How to dry up milk supply?

I just stopped nursing and let my body take care of it

For anyone looking for honest advice, troubleshooting, a place to share your joyous nursing moments, and a place to vent, check out our group Breastfeeding Babes​:breast_feeding:! :heart:

3 Likes

Camphorated oil. Should be able to get it at your local pharmacy. Massage it onto breasts.

My best suggestion would be herbal tea with sage. Sage is used to dry up milk supply. Lots if other herbs can be used; lemon grass, alfalfa leaf, chamomile, catnip, mint etc.

My little was born at 27 weeks and stayed 13 weeks in the NICU. I pumped and finger feed her. My breast milk helped her gain weight and kept her healthy. It’s up to you, but I would give her at least two months before switching her to formula!

3 Likes

Formula feeding a preemie can HAVE DEADLY results breastmilk is best for preemies even donor milk and I know more about preemies then most. It may not be for you but it’s THE BEST for your baby

7 Likes

Benadryl helps. I heard about a tea and went to my local health food store and guy recommended taking Benadryl. It supposed to help dry you up just like it dries up the fluids from allergies like snotty noses or watery eyes. Put cabbage leaves in freezer over a bowl to keep the shape and an ace bandage.

Have you discussed this with your pediatrician & OB because they will tell you the steps to take to stop lactating? A preemie situation is different than a healthy full-term infant. Breastmilk is often vital for them to thrive, especially in the beginning. Please at least talk to your baby’s doctor before throwing in the towel.

4 Likes

Your doc can tell you. I wore a tight sports bra with nipple shields. So I didn’t leak. Please talk to pediatrician before making changes with your babies food.

Preemies need their milk more than anyone else. Please reconsider giving babe just a bit more time to get stronger. :heart:

1 Like

Cabbage directly on the breast, change couple times a day for a few days

1 Like

First off, it’s totally okay that it isn’t for you. Just be sure in your decision. But you are in no way letting your child down for deciding it isn’t for you. A happy healthy comfortable mama is important. On that note, cold cabbage leaves 100% will do the trick, quickly. I breast feed and in the first week when things are kinda up and down supply wise, I became engorged and did cabbage leaves just enough to release my pain. But it will dry you up if you do it even more than I did, this is the method I used to dry up after my 2nd child.

1 Like

Cabbage leaves and ice packs

Wow!!! Really?! It’s not for you?? Are you Fing kidding me? That breast milk is for your baby!! Especially since she is a preemie she needs that breast milk more then ever. You don’t deserve to be a mother if that’s how you treat your baby.

7 Likes

Cold cabbage leaves pop into bra works brilliantly

Peppermint!! TONS of peppermint patties and I diluted peppermint oil and put it on my breasts, also I took Sudafed. Cabbage leaves cold from the fridge, roll over the veins with a rolling pin and slip them in your bra, replace when they get warm.

I feel ya mama. My first was a preemie and it is not easy. He was so small it was hard for him to nurse. We ended up going to formula because he wasn’t gaining weight off of my milk.

I know pumping isn’t for you, but I think the least painful way to go about decreasing your supply would be to start pumping only a few times a day. As the days go on, decrease the time of the session and the amount of times you pump. For example, say you pump 4x a day for 30 min a session. The next couple days do 20 min 4x a day, then 20 min 3x a day, and gradually, every couple days decrease your time and amount of sessions. Breast milk is supply and demand. Your body will naturally adjust and stop producing milk. Hang in there, and I hope this helps.

3 Likes

Cabbage and ice packs in the bra. Good luck. It was painful for me.

Don’t pump it will increase your supply bind your breast (wear a really tight bra/sports bra) and take Tylenol or ibuprofen for pain because it’s gonna hurt. You can use cabbage leaves and I would recommend ice packs

1 Like

BODY ARMOR I’m telling y’all it WORKS!! 100%

Sudafed,follow directions on the box. Mine dried up in a week

Wear a tight sports bra at all times, even to sleep and do not take really hot showers.

1 Like

Good luck. I had milk until 3 YEARS after I gave birth and I never breastfed. They weren’t engorged, but if I squeezed there was milk!It FINALLY dried up.

Put on 2 bras it works

You don’t stop it she need the to survival milk the stuff and it helps her body grow you need to pump it and if you don’t want to breastfeed that’s fine but put it in a bottle and give it to her that’s her best chance to grow and survive she needs her mother’s breast milk

1 Like

I just stopped pumping

Highly recommend u give it more time before giving up; first few weeks are the hardest and it gets way easier as the time goes

4 Likes

I wrapped a towel around my breast at night to help catch leakage and lots off pads in my bra during the day. Went from an small B up to a DD in breast. Prepare to get big and full. Then it we’ll just stop

1 Like

Stop pumping. Warm compresses when they hurt and are engorged. Hot baths helped too. Good luck momma. Breast is not always best. ( I breastfed both my kids) as long as your baby is not hungry and healthy, do what’s best for you.

