his crib, read a book, sing a song.

Avoid latching in your sleep. If the baby learns to fall asleep without the breast, they will go away on their own.

Habits don't form quickly! This technique on how to stop lactation without pills works within two to three months. Don't force things. This way you will help both your baby and your body adapt more easily to new conditions.

Avoid the “stop feeding abruptly” tactic. It creates a high risk of complications for your body. Even if breastfeeding is stopped immediately, breast milk will remain in the mammary glands for at least 40 days.

Breast milk will continue to be produced in small quantities in the future—for six months. Even discharge after a few years when pressing on the nipples is considered normal. You should be concerned about your own health if milk randomly leaks from the mammary glands three months after the end of feeding. Or, against the background of minor discharge from the breast, there is a disruption in the menstrual cycle.

kids365.ru

Medicines to suppress lactation

Sometimes situations occur when breast milk does not disappear and traditional medicine is powerless in this regard. In this case, doctors prescribe medications. Bromocriptine, Dostinex, Duphaston, etc. are tablets that successfully help stop lactation. But even in this case, the result will not be immediate. It may take a whole month before lactation is completely suppressed.

Any adult woman should know that only the treating gynecologist or other competent specialist can prescribe hormone-containing drugs and their dosage. Therefore, it is absolutely not appropriate to engage in independent treatment here.

In my case, it didn’t come to the point of taking hormonal drugs. Reducing feedings, sage and cabbage compresses helped a lot. But in difficult situations, when there are contraindications to breastfeeding or when lactation needs to be completed quickly, and there is an excess of milk, this method seems to be the only possible one.

Recommendations on the rules for taking medications usually come down to several postulates:

• switch to the drug only if absolutely necessary;
• Be sure to consult your doctor in advance;
• do not exceed the indicated doses and express milk little by little to avoid pain and inflammation;
• listen to your body and if you feel unwell, tell your doctor;
• simultaneous use of pills and breastfeeding is strictly contraindicated;
• When taking medication, do not tighten your breasts;
• products containing gestagen are the safest;
• if for some reason you decide to resume breastfeeding, wait until the medicine is eliminated from the body, express your breasts and then start feeding your baby.

How does breast milk burn out?

The figurative expression “breast milk burnout” does not quite reflect the essence of the process. Popularly, milk burnout is understood as a decrease in its production, up to its complete stop. In medical practice, the phrase “breast milk burnout” is used only in the case of acute mastitis, with high fever and severe course, which results in a decrease or reduction in the production of human milk. The general public knows exactly the first meaning; “burnt out” for most mothers means “disappeared.”

How breast milk burns out: physiological processes

More than one scientific article has been written about how breast milk burns out; from a physiological point of view, this process looks like this.

The lactation process is controlled by two hormones: prolactin (responsible for milk production) and oxytocin (responsible for the release of milk from the breast). Lactation occurs according to the principle “the higher the demand, the higher the supply.” By the same principle, breast milk burns out - “the lower the demand, the lower the supply.” When a woman reduces the number of feedings, the levels of prolactin and oxytocin decrease, and breast milk is produced and released in smaller quantities. Subsequent reductions in feedings further reduce hormone levels, until the breast milk completely burns out.

How long does it take for breast milk to burn out?

No doctor can say exactly how long it takes for breast milk to burn out. Lactation processes are very individual. Some women forget that there was milk in their breasts just a week after the end of feeding, while others continue to secrete drops of it for two years after weaning.

To the question of worried mothers: “How many days does breast milk burn out?”, the answer can still be given, but it is slightly ambiguous. Theoretically, the feeling of breast fullness and minor pain should last no more than a week after the correct (!) end of breastfeeding. But a slight release of milk (a few drops) when pressing on the nipple or, for example, while taking a shower can be observed for several weeks, months and even years.

Symptoms of burnt breast milk

If the baby is weaned correctly, there should be no symptoms of milk burnout. The maximum that a woman can feel is heaviness in the chest and mild pain for several days after the end of feeding.

