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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

How to get milk to dry up FAST!

14 replies

Whenisitmysleepytime · 10/06/2011 11:44

I'm done with bf. Too much pain from tt that keeps re growing. Stabbing pains from let down. Blisters. Etc etc etc.

I have gallons of milk though. I'm pumping off just enough so I don't burst ( although leaking LOTS).
How do I get my milk to dry up as now I've decided in done I just want the milk and pains to stop!

OP posts:
RitaMorgan · 10/06/2011 11:53

The advice is to drop a feed every 3-7 days so your supply adjusts without risking mastitis. Don't pump, just hand express off the absolute minimum you can for comfort.

Whenisitmysleepytime · 10/06/2011 12:21

Yeah I've been dropping feeds slowly- cold turkey would be awful!

I can't hand express tho- never got the knack.

Any other ideas?

OP posts:
ThisIsYourSong · 10/06/2011 12:29

have you seen this video re hand expressing? I found it helpful
newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/HandExpression.html

sorry for all your troubles

monkey32 · 10/06/2011 19:23

I found good old savoy cabbage leaves beneficial. I kept them in the freezer as the coldness gave them added comfort. I believe the enzymes in the cabbage help the milk supply diminish (but I may be wrong - can't be bothered to google...) and certainly helped the hardness. Beware of the smell though - as the leaves are warmed by your body there is sometimes a rather unappealing smell of wee...!!

naturalbaby · 10/06/2011 23:15

isn't there a drug to stop milk production you can get on prescription from your gp? that sounds like an amazing amount of milk you are producing, i can't even begin to imagine how you are dealing with the pain!
i'm on my 3rd baby and for some reason my let down is really uncomfortable this time - it's taken a few months to ease off.

japhrimel · 11/06/2011 12:23

Drugs aren't usually available except in extreme circumstances such as when a baby is stillborn. There are risks of pretty horrible side effects with most of them.

Try to pump only to the stage where you are comfortable and your supply should drop gradually. I had to do this when DD suddenly started sleeping through and I was waking up in agony. I think it took about 10 days to drop the 1-2 night feeds.

WentworthMillerMad · 11/06/2011 18:38

Been there! My doc gave me some really strong codedine mixed with paracetamol. Not the over the counter crap! Really took the edge off as I went cold turkey. Cold cabbages really did help - freezer and v expensive measured bra. Hellish x

SauvignonBlanche · 11/06/2011 18:44

I was told to try to do without drugs after a stillbirth though I had really bad engorgement. Apparently there is a risk of DVT with them.
Try to avoid pumping if you can.

Whenisitmysleepytime · 11/06/2011 21:00

Thanks all! I wasn't really looking for drugs as after an elcs I feel I've had enough and I really don't cope well with pain killers. More home remedies IYSWIM.

It's actually a lot better today although I went without pads for 5 mins and started dripping so still leaky but not as full. Just wondering how long before it'll stop an I can go looking for nice new bras and go back to normal! :)

OP posts:
nokissymum · 11/06/2011 21:08

Green cabbage leaves dear! That'll do the trick.

NorkilyChallenged · 12/06/2011 10:39

am going through this now and echo cabbage leaf recommendatiopn

only thing that helped me let down to hand express was to boil kettle, pour water into big bowl, lean over it and steam helped let down so i could just drip into the bowl. nothing else had worked. cabbge really good and if you're giving up bf then replace leaves every 4 hours and keep on doing it for a couple of days

Whenisitmysleepytime · 12/06/2011 11:37

No cabbage I'm afraid.
Tried it once with ds after stopping bf then. The snell of warm cabbage boobs made me heave! (super human sense of smell another hangover from pg)

OP posts:
NorkilyChallenged · 12/06/2011 16:28

My hv said should take 2-3 weeks depending how you do it. Good luck, I had mastitis (not fun) so glad of cabbage - shame you can't use it

sleepdodger · 13/06/2011 23:41

Prob not the medically sound route but fwiw I was told not to take sudafed when bf as it can dry your supply, maybe discuss with hv?

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