6 Likes

As preemie mama too, congratulations on your little fighter! Also, I’m so proud of you for trying! It’s not for everyone! You can definitely ask for donor milk in the nicu if you WANT to go that route as well! I pumped for 12 months for my preemie and it was NOT fun. She was an IUGR 33 weeker and born 2lbs 15oz. She struggled with feeding for more than a year. We had an NG tube for the first 4 weeks. I managed to nurse for 7 months while pumping and supplementing/fortifying my BM with preemie formula. It was all soooooo much extra work. I wish there had been someone there to tell me it was ok to just STOP. I was killing myself trying to be able to keep up with it all!

By the end my supply had dropped so much that I just quit pumping/avoided stimulation. Also a good tight sports bra and ice packs helped. It took maybe a week and I was completely dried up!

Stop pumping, also staying hydrated and eating all the time helps build supply so maybe cut back? Lol it sounds silly but foods and water make the most milk.

Be aware though if you stop it may hurt your boobs for a bit. Good luck!

Google breast binding… That’s what I did with mine and my milk came in much easier when I had my second. I bound with my last also. Kept my boobs in great shape too… Better than any chemicals they give you in the dry up pills…

2 Likes

I used cabbage leaves for about a week but really couldn’t stand the smell, so after I just kept a tight bra on and kept warm water away from them! If your shower water from the shower head hits your nipples/breasts, milk will probably leak out.

Also, your baby has already gotten the benefits of breast milk that she needs, so please don’t let these comments get you down. My baby is two months old and I thought I was going to breastfeed as well. He was born 3 weeks early and I was on a magnesium drip during labor and 24 hours after. We were both just flat out exhausted and neither of us could get a good latch. Then he got jaundice and we had to stay longer in the hospital. I was an emotional wreck from the time he was born and we both decided it was just better for him to be fed!! Emotionally I couldn’t handle anything more. You have to do what’s best for you!

3 Likes

Put baby straight onto bottle with formula then for you gradually pump less after every feed. Drop one time every couple of days. I did it over 2 or 3 weeks and it gradually dried up. I kept what I pumped and froze it in little containers that I sterilized first. I added a little container every day to one bottle feed until it was gone

GIRL! YOU DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU. I have 2 children. The first had a tongue tie so I had to pump the whole time. My second, I got the chance to breast feed- and you know what? IT WAS NOT GREAT. I still have a lump in my breast from it. I had to sit in a piping hot shower and drain myself. It was MORTIFYING. My chest hurt so bad. I was engorged and unhappy. If this is something you just aren’t feeling- don’t do it. There are plenty of other opportunities to create that special bond.

1 Like

Not the women in the comments telling her to just try for one more week. Yall dont know if this woman is going through a lot more privately and she doesnt need to read that she might be doing wrong for her baby by not giving her breastmilk. Let me tell you i was literally in tears trying to feed my week old son when i know i wasnt producing enough to feed him when i was eating and drinking properly to try and replenish my supply. I had to stop for my mental health and my sons health and we had switch over to formula. If she asks for that kind of advice, THEN give that kind to her.

Breast fed or formula fed. Who gives a shit! As long as her baby is being fed, regardless of how, that’s all that matters!! :woman_shrugging:

I’m breastfeeding/pumping for just about 7 months. And i know it’s not for everyone. But you do what’s best for you mama. :heart:

2 Likes

6 day old preemie? Have you talked to your dr? Anyone. Preemie especially really needs the nutrients breast milk has.
Talk to a professional, not FB

4 Likes

I got a script from the doctor to help however i mainly did it myself. I just stopped pumping and put water in breast pads and froze them for when they were sore.

2 Likes

Babies mouth and it’s sucking effect is what stimulates our hormones into producing milk. By simply stopping the baby from this will soon make them dry up. Might get a week of pain and uncomfortablness. But eventually you’re body will do what it’s ment to do . A heat pack or a cool pack would help depending on the individual.

1 Like

Breast milk is a supply and demand type of thing. Unfortunately for me no matter how.much I demanded the supply couldnt keep up. So once you stop pumping/and or breastfeeding it’ll dry up in a couple weeks or less

cold cabbage leaves & a tight fitting bra, or anything cold in general. also mama once you decide to stop you can’t pump anymore or the milk will just keep producing.