But, of course, if a young mother breastfeeds her baby 8 times a day, and then suddenly stops feeding, then the symptoms of breast milk burnout will be more pronounced. Namely:

• feelings of fullness and heaviness in the chest;
• pain in the mammary gland;
• presence of lumps in the chest;
• increased body temperature;
• general painful condition.

To avoid everything written above, you need to stop breastfeeding correctly. Gradually reduce the number of feedings per day, for example, a month before the expected complete end of breastfeeding. Thus, the burnout of breast milk will occur slowly and by the end of the month there will only be one or two daily feedings left, the cancellation of which will not in any way affect your well-being and the psyche of your baby.

If breastfeeding is completed correctly, then various questions like: how long does it take for breast milk to burn out? How long does it take for breast milk to burn out? and others will simply not be relevant.

But there are still persistent myths regarding breastfeeding. And young mothers often, perhaps out of inexperience, use completely unacceptable methods in order to speed up the process of burning out breast milk. One of them is breast bandaging.

Do not under any circumstances carry out this activity that is harmful to your health. To reduce pain, simply express a little milk and massage your breasts under a warm shower. If you are a very milky mother and cannot cope with the abundance of breast milk, then it may be appropriate to take a Bromocriptine or Dostinex tablet. Of course, these drugs are prescribed by a doctor, and he will inform you of possible side effects.

Related articles:

WomanAdvice.ru

A little more personal experience

It was a little over three or four months after I stopped breastfeeding that I noticed milk leaking when I applied pressure. At first it scared me, but after turning to the gynecologist, everything was explained to me. It turns out that this is a normal process when the body still remembers its natural functions. It can last up to six months. If after this period milk is still released, you should sound the alarm and run to a specialist. Most likely, in this way, the body gives a signal about a developing disease. Fortunately, I avoided this fate and correctly completed the breastfeeding phase with the help of sage infusion.

I would also like to focus on the psychological component of this problem. Stopping breastfeeding means a lot of stress for a mother. It’s good if there is little milk or it’s completely gone, then the process will be painless. In other cases, the help of loved ones, both moral and physical, helps a lot. I was lucky; during this difficult period for us, my husband was there and supported as best he could.

Instead of conclusions

The mother will always have a sensitive attitude towards breastfeeding. This is a period of close contact with newborns, characterized by deep care and a close loving bond. The happiness of breastfeeding a child brings an incredible amount of positive emotions! A woman who declares “I don’t want to breastfeed” either experienced a nervous shock during or immediately after childbirth, or has other compelling reasons for saying so. For example, breast milk intolerance. In other cases, the newborn eats breast milk in the required quantity, and breastfeeding is stopped at the request of the mother. Effective folk methods that have proven themselves for a long time help to gradually stop breastfeeding. Lingonberries, horsetail, sage, cabbage compresses and camphor rubs have helped many. Herbs have a diuretic effect, and cabbage and camphor compresses significantly soften the breasts and help reduce pain. In difficult situations, medications are used to stop lactation.

From the experience of my friends, I know how women worry when a child does not have enough breast milk, the child does not eat well, or the child does not want to eat formula, and there is not enough milk. You can talk about the benefits of guards as much as you like, the fact remains that it is irreplaceable. The issue of nutrition is important, as is its proper completion. Regular ligation of the mammary glands will not only become useless, but can also cause significant harm. Drawing on breast milk is dangerous; it can lead to lactostasis and mastitis. Completing breastfeeding is a very responsible process, depending solely on the individual preferences of the nursing mother. The main principle of breastfeeding and weaning is to stop feeding gradually and remember, there is a time for everything!

How and when does breast milk burn out?

The burnout of breast milk among people means that the amount of milk produced by a nursing mother decreases until it disappears completely. Doctors use this term to refer to acute mastitis, which is accompanied by bleeding and high fever. In everyday life, burnout is understood to be the first meaning. In this case, a decrease in the amount of milk is accompanied by painful symptoms.

How and how long does milk burn out?

Many nursing mothers are concerned about the question of how much and how breast milk burns out. Milk begins to burn out after breastfeeding ends. Then the woman is ready for the milk to disappear. However, sometimes burnout occurs due to stress, illness, poor diet and taking medications at a time when stopping breastfeeding is not planned.

