How to Stop Milk Production with Little Pain?

Hi W., Sorry to say that is just not possiable...there will be pain. Every time you pump you produce, so you have to stop cold turkey. Have tight bras, ice packs, and some advil or tylanol handy and you will only be uncomfortable for a few days. Sorry, but we all have to go through it sooner or later. Best wishes.

I had to read this post, because I just stopped breastfeeding my 10 month old. Although I'm not seeing anything I didn't try with my first. I drank the sage tea instead of using regular sage, you can buy sage tea bags at a health food store), used the cabbage leaves, etc. I still was producing breast milk two years after I stopped nursing number 1. One thing that does help the discomfort is wrapping ice packs and putting them in my bra, usually after a morning shower. Most likely if you stop pumping your milk will dry up, or at won't be as bad.

Hi W.....ditto on the cabbage leaves...I did wear a sports bra with them to keep them tight against my skin..your in luck too...I think cabbage is on sale this week due to good old St Patrick...Good Luck...M.

Yep--cabbage leaves in the bra & cool shower on the breasts.

Check with your doc and ask about a natural way to stop, I am sure there is a pill at GNC or something that will help stop it. Also, I have no idea what the reason is, but I know cabbage leaves in the bra help dry up milk. It can get pretty stinky, but does work. I guess relieve the pressure with warm compresses and express small amounts at a time to relieve also. Once you stop pumping, it will go faster. Maybe you could express manually instead of pumping, then you wouldn't produce so much at a time?? Gradual will be the best approach to keep the discomfort to a minimum. Good luck!

I agree with some of the comments that you're pumping too much still. I know it can be uncomfortable, but the more you pump the more you fill back up. I'd cut back, lose one session per day or two till you stop. The whole time, take lots of hot showers and massage yourself so you don't get blockages. Use cold and heat alternating, whatever feels good. It will drop off soon. I'm sorry it didn't work out, but you're doing great. I also had nursing issues and weaned at around 2 months, and I know what you mean when you ask for kindness on this issue. Some mamas can be so judgey! Take care, and try to enjoy those nice full breasts while they last!

I hear those cabbage leaves really work too! But what I did was stop pumping alltogether except to only pump for a couple minutes when i felt engourged to releave the pressure. That's it. It took about a week for me to dry up and I didn't have too much pain...nothing that didn't go away after I pumped for a couple minutes. Oh yeah, and also in the morning when i really felt full, i would just take a shower and hand express a little in the shower. that worked good too! Good luck!

All you need is an antihistamine. That will do it.
Just make sure you really do not want any more milk.
God bless.

I had this problem too! You just need to gradually pump less and less. Decrease by one to two ounces each time and then stretch out the times that you pump. If you are uncomfortable, get in the shower and expectorate a little until you feel like you can tolerate it. There is really no way to do this without a LITTLE discomfort, but it won't last long. Good luck!

Hi W.,
I used cabbage leaves to stop the milk, I know it sounds a little strange but it really works. Clean the leaves and put them in the refridgerator and then put a whole leaf inside your bra, they do smell a little when they get warm because of your body temp but it is worth it and change it 2-3 times a day. I have a son who is 6yo and a 4 month old daughter and it worked both times with them, I had my first son in Ireland and the midwife in the hospital gave them to me. It relieves the pain and the milk will stop but do not express milk this will prolong the agony. You should only need to do this for about 2-3 days. Good Luck.

Hi W.
I am a single mom of 2 boys (5) & 3 1/2. With both of them I had to pump since they wouldn't latch on. It was a LOT OF WORK! My first was 6 weeks premature and I pumped for 5 months. When it came time to stop I didn't have that many problems. With my 2nd son, he was full term but was getting sick from my milk, plus he had colic! So the doctor advised me to stop pumping and do formula.
I got great advice from my OBGYN to do the... and get ready for this... "CABBAGE PATCH DIET".
She suggested for me to get a head of cabbage and place it in the fridge. After that you take a couple of leaves and place them in your bra for most of the night.
I was a skeptic at first but it really worked. I did it for a month but there is something in the cabbage leaves that dries up the milk without pain.