1 Like

Tight bra with cabbage leaves inside all over your breast and ice packs. Do not get your breast in hot water in the shower or bath. Just wipe them off with a cool wash cloth. After about 7 days your milk should be dried up. The darker green the cabbage leaves are work best but any of it will work. Fresh not cooked cabbage. And sleep with your bra on. Only take it off to bathe then right back on. It works. Yes it’s stinky but it works. When the leaves get limpy change them. Put them in the fridge and it feels good.

I pumped not that much. Mine stopped within a week. Dont pump as if the baby is hungry every couple hours cause then your body will think the babys on your boobs not the pump. I pumped maybe twice a day unless i got engorged and had to pump cause of them hurting. Or you can always google ways too to stop supply.

Formula works just fine to feed your baby. I had huge boobs before a reduction after I finished birthing children. I couldn’t make enough milk to feed them. I tried and my babies nearly starved. Don’t let anyone guilt you if you don’t feel it’s for you. It will just stress out an already stressed new mommy. There are medications for drying up your milk. They work fast. Only you know what’s best for you and your baby. I’m sure you have been spoken to by lactating specialists til you’re blue in the face. If you’re done, you’re done. My kids both grew up healthy, smart, and productive adults. My daughter breast feeds. More power to her. Glad she is able. You do you! Good luck and congratulations on your new baby!! Enjoy your journey. In the blink of an eye, your baby will be out in the world building their own life. Enjoy and savor every moment you have together as you watch them grow. That’s my unsolicited advice. Again, congratulations Mommy!! :two_hearts::two_hearts::two_hearts:

I used cabbage leaves, and a sports bra that was a little snug. Took a few days, but dried up rather quickly.

Bathe you boobies in a warm bath of Epsom salts but only when you are 100% ready I did this in a sink and popped them in, then in the evening had a nice warm bath with the Epsom salts in again no milk the next day no issues my nan told me to do it after we had to bottle feed. Done it all 3 times with mine now at differing times of bf.

I don’t know if there is a way to do that. I just stopped breastfeeding/pumping and it eventually went away. I don’t really remember how long it took though.

I can give you an advice. Drink pepoermint extraxt. DO NOT make yourself breastfeed!!! Don’t give up to the pressure(people around you are really evil if they don’t respect your wishes).Breastfeeding wasn’t for me also - so to stop lactate, few times a day pump very tiny amounts of milk(only enough to relieve pressure). At first I did it 3 times a day and ince at night, but 2 days later - 2 times a day was enough. It took me 5 days to completely stop.

I think the admin team need to start blocking some rude people who think they know it all and are shamkng others giving advice of their own experiences
Absolutely disgusting behaviour

1 Like

Cabbage leaves in your bra . Really worked for me

My daughter was born with a cleft palate and milk didn’t come in til a week later. Pediatrician said not to try and breast feed honestly took one day and I stopped producing with no issues. A lacation specialist might be able to help. Everyone told me cabbage leaves in my bra to dry up supply but I didn’t need them might help you.

They can give you a shot to dry u up too u that was 30 years ago things might have changed

I just stopped pumping and only massaged a bit to get rid of the swelling after. Completely dried up within 2 weeks. Dont let anyone try to change your mind. Only you know whats best for yourself. Congrats on baby!!!

Best way to dry up is to just ware tight clothing. I dried up in 9 days after I had my baby almost a month ago. Didn’t even touch my boobs.

Take an ace bandage and wrap it around your chest (boobs). Keep it nice and snug. It’ll take a day or two, but the supply will stop.

Cut back gradually. Pump little less each day.

With a preme the best thing you can do for your little one us breast feed.

Honestly if your child is a premie your milk won’t even be ready till your due date . I couldn’t feed my premie till my due date. I know this cuz I had 2 baby’s one at 34 weeks n one at 36 weeks . If your not trying to feed baby your brest milk leese pump what u can n feed baby ! U don’t have to constantly feed baby your milk . U can pump n use formula !

Doctor has meds to do it pretty quickly.

Cabbage ice cold it worked for me twice

Talk to your doctor one pill will fix you right up very in expensive.

Cabbage leaves and ice

There are a few thirsty men out there who would gladly…Hahaha :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: :rofl::joy:

Cabbage leaves in your bra… Change then out every few hrs. Worked great for me. Best of luck!

Your dr can give you medication that will help.

Suggest asking your Doctor. Most often better than asking here !

Just stop touching it…

The midwife told me sage tea, and it worked for me very quickly.