Prolactin and oxytocin are hormones that are responsible for the production of breast milk. When hormone levels decrease, milk volume also decreases. As a rule, this occurs due to a reduction in the number of feedings and attachments to the breast. A gradual decrease in feeding ultimately leads to complete burnout of the milk. Remember that the lactation process directly depends on the frequency of the baby's attachment to the breast.

No doctor will tell you how long or how long breast milk burns out. After all, the process of lactation proceeds differently for every woman. For some, milk disappears a few days after finishing feeding, for others - after two months. In this case, milk burnout may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

• pain and heaviness in the chest;
• presence of lumps in the mammary glands;
• temperature increase;
• malaise, loss of strength and painful condition.

The more abruptly and quickly you stop breastfeeding, the more severe the symptoms will appear. To avoid such problems, you need to complete lactation correctly. Gradually reduce the number of feedings. How to stop breastfeeding correctly and how many months after the birth of the baby, read more at the link https://vskormi.ru/mama/kak-otuchit-rebenka-ot-grudnogo-vskarmlivaniya/.

Burnout due to illness and stress

Colds and other viral diseases are not a reason to stop breastfeeding. Stopping breastfeeding will only weaken the newborn's immunity and increase the risk of infection. To protect your baby, simply wear a mask while applying.

If you have an elevated temperature, consult your doctor to prescribe appropriate treatment that will not harm the baby and lactation. Paracetamol tablets and some other drugs are considered safe for a nursing mother. Do not forget about folk remedies and drink more fluids. Read here what to do if a nursing mother has a cold.

However, there are other diseases that require special attention. First of all, it is mastitis. In this case, it is important to start treatment on time and correctly to avoid complications. Regularly check your breasts for milk stagnation, maintain hygiene and care for your breasts and nipples, do a gentle breast massage and apply compresses.

For mastitis, only a doctor can prescribe treatment! As a rule, for purulent and infectious mastitis, antibiotics are prescribed, while breastfeeding is prohibited. But even among such drugs, there are tablets that are compatible with lactation! However, if you have been prescribed medications that are prohibited while breastfeeding, do not be discouraged. A short interruption will not lead to milk burnout, and lactation can always be restored.

Stress, overwork, loss of energy and depression are common among breastfeeding mothers. However, even with such negative phenomena, the milk will not burn out, but lactation will be disrupted. Stress makes it harder for milk to come out, but it doesn't stop production. This can lead to stagnation of milk! Do not rush to take sedative pills, as many medications can only worsen lactation. Tips from this article will help a nursing mother overcome stress and depression.

Burnout at the end of lactation

When the mother has made a conscious decision to stop breastfeeding, or the baby is already refusing breast milk and is ready to completely switch to adult food, the question arises how long it will take for the milk to disappear. With the natural and gradual completion of lactation, problems with excess milk do not arise.

If you follow the rules for completing lactation, milk production decreases significantly after 5-7 days. But the remains will remain in the mammary glands for a long time - about six months. But these are small droplets that sometimes stand out and do not cause discomfort.

How to properly end lactation:

• Start reducing the number and duration of feedings about a month before the expected end of breastfeeding;
• First, eliminate indiscriminate and unnecessary daytime feedings, daytime feedings during sleep, then morning feedings, and lastly eliminate night feedings;
• Doctors and pediatricians recommend completing lactation at the age of 1.5-2.5 years. However, these are general recommendations, because a lot depends on the individual development of the baby. Focus on the child’s behavior and well-being;
• Drink less fluid and try to remove excess water from the body as much as possible. Various decoctions and physical activity will help;
• Engage in active sports, do exercises;
• Use folk remedies such as infusions of sage and mint. These herbs negatively affect milk production and reduce milk volumes.

But at the end of lactation, you cannot bandage your breasts! This method will lead to the formation of mastitis and infections. If you have chest pain, you can express excess milk; in addition, there are special pills to complete lactation. But before use, carefully study the instructions, permissible dosage and rules of administration, contraindications and side effects. Better yet, consult your doctor.

What you can take when you stop breastfeeding, read the article “Lactation Pills.”

vskormi.ru