I stopped breastfeeding a few months ago and dropped a pumping session once every 4-5 days. UNfortunately when I was almost finished I got engorged. I called a lactation consultant at abington hospital who told me not to abruptly stop the feed that was beeing dropped. To pump during that seesion for 5 mins the 1st day, then 4 mins the 2nd day , 3 mins the 3rd day and keep decreasins the session by one min until the session is finally done. The drop the next feed by decreasing pumping from 5 to 0 mins the same way you did the 1st session. and so on and so forth until you are no longer pumping. She also said to do the cabbage leaves right after you pump and change them when they wilt. This worked for me. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. Also the number to call at abington is ###-###-####. Then connect to the lactation consultant. if you need immediate assistance they have an option on the line. good luck!

CABBAGE LEAVES!!! I can not express into words how awesome this works. I used it with all 3 of my births, my oldest is going on 12 and my youngest is 2 years old.
Put the leaves directly on your breast into a well secure bra. The sulfate in the cabbage, draws the milk out naturally, not forced like the pumps. But do not pump at all. Only use the cabbage leaves, after 2-3 days, viola. You are good to go, without all the pain and discomfort. I also breastfeed for 7 months with my last child and the cabbage leaves helped me not gorge. GOOD LUCK! And no worries.

I recently quit breastfeeding my last child, and had pain when I stopped also - I also don't remember this pain with my other two children. The less demand, the less your body will produce. So, start by cutting back on pumping. This may take a few days - I don't know how many times you pump, but if you are very uncomfortable pump once in morning, and once at night. You can do this for a while, but you will need to stop pumping altogether, so your body stops producing. I wore tight sports bras during this time which helped, I also took ibuprophen, and used a heating pad. After all demand was removed from my body it only took about a week, or a week and a half to stop producing, and the pain was gone. Good Luck.

Full leaves of cabbage in your bra....for really. I'd wear a tight sports bra to compress them and slow milk production. Stop pumping to relieve pain, it will jsut cause more milk to be produced. Take pain meds, becuae they won't affect the baby if the milk doesn't get drunk! Also, hot and cold compresses to help with the discomfort...and most important...the cabbage......REALLY :)

Well I opt'd not to breastfeed and in the hospital they told me to wear and EXTRA tight bra( I used a sports bra a size smaller, I am a DD normally so I got a D size) and to keep ice on them (I used ice all day when the icepack got warm I changed it to a new one) and that took like 3 days.they also told me no warm compresses or steamy showers bc that produces the milk.

Hi W.,

Contact your local la leche league representative.

www.llli.org

Hope this helps. Good luck. D.

To stop milk production there are a few ways to do this. You could prepare Sage Tea (yes, sage in your cupboard) boil 1 cup of water and put 1T of sage in it (hopefully you have a tea baller or bag you can put it in). Let it stand for 30 minutes COVERED Then drink it. Drink this 4X/day. The more you pump the more you produce. Sage will dry up the milk. Instead of pumping when you have pressure try a warm compress on the breasts. You will leak it's natural there are just some things you will have to tolerate until it dries up. With the sage tea, it won't take long.

Please reconsider breastfeeding your baby, especially since she's a preemie. Her digestive system isn't developed enough so of course she's not going to take to anything well enough. I had a preemie, my second baby, I have 6, he had difficulties for awhile, but I couldn't even consider formula. You have the milk for a reason, your baby needs it. Well best of luck to you.

L.

W.,

The sage tea and cabbage leaves are your best bet. I do need to say though, that reading that your little one is only 6 weeks old, you haven't had enough time to keep triggers out of your diet long enough to know for sure what she's reacting to. Milk can take over 8 weeks for all it's components to be out of your system.

I don't know what you've tried thus far, or for how long you've tried it, or even what your nursing habits are with her. All of which can be reasons why she can't/still can't seem to handle your milk.

I also recommend LilyPadz. They help inhibit leakage. You can read more about them here. <http://www.lilypadz.com/&gt;

Blessings,
Rolinda
Wife, Mother, Friend

Gee I had the same problem not a thing worked for me....I too had a preemie (he is 19 months old now) and up until about 4 weeks ago i too was stillllll leaking. It had become drastically less over the last year and a half but I too was a huge breasted woman I say was because I just had breast reduction surgery about 3 weeks ago now and gee no more leaking........lol
Just a suggestion....that is all that seemed to work for me